The Wish List

by Linda Leigh Hargrove

  There was a knock on the apartment door.

  “Come in,” Zeus called out.

  Ciro entered carrying a pie box. “Hello, y’all.” He smiled down on Freddie. “It’s good to see you, Freddie. Monica was just downstairs talking about you. Were your ears burning?”

  “Talking about me?”

  He placed the paper box on the table and opened it. The aroma of cheesecake drew her temporarily attention away from Ciro’s words.

  “Yes,” he said. “Something about a tiny home business you’re developing. I’ve been curious about those. Your professional opinion.” He stepped away from the table and stood to his full height. “Do you think I’m too tall for one of your houses?”

  Freddie sat back and took in Ciro’s full height. “My homes are custom built. We’ll actually I’ve only built one.”

  “For Big Red,” he said, nodding. “I’ve seen it and I was impressed. I’d like one built so that it accommodates someone tall like myself and someone short like Monica, for instance. Can you do that?”

  “I’m certainly willing to try.”

  Ciro looked at Zeus. “And, I’d like it to be a smart home. Can you build me an app for my tiny home?”

  Zeus chuckled. “You got it, man.”

  “Cool.” Ciro backed away. “This is our little secret. In other words, don’t tell Monica.”

  “Our lips are sealed,” Zeus assured him. “Right, Freddie?”

  “For sure,” she said.

  “Great. Ciro’s Place is closed on the first day of the new year. Monica will be visiting family on the Outer Banks. The three of us will plan on taking a little road trip to Red Barrel Farms, if that’s okay?”

  They agreed on a time and place to meet and he left.

  Zeus licked his lips as he ogled the six slices of cheesecake in the box. “This is wonderful. One for you and five for me.”

  Freddie could hardly believe what just happened with Ciro. “I just got my second client.”

  “Yep. That’s wonderful too. And you wanna know what else is wonderful?” He placed a slice of cake on a plate and passed it to her. “You and I get to work together on a really cool project. I like that.”

  “Me too.” She liked the twinkle in his eyes.

  Zeus wolfed down two slices. While Freddie savored her single portion, Zeus sipped sparkling water and regaled her with tales from his days as a YouTube gamer. Before long he was telling her about his hopes and dreams for his company as it turned ten years old. She appreciated his candor and his humor, but she found herself wondering about the man he had become. And in return, she felt herself wanting, for the first time since ending her unhealthy relationship with Carlos, to let someone know her.

  The notion startled her.

  Soon, the conversation shifted back to business.

  “Ciro is on board with a new app. Ciro’s Place is phenomenal, by the way. Joe Chu would do well with a mobile app too, with sushi this good. Ray and I will have to pay him a visit in January when I’m able.” Using his fork, he pointed to a slice of cheesecake. “Want another slice?”

  “No,” she said, stacking the dirty dishes. “I’m stuffed. Knock yourself out. You need the extra Calcium to heal.”

  “Yes, Dr. Martinez, I agree.”

  “I was kinda joking,” She pushed back from the table. “I’ll do the dishes.”

  Mouth full, he started to protest.

  “It’s the least I can do to help out,” she insisted. “You’re a one-armed man.”

  “You’ve helped a ton already, Freddie. You really have. In fact, after I gave you the list, I thought that it was probably too much to accomplish in three days. Especially since you work full-time. Ray might be able to get away earlier than we thought. He’ll call me later tonight.”

  Once again, she hid her discomfort over Ray by rinsing their plates and utensils in the tiny sink. She found a small bottle of liquid detergent in a cupboard and sudsed up the dishes.

  “I could have had the kitchen help downstairs take care of that,” Zeus offered as he came to stand behind her.

  “I don’t mind,” she said. “Makes me feel useful.”

  Her eyes were on her task, but she knew he was still standing behind her. Was it fear of rejection that made her insides quiver now? Or was it excitement over being the center of his attention?

