Chapter Six:
Not If, But When
Going to Destiny’sthe second time was easier. The first had been a healthy reminder that I wasn’t in love with her anymore and that I had to get my shit together, so I didn’t hesitate at all this time to ring the doorbell about nine times in a row.
“¡Hijo de puta! What!” Destiny yanked open the door with a face that looked exactly like the evil one I had pictured before that first visit, but she instantly softened. “Oh shit, sorry. Hey, Oliver. Come in. Angel!” she yelled, stepping aside to let me in and I could see boxes already sprinkled around on the floor.
“Didn’t mean to intrude or anything,” I said quickly. “Do you always call your visitors sons of bitches, though? Or is it just me?”
“No,” she laughed a little breathlessly. “I thought someone was fucking with us. Who rings the doorbell ten times unless you’re being fucked with?”
“The cops, probably.” Angel stepped into the room looking so different with the beard I hardly recognized him, but he had the same uncertain eyes he always had. “Hey, Ollie. How you been?”
“Great, yeah. No complaints here. You? Sorry I kinda dropped all this in your lap and didn’t stick around to say hi, but you know how it is.” I shook his hand quickly and let go, hating how badly I wanted to put him in a headlock and dig my knuckles into his skull until he stopped being a stranger to me. “How’s it coming?”
“All good here. I mean, it’s not the same without you, of course. Sometimes, I miss Brisley too, but Destiny would never leave this place so y’know how that is.”
“Don’t put that on me. You love it here, too.” She swatted his arm and disappeared to give us some time.
“She’s a little on edge with the move. Kinda mad I got a boat, but whatever. That shit was worth it. What else you doing out here? We could grab a beer or something?”
“Actually headed back to Brisley for a bit. Figured I’d give you guys time to move out then come back down here to get it ready to sell.” I glanced around, clenching my jaw a little as memories started coming back to me. “You guys need more time or anything?”
“Nah, we got this.” He seemed to take that as rejection and released a heavy breath. “Sorry about everything, Ollie. Never really got the chance to say that, but I am. I never meant to fall in love with your girl, it just ... happened.”
I held up a hand and forced a smile. “Look, it’s cool. I’m proud of you for owning your shit and being a good dad. You didn’t abandon her and God only knows I might’ve back then, so you probably did everyone a favor. I didn’t come here to make nice or make you apologize or anything. It’s just business, Angel. Maybe we’ll get a beer when I come back.”
“Okay,” he responded warily. “Well, have a safe flight and all that. Tell Sterling I said hi. Charlie, too.”
“Angel,” I started, taking a half-step forward. “Look, don’t do that. This doesn’t have to be weird, okay? I really am going home, I wasn’t trying to blow you off. It’s just fucking weird for me, you know?”
“I know, I know. I get it. It’s weird and I don’t deserve to have my friend anymore. I get that. I just miss you and they opened that casino so I thought we could maybe pretend shit wasn’t weird but — too soon, I guess.”
He almost had me. Almost. “I’m actually in Gam-Anon. Have been for a couple years, so no casinos for me. I’m about to get my second bronze medallion.”
“Oh shit.” The confusion in his gaze melted away to pity in seconds. “Damn, that’s heavy. Good job though, man. I didn’t know it got that bad. Wouldn’t have said the ‘c’ word if I did.”
“That’s what does it, huh?” I huffed, rubbing my jaw and begging myself to shut up — but I didn’t. “Not the fact that I’m standing here in the house I built with your wife, stepping over boxes full of shit that belongs to someone I’d once thought was my daughter. Not the fact that you threw our friendship away for her. It’s the fact that I’m beating a gambling addiction that makes you pity me? Fuck, Angel. That’s ... fine. It was good to see you. Shoot me a text when I can have my house back, okay?”
His body tensed as I spoke, but he didn’t respond with words. Just a curt nod that said he heard me loud and clear as he watched me walk out the door. I knew he’d send that text when the house was empty, just as much as I knew that beer we flirted with would never happen. I couldn’t pretend what they did was okay, and the more times I saw them, the more I realized that was exactly what they expected of me.
Good.
It was the push I needed to finally yank that anchor back up and move on with my life. I’d been halfway there before this little trip. But now? I felt lighter, and I knew exactly who I wanted to go mess with to celebrate.
~
Sunday’s was damn nearempty as I walked in and looked around for her, but her voice carried from the back as I heard her saying adiós to people. Bye? Does that mean she’s—
“Huevos,” she said with a warm smile, walking over in a simple jeans-and-blouse getup without an apron in sight. “Just missed me.”
I caged her against the counter without thinking twice and leaned in, just close enough to smell the soap on her skin. “But if you leave, who’s gonna make my huevos happy?”
For the briefest of moments, I believed I had her, believed she’d let me have her right here on the table – but that moment was gone in a flash. “Oh, I don’t know, Papí. If I remember correctly you seem to have someone for that already ... I guess I can tell Farrah to take good care of you.”
She was so much shorter than me that I had to bend slightly to catch her eyes. “You the jealous type, Mia Camilla? You said no, remember? Repeatedly.”
“Did I?” She leaned in closer, her head shaking slightly as everything else about her said yes. It was confusing and consuming and I didn’t know what the hell my next move should be, all I knew was that I wanted to kiss her. Before I could, she ducked out under my arm and slapped my ass as she backed away. “No smelly huevos today. Nice cologne.” It was then I noticed she had pickpocketed me, as she pulled out my ID like she was some kind of flirty little investigator. “So you didn’t lie about your name or the state, Mr. Bishop. I feel special.”