“And this is the point where you make jokes and change the subject. Don’t tell me I don’t know you, Aubrey.”
“I should check on the chicken,” I said, pretending to sit up.
He laughed and pulled me into his side. “Look, I don’t want to ruin the evening quibbling. We’ll have to talk about the future eventually, though.”
“I know. I’m sorry. I must drive you crazy.”
“Yes, you do. But oddly enough, I still love you.”
I smiled and kissed him tenderly. Maybe I wasn’t giving him enough credit. He was doing his best to figure out where I was coming from, just as I was trying to understand his quirks and habits.
As Daniel returned my kisses, caressing my cheek with his fingertips, I realized with blinding clarity that our feelings for one another were deepening with every passing day, despite our imperfections. This was not a case of opposites attracting. This was two people wholeheartedly accepting one another, despite the unique failings that each possessed.
Quite simply, this was unconditional love.
Chapter 5
Present Mirth
What is love? ’tis not hereafter;
Present mirth hath present laughter…
(Twelfth Night, Act II, Scene iii)
SATURDAY AFTERNOON, I was at Jackman, packing a knapsack full of clothes, when Matt appeared in my doorway.
“Hey, you!” He crossed the room and pulled me into a hug. “I miss you.”
“I miss you too.”
“I feel like we haven’t talked in ages.” He sat on the edge of my bed while I squeezed a hoodie into my bag. “How are things with Prince Charming?”
“Things are good. Mr. Charming has been wonderful,” I assured him. “You don’t need to worry about him anymore. Seriously.”
“Fair enough. No more worrying.”
“I do have big news, though. I quit my job yesterday.”
“Get out! You quit?”
“I had to. I couldn’t take another second. Once I train my replacement, I’m out.”
“Can’t say I blame you. If Armstrong wasn’t such a bitch, I’d tell Sarah to apply for the job.”
“Dude, I wouldn’t wish that job on my worst enemy. Where is Sarah, anyway?”
“She went out. Something about window shopping. She still hasn’t heard about that job she applied for. Maybe she needed to burn off some stress.”
Or maybe she needed to escape for a couple of hours. I kept this hypothesis to myself, and Matt went off to shower while I ran through a checklist in my head, making sure I had everything I’d need to get through tonight, Sunday afternoon tea at the King Eddy, and Monday’s shift at work.
I glanced at the clock. Daniel was picking me up in a taxi at five thirty, and then we were meeting Penny and Brad for a quick drink and a snack before Julie’s show. I grabbed my phone to send him a quick text.
Almost done here. How is it possible that we’ve been apart for four hours and I already miss you? xo -A
He texted me back straight away.
I miss you, too, and you KNOW what happens
when I miss you. Watch for an email
in a couple of minutes, my lovely. -D
I chuckled as I finished zipping several last-minute items into my bag, taking a second to scan my room again. A few moments later, my phone chimed. I sat on the edge of the bed to eagerly read Daniel’s email, hoping it contained what I suspected it did. I wasn’t disappointed.
From: Jung Willman
To: Miss_V
Sent: Sat, May, 9, 4:34:38 PM
Subject: Dr. Seuss can kiss my ass…
Hey, beautiful,
I got my hair cut this afternoon, and as I sat in the barber’s chair, I was struck with more inspiration. I had to rush home to write this down. You humbly requested another poem and since I am your servant, I had no choice but to comply, right? ;)
I’m not sure if this is an ode. It’s definitely not a sonnet. Perhaps I’ve invented a new poetic form. Enjoy. I mean every word—especially the last seven…
Dots and Stripes Forever
You know I love your polka-dots,
But stripes? I also love them lots.
I must confess, I never thought
Such things could make me overwrought.
Those zebra panties made me “schwing,”
Your ass looks sweet in everything.
I say we hit another store—
There’s dots and stripes, but I want more!
I’m thinking satin, silk and lace…
(Good God, I’m in my happy place!)
But want to know what I love best?
What makes me say, “Hell, fuck the rest”?