  A little of both, perhaps.

  “How about another one of your LPs?” she asked, hoping to divert his attention. “That box I carried up yesterday was heavy.”

  “Sure. That’s a great idea.” He moved to the living area where the box of LPs sat next to a small table near the window. “In fact, I saw one of my dad’s favorites this morning. Forgot it was in here. Vicente Fernández.”

  Zeus pulled the vinyl from the paper sleeve.

  “Don’t tell me…” Freddie laughed over her shoulder. “Volver Volver?”

  Zeus was grinning ear to ear. “Of course.”

  “My mother’s favorite,” she admitted. “I think she was a kid when he came to Puerto Rico on tour once.”

  If she was being honest, she liked the record too. Who didn’t appreciate a good love ballad sung in the old style? It seemed pure and untainted with commercialism and pop culture. As a child, she always liked hearing her father sing the song of a man longing for his woman to her mother as she cooked dinner. He was wooing her. It made her happy to know they loved each other so much.

  Her breath hitched as she finished drying the last chopstick and she turned to face Zeus. His head was down, and he appeared to be reading the liner notes on the album cover as Vicente Fernández’s booming voice filled the small apartment. That lock of hair had fallen over his forehead. He stood with his legs shoulder-width apart and the muscles of his thighs were defined against the fabric of his jeans. His lips moved to the words.

  Was this man wooing her? Did she want to be wooed? Was this too soon to think of such? She knew him. This was safe, right?

  “Man, I wish I could sing like that.” He paused and sang a line along with Vicente’s almost operatic vocal stylings.

  “Not bad.” She moved closer, admiring the gentle sway of his body to the music.

  Zeus chuckled. “Thanks. I want to meet him one day. Look at those pants. Look.” He tilted the album cover so she could see. “Like a luchador. Sometimes in my room, I like to wear stretchy pants.”

  Freddie laughed out loud at his silliness. “What in the world?”

  “It’s from Nacho Libre. I didn’t really care for that movie but that one line Jack Black says to Chanco was funny. I have to admit.” He paused to laugh.

  You’re just a big kid.

  “I never told you,” he said. “I wanted to be a mariachi drummer, did I? Ladies like the drummer. I drum a little. That’s all you need to do. A little drumming. I tell no lies. A couple snares. A cowbell. A cymbal. Magic. Those pants, man.”

  “Didn’t know you were a drummer. I thought it was the trumpet player or the guitarist who got the ladies?”

  “Naw…overrated.” His voice drifted off as he turned to gaze out the window.

  “Drummers are better. Like day traders.”

  They laughed at his joke.

  She stooped to flip through the albums in the box. “I always like the horn players,” she said, keeping her tone light and playful. For the first time, she realized that he was in socks. Seeing him like this made her feel vulnerable to him. She was okay with that.

  Her heart pounded as she looked down at her boots. Taking her shoes off wasn’t the precursor to anything sordid, she told herself, as she glanced at his bedroom door. If he had dishonorable intentions, he would have taken advantage of her as she dozed on his couch last night.

  His voice cut into her thoughts. “Most of those records were my parents’.” There was a sudden sadness in his voice. “The turntable was my mother’s.”

  “Are they both gone?”

  “Yes.” His respo
nse was a whisper.

  Her heart ached for him. Should she go to him now? Embrace him? Comfort him somehow? Words seemed inadequate. So, she kept silent.

  Zeus was quiet for the rest of the record. The hissing of the needle at the end of seemed to break him out of his trance. When he turned to face her, she saw moisture on his lower eyelids.

  “What do you want to listen to next?” he asked her as he moved back to the kitchen area to sit down. “Surprise me.”

  Poor Zeus.

  “Magione?”

  He nodded his approval, so she swapped the LPs.

  The upbeat notes from Chuck Magione’s flugelhorn burst forth as she reclaimed her seat at the dinette across from him.

  “I’m sorry about your parents.”

