Chapter Nine

 

<><> Chris <><>

 

Kicking back at Pico’s family restaurant is second nature. We come here so often we’ve got a tab going. Sitting in our regular booth, we hear Pico’s dad singing in the kitchen, Italian floating out the open window facing the front counter. The smell in here has my mouth watering and I can’t wait to dive into one of their delicious pizzas. I’ve tried every combo of topping imaginable and I’ve never had a bad pizza yet. They’re incredible.

The door chime rings as Cas comes in and slides into the booth beside me.

“Where’d you disappear to?” I ask.

“Had to drop by Medieval Ages to pick up my paycheck.”

“No direct deposit?” asks Kyle.

Nick laughs. “They probably pay you in old silver dollars or something, right?”

“That’s funny.” Cas smiles.

“Here you go, fellas, something to get you started,” says Pico’s mom as she places a basket of garlic bread on our table. “Enjoy!”

“Thanks, Mrs. Picorelli,” we say in unison like it’s rehearsed.

As Cas reaches to grab one, I spot his dirty hands and elbow him in the rib. “Dude, your hands are disgusting!”

“How unknightly!” Nick laughs.

“Asshole,” says Casper as he slides back out and disappears into the bathroom.

Nick laughs louder.

“What’s the plan for tonight?” says Kyle, wolfing down a piece of garlic bread.

“Get lucky.”

“Come on, Cowboy, don’t you want to meet the right girl?” Nick asks, always the voice of reason.

“Nah. I’m having fun with all the wrong ones first.”

“What about Courtney? You strike out?”

“No. She was too needy. Didn’t let me breathe.”

“What are we talking about,” Cas says, grabbing a piece of garlic bread with a clean hand.

“How Cowboy wants to get lucky tonight.”

“Hey, what a coincidence, same here!” Casper laughs. “Who has time to be tied down? Life’s too short.”

Nick throws him a death stare. “I have time to be tied down, that’s who. You two make it sound so easy, but jumping from one lay to another leaves you with nothing.”

“Leaves you satisfied, duh!”

Kyle mumbles between bites, “Whatever. I agree with Nick. Nothing beats finding the right one.”

Casper, the best looking guy I know, has been through so many girls I can’t even count them all. Everyone thinks I’ve been around, which is true, but Casper holds the record. Not like we keep score or anything. That would be wrong.

Just as our pizzas arrive, all piping hot and ready to be devoured, in walks Miriam with her blond friend and two perfectly styled guys. For a second I thought they were twins, but one is way shorter. I recognize Square-Peg as the blond’s boyfriend from after the baseball game. The guys hold the door for the girls, acting all manly. That’s when I realize it’s a double date. Just my luck. My guys reach in and snag slices of pizza, totally unaware of my line of vision. I’ve got my eyes on Miriam, but she’s doing everything in her power to avoid eye contact with me. The guy, Ryan I guess, puts his hand on her back to guide her into the empty booth next to us. As she’s about to take her seat, she seems to reconsider knowing us.

“Hi, Chris,” she says before sliding into the booth and out of sight.

“Hi,” I say with a mouth full of pizza, not even sure if she heard me. Well, that was weird. My guys still haven’t even noticed her arrive, that’s how hungry they are. I carry on eating too, hearing bits of their conversation from the booth behind me. A second later, poser number one gets up and goes to the bathroom and poser number two says he forgot his wallet in the car and has to go get it. The girls are alone so I jump at the opportunity. Swiveling in my seat, I crane over the top of the booth and they go quiet and stare up at me like I’m a fucking alien. “Hey.”

“Hi.”

“Long time no see.”

Miriam laughs at this and her friend smiles and gives Miriam a sideways glance.

“Best pizza in town, right?” I say.

Casper pops his head over the back of the booth too and instantly notices the blond. “Hi. How’s it goin’?”

“Fine,” she says all serious.

“What’s your name?”

She rolls her eyes and laughs and then covers her face with her menu, pretending to look it over.

“No, really, what’s your name?” Cas keeps trying.

She brings the menu down a bit and locks onto him with baby blue lasers. “Why?”

“Because I need to know.”

“Bailey.”

“Nice to meet you. My name’s Cas. I’m friend’s with Chris.”

“I kind of figured,” says Bailey all snobby.

