by Allie York
“Thanks for springing this on me,” Wyatt jokes.
“Our second date was spent at the ER. Shut up,” I snap back.
“Fair enough.” He nods and points at Cruze and Pops by the door, bundling up to go home. I wave at Cruze and blow him a kiss; he blows me one back. Pops picks him up and I get one last wave from the sidewalk as the door closes.
“This is going to be a disaster, you know that right?” I lean my forehead on Wyatt’s chest and groan.
“I agree, I was kind of hoping to get laid tonight.” He laughs and my head bounces off his chest.
“Me too!” I groan. “But my parents are currently heading to my room to move my things and judge my life and make me want to tie the lasso of truth around my neck.” I want to cry.
“That specific lasso?” He’s laughing so hard that I have to lift my head so it stops playing pinball off his chest.
“I’ll take any lasso. Indiana Jones, some of Spiderman’s web shooter, anything to avoid my parents sleeping in my bed and being in my apartment.” I realize I sound bitchy. “I’m glad they’re here, really, but I need a warning.”
“I understand. I’m going to go be a gentleman and help with their bags. You go run the show. Maybe we can use one of Rae’s gaming chairs later.” With a wink Wyatt jogs across the store, dodging people to get outside and help my parents. May the Force be with him.
Greer, Tuesday, and I start sending the people who’ve been browsing toward where Rae is talking to a new group about how the night will work. A line starts at Second Breakfast, and my parents come in with two bags each, plus Wyatt carrying two. Oh my god, please tell me they aren’t moving back. Wyatt looks a little shell-shocked, but he’s a cop so he works well under pressure. They tote things toward the stairs, and I go to open the door before they get there. I barely beat Dad to the stairs, rush up, and push the door open. At least I tidied last night.
“Wow!” Dad spins around dropping his bags to the floor. This looks great.” He looks at me like he can’t believe I did it. I had sent him pictures while it was under construction, but I realize I never sent them shots of the finished product. It was when they were on one of their cruises.
“Yeah,” I agree.
“It’s… groovy.” Dad wanders down the hall to the bathroom. “A Marvel bathroom!” he shouts to my mom who kisses my cheek on the way past and gives me a pointed look. Wyatt is standing behind me, bags in hand.
“Mom was snarky?” I whisper.
“A little.”
“Did Dad ask if you smoke?” I turn to face him and take the bags, adding them to the pile.
“It took me a second to realize that he wasn’t asking for a cigarette.” Wyatt shakes his head. “I didn’t tell him I’m a cop.”
I shrug. “He grew up in the 70’s and ran a comic shop from the time he was twenty until four years ago. He was not asking for a cigarette,” I confirm. Wyatt laughs and my parents come back toward us from their self-guided tour.
“This place, Noralee. It’s just like the studio I had back in seventy-nine. You remember that place Nina?” Dad throws an arm around my shoulders.
“Oh, I remember.” Mom looks starry eyed and I have a hard time imagining my mom in a place like this. Where my dad is peace, love, and happiness, my mom is more kill your dreams, PTA meetings, and why didn’t you get a real degree. According to Dad, motherhood changed her hippie vibes, but I have a hard time seeing it. Even the way they dress is opposite. It’s winter and Dad is in worn cargos, flip flops, and a faded Hawaiian print shirt. Mom is wearing khakis with a shirt and cardigan. Her waves are pulled back in a sensible ponytail where Dad’s hair is in a long tail down his back. Whatever, they love each other.
“So, Wyatt. How long you been hanging around my daughter?” Dad puffs his chest like he’s supposed to intimidate my boyfriend.
“A few weeks,” he answers. “I was on call when there was a break-in next door. I came to question her about seeing anything out of the ordinary and she hit me with the door. I’ve been coming around ever since.” I wince when he mentions the break-in. I may have left that detail out the last time we talked.
“Break-in?” Mom’s eyes go wide.
“You’re a cop?” Dad asks at the same time.
“I need to go help downstairs,” I chime in.