  There. She’d said the words. She’d never lost anyone close. Abbi had lost neighbors after Hurricane Maria but Freddie didn’t really know them that well. The thought of not having either parent left in the world made her feel cold.

  Call Danny. Apologize.

  Freddie dismissed the notion just as quickly as it had entered her mind. He was the one who lashed out. Not her.

  “Thanks. It’s hard at Christmas, not having them here. Even though we never really celebrated it. We did Three Kings Day, instead.”

  “Us too, especially Abbi, our grandmother.”

  Her abuela always made special foods and her signature spicy holiday drink: chocolate caliente. With the music and gifts, to Freddie, it was better than any Christmas celebration she’d ever attended. Maybe part of that was because of her family.

  This year, because of the rift between them, things were shaping up a little differently. She hadn’t heard from her mother in days. Not even a text. How would she mend the rift? Would time mend this disagreement? Or would it only get worse?

  Zeus wiped his eyes with the cuff of his sweatshirt. “Mom’s been gone for over five years. Cancer. Dad died last year. So many memories in San Antonio. I finally decided it was time to branch out...with the business, you know.”

  She nodded, her heart breaking for his losses.

  “I’d always wanted to open other locations of Sousa Source. Then in August, I bumped into Marc earlier this year at the Athletes in Action Prayer Breakfast that they hold right before the Super Bowl. I was sitting at his table. Apparently, I don’t look like a baller so while we were sitting there, he Googled me. Later, he hit me up to help with some kids in gaming literary events in Atlanta, where we have an office. And the rest, as they say, is history.”

  That explained a lot.

  “Anyway, enough about me,” he said. “Tell me about you, your business, your job. Again, if I’d known that you were gonna try to work your job and do my list, I wouldn’t have put so much on.”

  “It’s okay.” She took a deep breath. How much should she share about herself? “Well, I work for an operation called Brighton Construction located in north Raleigh.”

  “Marc said that’s where you met Chelsea.”

  “Yep. They let her go two year ago. Downsizing and all, but I’m still there. Long days. I like it but I wonder if there’s something more.”

  “That’s why you want to start a business? I felt the same way about being a YouTube gamer. The money was good, but I wanted to do more with my influence.”

  An interesting thought. She stowed that away for future pondering as she leaned her elbows on the table. Their fingertips were inches apart. Would he touch her again? Why did she want that so much?

  Was she wooing him?

  She stretched her right hand forward and drew circles on the smooth cool tabletop. He caressed the edge of her thumb. Her heart raced.

  “What’s the name of your business?” Zeus asked. There was genuine interest on his face.

  “Dandelion Homes.”

  His smile turned instantly into a frown. “Could be better. Have you done any market research with the name?”

  She sat back, pulling her hand away. “There’s nothing wrong with the name. You might know all this stuff about marketing but it’s my business.”

  He sat back. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to offend—”

  “You’re almost as bad as my father and brothers. It’s a good name and it’s a good business idea.”

  “I didn’t say anything—”

  She stood up. “I think I’d better go. It’s late. I have work in the morning.”

  Frowning, he rolled his shoulder. “Yeah, it’s late.”

  Freddie grabbed her vest and purse from the back of the chair. He followed her to the door.

  “You know, you don’t have to finish my wish list.”

  “I said I would do it and I will.” She half-winced at the sharpness of her tone. “Might take me a little longer.”

  “Okay.” There was hesitancy in his voice. “If you insist. There’s a big work day at Crescent Hub tomorrow afternoon. Monica has organized some community volunteers to help us all get set up.”

  “Oh, I see.”

  As Mangione’s horn blared happy notes from the turntable across the room, she felt anything but happiness. More like simmering irritation. Borderline anger.

  “Thanks for dinner,” he said and reached for his wallet in his back pocket. “What do I owe you?”

  “Nothing.” Her biting tone was back. Where was this animosity coming from?