Some sweet, soft velvet, yes it’s true,
So bring yours here, so we can screw.
There you go. This is what goes through my mind when Gino is cutting my hair. That’s an alarming confession. (Trust me, he’s happily married…)
-D
“Right, then,” Penny said. “The food’s in the oven, so while we wait for Jeremy and Julie to get here, I’ll try to make these mojito things.”
I joined her at the counter. “You’re making mojitos? That’s dangerous, Penny.”
“I know you and Julie like them. I hunted out this recipe last night.”
“Can I help?”
“No, sit, really. Brad and I can do this.”
I joined Daniel at the table. Brad handed him a glass of Guinness. Daniel took a sip then threw his arm around my shoulders, tilting my chin up and kissing me.
Warm tongue Guinness kisses, how I love thee.
“Look at you two. I think I might bloody cry,” Penny said.
“And I think I might vomit.” Brad made gagging noises, and Penny slapped his arm.
“Brad, stop being a ponce. Why don’t you set the table?” she suggested, opening the fridge and rifling through the crisper.
“Yes, ma’am,” Brad said, staring at her thong creeping over the top of her jeans as she bent to retrieve a bag of limes. “Hey, beauty, you want a pipe to go with that crack?”
Penny hiked up her jeans and tugged her top down. “Better?” she asked, sticking her tongue out at him.
He pulled her into his arms. “Don’t stick that out unless you plan to use it.” The door opening in the front hall interrupted their smooching.
“Hello?” Jeremy’s voice rang down the hall.
Penny bobbed her head at the door, and Brad dutifully made his way out to meet Julie and Jeremy. Julie’s face was flushed. She’d had a lot of excitement for one evening.
“Julie, you were amazing, tonight,” I said.
She beamed and curtsied extravagantly in the kitchen doorway.
Penny tapped her lips with a long red fingernail. “And the verdict is in, dolly. You’re definitely bendy.”
I nodded. “Are you ever! You can touch your head with your foot! How the hell do you do that?”
“Years and years of practice.” She laughed.
“Can you try practicing that?” Brad asked Penny. “If you start now, maybe by our wedding night…” She shot him a warning look, and he zipped his lip.
Beside me, Daniel opened his mouth and then closed it again. Smart man.
“Thanks so much for doing this, guys,” Julie said as she grabbed a chair. “I’m gonna eat my own weight in nachos.”
“I’ll believe that when I see it,” Jeremy said, draping his arm along her chair.
“I hope you’re all hungry because there’s a shite-load of food,” Penny said. “We ordered nachos and cheese, beef tacos, chicken quesadillas. Oh, and I also got flatitos.”
Brad looked at her lecherously. “Baby, you ain’t never gonna have flat titos. Not without a ton of cosmetic surgery.”
“Can we please get through at least one night without discussing my boobs non-stop?” she said.
Brad laughed as he loaded the table with platters of food. He and Penny finally joined us at the table, and some serious chowin
g down and drinking began. After about five minutes of voracious eating, accompanied by moans of satisfaction, mostly from Julie, Daniel lifted his glass.
“Penny, Brad, thanks for having us. And since this is the first time we’ve all been together here, happy new house.”
“And happy closing night, Julie,” Jeremy added.
“And happy end of semester, you two,” Julie said, waggling her eyebrows at us.
“I’ll drink to that,” Daniel said, stealing a kiss before taking several large gulps of his beer. Julie caught my eye, her eyebrows darting up. I hadn’t thought about it before, but this was the first time she’d seen us openly affectionate with each other.
“Me too. I’ll drink to it twice,” Brad said. “Your whining was getting old.”
“Thanks for your support,” Daniel said dryly.
“Any time, bro.”
“Such a loving family I’m marrying into.” Penny laughed, helping herself to another quesadilla.
“Are you guys getting nervous about the wedding?” I asked.
Penny dabbed at her mouth with a napkin. “It’s nerve-racking being here while all the plans are being made there. My dad’s going a bit off his nut with all the bills.”