Miriam elbows her and Bailey shrugs and mouths the word What? before looking back at him. “Nice to meet you too.”

“So, come here often?” Cas asks.

Miriam and I lock eyes and laugh as Bailey squirms in her seat. “Seriously?”

Casper usually attracts girls the way the manure we use on the flowerbeds attracts flies, but it’s not working on Blondie.

“Oh, he’s serious. Trust me,” I say.

Just then, poser number two comes back from getting his wallet and slides into the long seat below us. He gives us a double take. “Hello.”

“Hey,” Cas and I say before turning and sitting back down.

Pico limps over from behind the kitchen doors to see us. My brother gets up and gives him a quick guy hug and they talk for a while since it’s been so long. Not much is new with Pico, other than running this restaurant with his parents. It hasn’t been easy for him after the accident, but he’s hanging in there. Still the same old Pico.

Twenty minutes later, we leave empty pizza trays and crumpled napkins in our wake and get up from the table.

“Lets go to the Regent,” says Cowboy.

Everyone agrees, well, almost everyone.

“Can’t. Gotta get home. I’m on diaper duty tonight,” announces Nick and we totally understand. We’d never break his balls for that.

I turn and notice Miriam watching us, so I wave. She gives me a little wave before looking down at her pizza. Oh well, it was worth a shot. So she’s taken. Doesn’t mean I have to like it.

“Bye, Bailey!” Casper shouts over his shoulder. We’re out the door before we can gauge her reaction.

 

~ ~ ~ ~

 

The already hot summer sun beats down on me. It’s unforgiving. I long for my bedroom cave and the cool clean sheets on my bed. Sleep. It’s like a mirage in the blistering heat that’s just out of reach, and in five more hours it’s mine for the taking. The tamping machine plays like a jackhammer on my foggy brain, the hangover lingering like some uninvited guest that can’t take a hint. Why do I do this to myself? It’s not fun anymore.

Feeling a tap on my shoulder, I turn to see Nick standing behind me. I turn off the tamper and the high-pitch buzz dies to a low hum.

“Loman, we’ve got company,” he says and points.

Miriam is standing at the sliding door with a tray in her hands.

“Turn that down, would ya?” I holler over the heavy metal. Danny, scrawny grunt guy supreme, does as he’s told. The only sound we hear is the hum from the tamping machine as it powers off. “Might as well break, guys.”

Walking toward the torn up patio, I notice the tray is full of cookies and my mouth starts watering. I love it when homeowners bake for us. Then I notice something else…Miriam’s eyes. Looking up, she holds my gaze and then looks away, like she’s uncomfortable having me stare.

“Are all these for us?” Nick asks, striding over to the round patio table.

Miriam puts the tray down and backs away a little, making room for the hungry landscapers; probably afraid we’ll bite her hand off if she doesn’t clear out quick. “Does anyone have any allergies to nuts?”

Okay, so asking a group of guys anything about nuts is taking a huge risk. There has to be a joke in there somewhere, but my guys overlook the obvious and stay polite. “Nope,” Cas says while grabbing two cookies from the top of the heap.

“Thanks for this,” Nick says.

“What kind are they?” Danny asks, not waiting for an answer.

“Chocolate chip oatmeal with pecans.”

Talking is minimum as we snatch and paw the plate like ravenous dogs. You’d think we hadn’t eaten in days. I watch as Miriam kind of stares at us in wonder, amazed at our appetites.

“Well, if there’s anything else you need, just let me know.”

“Thanks,” we mumble through chews.

For some reason, I get the impression she wants to say more. Instead, she heads back inside, leaving the now empty plate behind like a discarded bone.

“She’s cute. I’m a sucker for brunettes. Always have been,” says Nick. His girlfriend, Evan, has jet-black hair cut really short and edgy. Not really my thing, but it works on Evan.

A few minutes later, we’re all back at it. Nick unrolls black weed control fabric so he can cut it into place; Cas climbs back into the Bobcat to remove the massive boulders; Danny turns up the music and keeps digging the future flowerbeds; and I get back to tamping — tolerating the jarring vibrations and feeling the cookies jostling around in my gut. Kyle is at the hardware store getting supplies to frame a new cement patio. The concrete’s being poured tomorrow, so we have to make sure the frames are constructed and ready, even if it means having to stay overtime, which I don’t mind one bit.