“Let’s all go get a coffee and one of those sandwiches Tuesday makes!” Wyatt claps his hands and heads for the door. Mom starts questioning him on his job, the break-in, and what he’s doing to keep me safe. Dad questions his thoughts on legalizing marijuana. It’s going to be a very long night.
Downstairs everything is in full swing. People are dating, Rae is running the show, Tuesday is delivering coffee, and Greer is at the register counting money. Dad is following Wyatt through the shop, pointing out things I’ve either done right or wrong, and Mom is, of course, right next to me with her arms crossed. I know it’s coming so I brace for it, readying my answers and comebacks.
“So, he has a child?” My mom decides to start there.
“Yeah, Cruze is four.” I cross my arms, defending myself from the oncoming storm.
“Where is Cruze’s mother? Why is he here if his child is at home? If it’s only been a few weeks, why is this child already spending time with you? If you break up, he will be so confused.” Mom rattles off questions without giving me time to answer them. “Why would you want to date a man with kids?”
“Calm down, Mom.” I finally stop watching Wyatt to answer her. “One,” I hold up a finger. “I have no idea where Cruze’s mother is and neither does Wyatt. Two,” I add a second finger. “He is here because even people with kids get breaks.” I add a third finger. “Three, he had Cruze with him when he came to help me clean up when we got robbed. Four…” My pinky joins the fingers in the air. “I don’t want to think about us breaking up, I kind of like him.” I add my thumb. “And five, I want to date a man with a kid because it’s that man with a kid.” I nod toward Wyatt.
“For someone so smart, you can be so dense, Noralee.” My mother laughs, shaking her head.
“Dense?” I switch from mildly annoyed to full on offended quick.
“Can’t you see what he’s doing? That little boy needs a mom and you are just the sucker for the job.” Mom stops watching the speed daters to look at me, her brown eyes filled with sympathy.
“What in the last twenty minutes has made you think that?” I almost laugh at her, but I really want to hear her twisted thought process here.
“He’s a tall, handsome, successful man. I’m sure women are all over him trying to get his attention.” Mom pauses to lower her voice. “He has a career and a child who needs his total commitment. Why is he here with a girl in a Batman sweater?” She blinks into her best pity face.
“Your father ran this place his whole life, and it provided for us, but I wanted more for you. I wanted you to travel, see the world, get a real education. I guess you’re just like your father in that sense.” I look from my mom, to my dad. He’s smiling, patting Wyatt on the shoulder, completely smitten with him.
“Are you telling me that he only wants me to help raise his kid and has no actual feelings for me because I run a comic shop and dress like I run a comic shop?” I roll my eyes and laugh.
“That’s not all of it of course, but yes.” Mom gently touches my shoulder.
“That’s insane, Mom.”
“You can’t help being this way, I should have done more to stop you thinking like this as a kid. Anytime you saw anyone begging on a corner, you gave them money, no matter how obvious it was that they didn’t need it. You have a good heart, but I don’t think you have any clue what you’re getting into.” I stare at my mother, trying my hardest to keep my head above her words. How could I have forgotten she’s like this? How did I forget in such a short time that she lives to tear me down and break my spirit? How did I forget that I am bad about letting her do it?
I shake my head. “You have no idea what you’re talking about.”<
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“Fine, maybe he has feelings for you,” Mom admits. “But do you really want to help him raise a child?” I roll my eyes like the petulant teen I once was, but my mother can’t stop there.
“Do you even want kids? Are you stable enough for that? I mean financially?” She pauses and I think it’s my turn to chime in, but no. “Do you know how hard it is to raise a child? There’s no going out with your friends, no coming and going whenever, no freedom. What is your role going to be in this kid’s life?” Mom finally stops talking to look at me. She arches her brow impatiently.
“Oh, I wasn’t sure if you were done or not.” I glare at her. “You’re being dramatic. Cruze is Wyatt’s son and Wyatt takes care of him. I get to read Batman books to him and play with action figures.” We’ve talked about it a little, but things are so new that I’m not going to worry too much about those details. Maybe once things progress.