“My folks will settle up when we get over there, don’t worry,” Brad assured her, crossing to the counter to grab another round of beers.
“Hmm, we’ll see.”
Brad’s hand stopped in midair. “Are you saying my parents are cheapskates?”
“Your dad’s family is Scottish, right?”
“What’s that got to do with anything?” I asked.
“Scotsmen aren’t traditionally known for their deep pockets,” Daniel explained.
“Oh, that’s not really the problem,” Penny clarified. “It’s the fact that they have really short arms that poses difficulties.” As she said this she held her hands up beside her boobs, miming stubby arms. Julie found this particularly amusing, giggling into her mojito glass.
The banter continued, and I got a pain in my side from laughing. In fact, I spent most of the night laughing my ass off. We all did. We ate, we drank, we talked and listened to music, occasionally dancing around the kitchen as we took turns playing bartender. When Brad crossed to the counter to make Penny what had to be her fourth very strong mojito, she put up her hands in protest.
“I think I should slow down. Make me a virgin, will you love?”
Daniel laughed shortly. “Ha, that I’d like to see.”
“You’re right, D,” his brother said. “I’m not even gonna try…”
Penny crossed her arms. “Excuse me?”
“Oh, come on, you stepped right in that one, Penn,” Daniel said.
She sighed. “I did, didn’t I?” She rolled her eyes and turned to Brad. “As for you, you had your fair share of tumbles. You can’t begrudge me sowing my oats.”
“But you should have seen the size of that bag of oats,” Daniel said, smiling as he took a swig of his beer. Penny narrowed her eyes at him.
“That was the real reason for your insomnia, right, bro?” Brad piped up. “Couldn’t sleep because of the shrieking from the bedroom next door?”
Penny cleared a couple of plates, clobbering him with an oven mitt in the process. “Right, shut your gob, you. You’re pushing your bloody luck.”
“Oh, don’t be like that,” he said, stepping up behind her and putting his arms around her waist. She spun in his arms and kissed him passionately, pressing her chest hard against him. Out of the blue, he scooped her up in his arms and carried her out of the kitchen toward the stairs, ignoring her kicking feet and laughing protests.
“No, really, don’t concern yourselves!” Jeremy called after them. “We’ll be fine!”
“Don’t worry, we’ll only be two minutes!” Penny called back.
“Oh-ho, you little…” Brad said.
But we couldn’t hear the rest. Penny’s screams of laughter and Brad’s footsteps as he bounded up the stairs with her drowned out the rest of his complaint.
I shook my head at Daniel. “They’re insane.” Daniel smiled and gazed out at the hallway. “The squabbling’s bravado. Neither one of them is all that sentimental. They prefer actions to words.”
“I can see that.” I gestured to the doorway they’d just disappeared through.
Daniel turned to Jeremy. “Has Brad shown you a speech yet? He’s already stressing about it. I guess Penny’s nagging him. She’s panicking about the first dance, too. Can’t blame her. He’s not exactly light on his toes.”
Julie looked into the hallway for a moment, lost in thought. “I should try to teach them something. Yes! That’s such a great idea! Maybe they’ll let me choreograph their first dance.”
“That’s a noble proposition, Julie, but you haven’t seen him dance,” Daniel said.
“Ever seen a bear with a burr stuck on his ass and tar paper on his feet?” Jeremy asked.
Julie laughed and squinted at the ceiling. “Can’t say that I have.”
“Well, try to get a visual of that, and then you’re close.”
“You know, that’s a frighteningly accurate description, J,” Daniel said.
“I think your idea is awesome, Jul,” I said. “And if it works out, I promise to get video and tons of pictures at the wedding.”
Jeremy grabbed Julie’s hand. “Actually that might not be necessary.”
I took in their conspiratorial smiles. “What? What’s going on?”
“If we can work out timing, Julie’s gonna try to come to the wedding,” Jeremy said.