 

 

The sun’s going down and the rest of my crew already left, scattering into the hot summer wind. Even Kyle abandoned me for his friends, but I don’t mind. I want to make sure the concrete frames we nailed together are plum for tomorrow’s delivery so the concrete can be dumped into it first thing. I’m raking the last of the sandy gravel base inside the frame when I hear the sweetest sound I’ve heard all day.

“Chris?”

I turn to find Miriam standing on the crumbling back patio wearing black yoga pants and a green tank top. Her hair’s in a messy ponytail, yet she’s absolutely gorgeous and so tall! She holds out a glass of ice water for me.

“Thought you could use this.”

Throwing down the rake, I crunch over the gravel in my work boots, wipe the sweat from my forehead and take the glass. “Thanks,” I say as I sit down on a pile of newly delivered flagstone. “What’s that you’re reading?” I point to the book in her hand and take a sip.

“This is for you, actually.”

“For me?”

“It’s that biography on Edward Law Olmsted I mentioned. Would you like to borrow it?”

“Sure,” I say, taking the book. “Is it good?”

“I don’t know. I haven’t actually read that one yet. It’s my mom’s.”

“Oh. Okay, I’ll be careful with it. Thanks.”

“No problem. Let me know how it is.”

I raise the book in gratitude. “I will.”

There’s a weird silence, almost like she wants to say more but doesn’t know where to begin. “Why are you the only one left?”

I take another long needed sip. “Making sure everything’s ready for tomorrow. I was just about to leave.”

“Oh,” she takes a step back. “Okay, I won’t keep you. You’ve had a long day.”

“No, come and sit. Lets talk.”

I notice her hesitate, but then she actually does and I’m stoked. The unexpected rush I feel being this close to her has me giving my head a shake. I can’t believe it. I’ve never been this nervous around a girl before.

Miriam’s guarded, almost defensive. Thing is, I can tell she doesn’t even realize how intimidating she really is; how much power she has over me. She sure as hell doesn’t go out of her way to be the center of attention. Not like Donna or all the other girls I seem to attract. And now I know the type of guy she goes for – and he’s the polar opposite of me, but whatever. He’s not here right now. I am.

As we sit side by side, I inch closer. This is the closest I’ve ever been to Miriam, so I take advantage of the last fragments of fading light to really look at her, and I like what I see. As I openly stare, there’s this crazy, amazing energy pulsing between us.

“So, what’s new?”

What’s new? Okay, now I know she’s really nervous. I do everything I can to hide the smile tugging at my lips, but it’s no good. She’s just too cute, all prim and proper, even in those body hugging yoga pants. Beauty and brains, it’s a lethal combo, and one I rarely find. I’m prone to beauty and attitude. “Nothing much is new. Just doing everything I can to make sure this project runs smoothly. What’s new with you?”

She laughs and does this shy smile. “I guess that’s a lame question. Not much is new, just finishing up exams and getting ready to graduate. It’s hard to believe it’s all coming to an end. Seems like a lot of things are coming to an end.”

I sense her sadness and it makes me wonder what she’s not saying. “Life goes on. You’ll do fine.”

She flashes me a grateful smile and thanks me. I can tell she means it; that she’s going through something and this backyard is bringing her some kind of relief. For some reason, I feel a responsibility to please Miriam and make everything in her life better through my landscaping skills. Sounds crazy, but I honestly think that. Like being in her life is meant to be. And in a way, she came into my life at a time when I’m finally ready to give someone as special as her my full attention. I’m finally ready to act like a man.

“Miriam, is your mom...sick?”

She tenses and I can tell right away it’s a painful subject.

“Sorry, it’s none of my business.”

“She has cancer.”

Now it’s my turn to stay quiet. What do I say to that?

“She’s doing a second round of chemotherapy. Hopefully it will work this time.”

“Sorry. I had no idea.” I don’t dare tell her that the guys and I had a bet going that Mrs. Pritchard was just a hovering kind of client like all the others since she seems to be around all day. I know saying this will only upset Miriam more. “And it’s just the two of you here, isn’t it.”

“Yes. My dad left Buffalo after the divorce.”

“I know what that’s like.”