“Is that really how you think this works?” Mom looks more concerned, and less angry. “Noralee, if you are with a man who has a child, you take on both. It’s a package deal. You are in that boy’s life and that means you are an influence; you will be responsible in some ways. Maybe I’m wrong about him needing help with the boy, and maybe he does really care about you, but you can put money on being a parental figure in that boy’s life. You don’t have a choice if you plan on sleeping with his dad.” She gives me a sharp nod and walks off as if we didn’t just have a life changing talk. A nervous knot settles in my stomach and I swallow when it moves to my throat. Mom is wrong about Wyatt not having feelings for me. Are we in love? No, not yet. Are we on the way? I am. Does he want me around only to help with Cruze? No way. She’s right about her last statement though; if I’m going to be with Wyatt, I’m going to be with Cruze too, and I need to be okay with that.
I stupidly lean on a rack of merchandise and stumble when it moves. Fortunately, I catch myself and don’t fall on my ass again. I look around to see if anyone saw, but no one’s paying attention to me. Then my eyes land on Wyatt, still talking to my Dad. He may be listening to Dad, but he’s watching me. The smirk on his face tells me he saw it all. Great. I feel my face heat up and duck down to fix the things I knocked over on the shelf.
I busy myself the rest of the evening. I help Tuesday at Second Breakfast, I help Greer deliver drinks and talk to people about merchandise during breaks, and I help Rae manage the event a little. Wyatt does the same, but usually in a different location. Dad follows him around, chatting, looking for some conversation that isn’t my mother and I can’t blame him. I spend the majority of my energy trying to block out everything Mom said to me. I fight it, trying to keep the words from worming their way in and infecting me with her thoughts. As hard as I try, I find myself wondering if I’m okay with taking on a man and a kid. I care about Cruze, but that’s a stretch to helping Wyatt raise him. Caring about him is not the same as doing the daily stuff, leaving work to pick him up when he’s sick, dealing with tantrums, illnesses, daily care. I never thought about kids, having them, wanting them or otherwise. I honestly never saw myself having any kids. Maybe Mom is a little right, I need to decide if I really am okay with a future that involves both Wyatt and his son. It takes me no time to push the thoughts away and realize that I am falling for both of them, hard, and can’t imagine not having them in my life.
As the night winds down, people trickle out, others go to shop, some pair off to talk quietly. The speed dating room clears out completely. I start cleaning up discarded coffee cups and napkins when I’m grabbed from behind and am immediately engulfed in all that is Wyatt.
His smell invades my nose, the feel of him surrounds me. “I feel like I haven’t seen you all night.” I’m momentarily in a lusty haze and forget that he and I need to talk. While Rae has my parents’ attention, I pull us into a corner.
“Can we talk?” No point in beating around the bush.
“This can’t be good.” He immediately tenses.
“I…” I gather my thoughts. “I need to know where things are going because… I just need to figure some things out.” I stare at our shoes, pointing at each other.
He tips my chin up. “Where did this come from?” His brows draw together.
“I’ve just been thinking and I’m trying to make sure I know what I’m getting into.” I feel like a horrible person already and we’re just getting started. Nothing is coming out the way I want.
“What exactly do you think you’re getting into?” He takes a step back and the space around me feels empty. “Is this about my job and your dad?” Wyatt crosses his arms.
“No.” I shake my head.
“Then what is it? Because I’m falling in love with you and if you want out, the sooner the better.” Wyatt looks as shocked to say it as I am to hear it.
“You are?” I whisper.
“Yes, I am,” he admits. “So, what’s this about? My dangerous job? My work hours? What?” His dangerous job never occurred to me until he said it.
“I…” I swallow. “It’s Cruze. I just…” I hesitate to explain that I have no idea what I’m doing with a kid, that I’ve never imagined having them, and that while I think Cruze is great, I’m not sure I’m what’s best for them.
“Are you joking?” His face morphs into shock. “What does Cruze have to do with anything? I told you before our first date, so you don’t get to act like you weren’t aware.”
“No.” I shake my head, none of this is coming out the way I want it to.