“Penny told Jeremy she’d love it if I could try to swing it. I only have a few days after my European showcase is done, but there’s nothing saying I have to stay in Germany once we’ve performed,” Julie added. “I might even try to extend my trip. It’s not confirmed yet, so we’re not mentioning anything in front of Penny.”
She and Jeremy smiled at each other again. Julie was positively glowing. They were so freaking sweet together.
“Do Mom and Dad know about you two yet?” Daniel asked.
“I thought I might mention something tomorrow,” Jeremy said, his eyes betraying his apprehension. “Maybe it’ll be easier with everyone else there, I don’t know…”
“We’ll support you if things get tense,” Daniel said.
“Thanks, man.”
Daniel patted my leg. “Since everyone’s sharing their big news, did you tell Julie the highlight of your week?”
“Not yet.”
“What?” Julie said, sitting up in her seat. “What happened?”
“Um, I gave my two weeks’ notice at work.”
Her mouth dropped open. “I thought you said you weren’t going to give her the satisfaction of breaking you?”
“I was punishing myself more than her. And she was giving me strange looks and saying weird shit. I’ll do my last two weeks, and then I’ll go on welfare, I guess.”
“You’re not going on welfare, Aubrey.” Daniel frowned.
I poked him in the side. “I was joking, sailor.”
“So, what are you going to do? Bum around until you go to England?” Julie asked.
“I don’t know. I don’t do the ‘bumming around’ thing too well.”
“What are you interested in doing, anyway?” Jeremy asked.
“I’ve considered something to do with writing.”
“Like journalism?”
“Maybe, but I don’t have journalistic training.”
“She’s an excellent writer,” Daniel said.
Jeremy narrowed his eyes. “Have you thought of freelance writing? Not a huge commitment, but you could start getting experience.”
“I wouldn’t know where to begin,” I said.
“That’s not true,” Daniel said, miffed. “I told Aubrey about Mom’s connections with Ralph Davidson from The Globe and Mail. She wasn’t interested.”
“I said it sounded intimidating.”
Daniel didn’t say anything. He polish
ed off the last of his beer.
“You know, this might be a long shot, but I have a friend I could hook you up with,” Jeremy said. “He started an indie arts magazine called Sidelines. Really low-key.”
“Who’s that?” Daniel asked.
“Eli Cantor.”
Daniel’s eyebrows shot up. “What? You talk to him?”
“Why? What’s wrong with Eli Cantor?” I asked.
“There’s nothing wrong with him,” Jeremy assured me. “He loves working with new writers. From what I can tell, it’s on-the-job training. I’ll call him for you.”
“Thanks, Jeremy. That would be great.”
“No problem.”
Daniel frowned and stood, heading to the fridge for another round. I joined him at the counter, running my hand across his shoulders. “Hey, you okay?”
“What? Oh, yeah. I’m fine.”
“Do you think they’ll come back down, or should we leave?” Jeremy asked as Daniel passed him another beer.
“They won’t be long,” Daniel said. “Penny’s probably got Brad folding laundry or something while she lectures him about making jokes about her boobs.”
We laughed, but then a thumping sound started overhead. All eyes moved to the ceiling.
“Full contact laundry folding,” Jeremy observed.
“The best kind,” Daniel said, smiling as he took another drink.
“So, did you have a good time?” Daniel asked as we snuggled in bed later that night. Tipsy Daniel was particularly cuddly.
“I had a lot of fun.”
“Me too.”
I sighed and nestled against him. He made a purring sound and moved closer. “You know what?” I mumbled into his neck. “I’m so excited that Julie might be able to come to Brad and Penny’s wedding. I love Penny. I can see why you two are so close.”
“She’s very special, that’s for sure,” he said. “Not as special as you, though.” He pushed himself up on his elbow. “You’re the specialest of all.”
“Specialest? I don’t think that’s a word, sunshine.”
“I’m borderline drunk. I always make up words when I’m borderline drunk. I also get very horny.”
“So, you’ve been borderline drunk since we met?”
“Mmm, probably.”
The Truest of Words Page 6