  His brow creased deeper as he stuffed his wallet back. “See you tomorrow?”

  She turned away and uttered one terse word over her shoulder. “Maybe.”

  Chapter 11

  Freddie pulled into the construction site and looked at the text again. “I miss you, mija.”

  It was from her mother. Three days had passed since their family argument. Had it really taken that long to work up the energy to send her four words.

  She could have called. She could have texted a full apology.

  Freddie gripped her steering wheel. Her emotions were spiraling out of control. Tears welled in her eyes. Heat flushed her face.

  Stop this, Frederica.

  This was her mother, after all. Her mother missed her. No hidden messages. No threats or covert agenda. Just a typical message Maria Martinez had often sent to her only daughter.

  Freddie took a couple deep breaths. “And I miss you too, Mami.”

  The disappointment was still there. Why hadn’t she stood up for her? Why couldn’t she convince her husband to see things her way?

  Sure, some of the things she’d said during that meal had been over the top. She was sorry for flying off the handle.

  Freddie’s mind went back to last night with Zeus. She’d gone too far with him too. And all because he’d not liked her business name. He seemed confused when she objected to his statement.

  Things were going so well, then she ruined it. It was probably for the best because her mind had started roaming into dangerous territory.

  One of her crew members tapped on her window as he walked by her Jeep, a heavy tool belt slung over his shoulder. “Morning, boss lady,” he called in Spanish and kept strolling toward the four-bedroom, three-bath ranch they were working on.

  Freddie opened her door and returned his greeting. Her phone rang.

  “Hey, Chelsea,” she said. “What’s up?”

  “Just calling to say good morning.”

  Freddie could hear Christmas music playing in the background and two women singing along. “Someone’s in the holiday spirit first thing in the morning.”

  “Mom and Gramm,” Chelsea responded. A door shut and the music ended. “I’m in the kitchen pantry. They’re driving me crazy. First Charlie Pride. Now, it’s Johnny Mathis. And it’s not even 9AM.”

  Freddie mustered a chuckle. “You’ll survive.”

  “What happened to you last night … and this morning? You came in last night and went straight to bed, then you left so early in the morning. I know I was tied up with mom and Gramm doing wedding stuff but … I’m just concerned. What
happened last night?”

  “Nothing, Chelsea.”

  “I don’t believe you but I’m gonna let that slide. I know you’re probably on site right now but please call me when you get a break. Oh, by the way, Monica has organized an impromptu work session at her business hub tonight at 6. Marc and I are going to go help. And since you’ve already pledged to help Zeus, I guess I’ll see you there.”

  “Yeah, I guess. Listen, Chelsea, I have to go now. The workers are waiting for me to unlock the house. See you later.”

  She was miserable all day. Work got done because she was a professional, after all. Her heart wasn’t in any of the meetings or phone calls she had to make but she was committed to keeping the project on schedule.

  At 6:45 PM, she pulled up into Crescent Hub’s parking lot. She was starving and feeling extremely dehydrated. Maybe she should have stopped for some fast food.

  An Uber Eats car pulled up beside her.

  The driver rolled down the window. “Are you Monica Ferguson?”

  “No,” Freddie called back through her open window. “Inside, I think. I can let you in the building.”

  She found Zeus’ key and led the way. The keyless entry system beeped when Freddie touched the key fob on the pad beside the main entrance. A green light flashed on the handle and she let the delivery person in.

  “This place is cool,” he said, eyeing the retrofitted industrial decor as he lugged two huge Uber Eats cubes. “Can you say cha-ching? I’m going to be making tons of deliveries to this address. Maybe even from that fancy restaurant across the street. Busy people will pay you to cross the street for them.”

  There were people at the far end of the building, in the area Zeus had called the co-working space. Freddie recognized a few of them as kids from the group home.

  Monica pulled away from the group and waved at her. “Hello, Uber Eats guy. Come on down. Is that you, Freddie?”