“Then what is it, Noralee, because my son is nonnegotiable. We talked about this.” He says it calmly, matter of fact, and it makes me feel worse somehow. I hold my hands up to stop him. “Where did this come from?”
“Mom said some things.” As soon as I say it, I realize how damn stupid I sound.
“Your mom? Are you kidding me right now?” Wyatt shakes his head, eyes rolling to the ceiling.
“Wyatt,” I start, but he interrupts me again.
“You know what, I’m not sure I want to hear you explain this. Any issue you have with how things are going, I’ll gladly talk through it, but not when the issue is my kid.” I open my mouth to tell him that the issue isn’t his kid, it’s me, but I close it. I close my mouth and stare at my Batman Converse. I fucked up with the entire conversation and I should have kept my mouth shut. After a long stretch of silence, Wyatt lets out a long sigh and kisses my head. Without a word, he turns, and I watch him walk across the store and to the door. He doesn’t look back, why would he? The bell sounds, the door closes, and Wyatt vanishes in the darkness. An empty ache starts in my stomach and spreads to my chest until my eyes burn and I’m struggling to breathe. Instead of running to the parking lot after him or even getting my phone to call him, I pretend my heart doesn’t hurt and go back to cleaning up. I glance up to see my parents in a heated discussion near the stairs to my apartment and my head starts to ache along with everything else.
18
Noralee
Normally my Wednesday nights are spent at home with my friends making cookies for D & D night and watching a classic horror film. Not tonight. My parents are still in town, still sleeping in my bed, and still taking up my space. So now my Wednesday night includes two extra people in my apartment, no horror movie, and my mom baking the cookies while my dad looks over the books for not only my business, but Second Breakfast, and Rae’s merchandise sales as well. The kitchen island is packed, Mom refused to use my cookie cutters, and my phone hasn’t rung in days. I haven’t gotten a text from him either. I know the phone works both ways, I know that I could call and tell him how badly I screwed up, and how fucking miserable I am without talking to him, seeing him, kissing him. But I don’t. I sit miserably, phone gripped too hard in my hand, and will it to ring. He has no reason to call me, of course, but I’m hoping he does. I’m an idiot.
“Are you listening?” My Dad taps the table and I jump.
“No,” I admit and push up from the stool.
“I said the speed dating was a
great promo. You should stick with it for next year leading up to Valentine’s Day.” Dad is a lot of things that don’t make him look like a solid business owner. He has a Cheech and Chong vibe that follows him everywhere, a true hippie mentality, and is all peace, love, and rock and roll. He also retired to go give business advice to a multi-million-dollar company in Florida. It’s weird to see him do business stuff, no matter how long I’ve seen him do it.
“It was a lot of fun.” Rae stops playing her game to look me in the eyes. “I think a lot of people met their person, too. So, we did a good thing. I can’t wait to find out about some of our participants doing Valentine’s dates.” She might be talking to Dad, but she’s looking at me. Tomorrow is Valentine’s Day. Wyatt and I were supposed to go out, but that obviously isn’t happening.
Dad starts rambling on about something with a promo a month as if I have the time and energy for that, and I stare at my phone, the screen black, and zone out again. I’ve typed out at least twenty texts, but not sent a single one. The texts have ranged from ‘Can we talk?’ to ‘I fucked up so bad and I’m falling in love with you too.’ Some of them were puns, some were funny, some I wrote while crying in my bathroom because my parents have completely taken over my apartment.
“Nora.” Rae pinches me and I jump.
“Ow! Shit! What?” Mom gives me a scolding look when I say shit, but I ignore her, my current situation wouldn’t be an issue if she had just been happy for me.
“I think I left my good headset downstairs, is the alarm set?” She arches a brow at me. Her good headset is hanging around her neck.
“Yeah, I set it. You know the code.” I look back down at my phone as if I could have missed a phone call, even though it’s in my hand.
“It goes off every time I try to disarm it. Go with me.” Rae is already up off her stool, slipping her feet into her boots.
“I’ll go.” Tuesday hops up, throwing all the blankets to the side of the futon. A familiar pain stabs me when I look at my own couch now. Literally everything reminds me of him.