“Your parents too?”

“Yeah. It was the best thing ever.”

“You’re happy about it?”

“My dad’s a prick. Sorry to be so direct, but it’s true.”

“Mine has his moments too.”

There’s this long, drawn out silence, but it’s not uncomfortable. “So, what will the chemo do?”

“It’s supposed to destroy all the cancer cells, but sometimes they come back. That happened after her first round.”

“And it wipes her out?”

“Completely. She’s so tired right now that she has to take naps.”

“Does the landscaping disturb her napping? We can stop earlier in the day if you want us to.”

“No, that’s okay. Thanks, though. My mom really wants the backyard to look a certain way and she wants to be able to enjoy it because...”

“Because...” I say, noticing how long it’s taking her to answer.

“Because she’s afraid this might be her last summer.”

Suddenly, swallowing becomes difficult and I realize how much stress Miriam’s under. Holy shit. I had no idea her mom’s illness was that serious. “I’m so sorry. That’s terrible.”

Miriam sits up straighter, like she’s trying to pull herself together — or stop herself from falling apart. Maybe both. “She’s an outpatient, so she goes to the hospital during scheduled appointments. Sometimes she’ll stay overnight, but not often.”

“And you stay by yourself?”

“Yes.”

I shake my head, unable to even imagine how strong Miriam has to be to go through all this by herself. At least I have my brother if anything happened to Jackie. “Are you scared?”

“Yes.”

“I bet.”

“Mom’s coming up to a rest period, when the chemo ends and we wait and see if it worked or not. When it’s over, it gives her body time to regain some strength. She’s already been going through this round for months now.”

“Again, I’m so sorry. That sucks. I promise not to tell the guys.”

“No,” she says, surprising me. “Tell them. They should know why she’s always here watching them. It’s not because she’s picky, it’s because she’s really enjoying watching everything unfold. If you can explain that, it would mean a lot.”

“Sure, I can do that.” I suddenly realize I’d do anything she asked.

 

~ ~ ~ ~

 

At ten after ten the next morning, just as we’re about to take our morning break, Miriam comes out from the sliding glass doors carrying a tray loaded with goodies. It looks heavy, so I rush over to help her with it.

“Thanks.”

“No problem. Where do you want it?”

“On the table. I’ll grab some plates and forks.”

“Sure,” I say, turning to the guys. “Hey, we hit the jackpot!”

They all come over, brushing the dust and dirt from their hands on their pants. We stand looking at the tray loaded up with a mountain of hot muffins and a huge bowl of fruit salad. There’s a pitcher of orange juice too.

“Spoiled rotten, that’s what we are.”

“No kidding,” says Kyle. “This is way over the top. Best job ever!”

Miriam comes back and we go quiet. “My mom wants to thank you for your hard work. She can already tell she chose the right landscaping company.”

We all grunt and thank her, patiently waiting as she lays the plates and forks out. Tossing the fruit salad, Miriam’s gaze locks on mine. She holds my stare before looking away all shy. Totally adorable.

“Lo, pass me a plate, will ya? I’ve asked you six times.”

“Huh? Oh, sorry,” I say and pass Nick a plate and fork.

“This looks tasty,” says Danny, whose usual morning snack is a Poptart.

“Are those blackberries in there? I love blackberries. Wow,” Cas mumbles.

I say what’s on everyone’s mind. “You really didn’t have to go to all this trouble for us.”

Miriam smiles. “It’s nothing. Like I said, we wanted to show you guys how much we appreciate your hard work. This has been a difficult time. Maybe Chris has told you.” She looks around and everyone’s quiet all of a sudden. Yes, I have told them already.

My work buddies bow their heads a little, feeling bad for her.

“We’re all really sorry about your mom,” I say.

“Yeah,” Nick looks up at her. “We promise to make your backyard the best one yet.”

All the guys nod and agree and I swear I see a tear roll down Miriam’s cheek and all I want to do is pull her into my arms. Instead, she smiles and turns away, obviously desperate for privacy. “Enjoy the brunch,” she says over her shoulder before disappearing back inside. As she goes, I’m left with a painful lump in my throat. I know I’m not the only one judging by the amount of deep, quick coughs that happen as the guys fill their plates in silence. This project has taken on new significance now and we’re all feeling it.