Love and Skate

by Lila Felix

  “Will do. Then get some sleep, ok?”

  “Yeah.”

  She closed the door behind me and I waited until I heard the click of the deadbolt and the slide of the chain before I walked out. I drove home a very satisfied man. Every day that I made her happy it was one more step towards actually coming close to deserving to have her in my life. I shut the door to my dorm room, went back out to take a shower and fell happily into my silence surrounded bed. Then I heard my phone vibrate.

  N: R u home?

  O: Y, sorry, showered and forgot to text you.

  N: OK, just making sure.

  O: Ur not sleeping.

  N: I can now. Thx for tonight.

  O: Always

  21. Nellie

  I sat around a huge table with my team, most of them. Amber was out with Dylan, of course and other girls had plans. Some were mothers, some were executives and some were party girls. We all came from different walks of life.

  I had seen Owen in class, but I ran so late that I had to sit by a guy who kept wiping his nose. I was five or six rows above Owen so I had a good view of his antics. He nearly fell asleep several times and once I saw his head nod and thought he might fall out of his chair. He woke up and glanced back at me and I couldn’t help but smile and giggle at him. After class he had to meet up with Dylan and I had to work. Now sitting here among my girls, I missed him. We ordered four pizzas for the whole team and I couldn’t help but think that Owen could probably finish them all off by himself.

  I itched to text him or call him, but I resisted. I drooled over him every time I saw him, I didn’t want to add needy to his opinion of me. I got caught by ‘Cut a Ho Jo” gazing into space. She called me out and then everyone started in on me about that guy that I landed on at last week’s bout. Then I had to admit that we were dating and then the goading really started. There were several comments, most of them totally perverse and I spent the rest of the night with them giggling and covering my red face. By the time we finished eating and almost getting ourselves thrown out, it was nearly midnight.

  I got home and threw myself into bed. Amber’s door was shut so I knew she was home. I turned to plug my phone by my bed and noticed a missed message.

  O: Hope ur having fun. Missin’ u.

  I didn’t want to wake him, but didn’t want him to think I had ignored him either.

  N: Phone was on vibrate. Missin’ u all day. Just got in.

  He must not have been asleep because I got a return text almost immediately.

  O: U home?

  N: Y

  O: Tmrw?

  N: Y, Lunch?

  O: Can’t. Lunch with Mom. Well damn, just when I thought he couldn’t get any better.

  N: Awww. Ok. Goodnight. Another time.

  I put my phone back and made sure to turn the ringer on. I set my alarm and went to sleep.

  I made my way to work the next morning to make up for my lost hours the night before. Cindi wasn’t in and I wasn’t sure if the other employees knew about the offer she’d made to me or not. So, I just went about business as usual and worked five hours. I went home and did some laundry and cleaned out my bag. By the time I finished my laundry and repacked my bag, it was almost time to go. I threw on some flops and headed out.

  I didn’t see Owen when I got to Harvey’s Skate Palace. I got dressed and went out to the rink. I saw a blonde girl outside the edge and she was bent over the table showing all of her goodies right at my man’s face. I waited. It went on for way too long.

  What? Since when do I call him my man?

  Amber was beside me and we both stared as she turned her girls back and forth between Owen and Dylan. The look on Amber’s face could kill and I was sure that mine wasn’t cookies and cream. But then when the girl moved away from the table and we realized that she had a pair of roller skates on, our scowls turned to smiles. The skank was on the opposing team and she would not be leaving with her teeth intact.

  “You thinking what I’m thinking Hellie?”

  “Yeah, who’s taking the penalty, you or me?”

  I didn’t care either way. I just wanted to see the ho on the flo.

  “I’ll take it if you set it up.”

  “Is she a jammer or a blocker?” I didn’t see any markings on her helmet, but that didn’t mean anything. She could be waiting.

  “Either way, her ass is mine.”

  We watched her like two hawks looking for prey as she entered the rink and started warming up. She had no clue. I took a quick look at Owen and then to Dylan. Then back to the boob queen and back to them. Amber was doing just about the same thing and then the realization came over their faces. We weren’t girls who cried or folded our arms at a threat. They were about to see what happens when girls piss us off.

  The bout started but we were going to play the game first and then hone in on our target. We were already winning, so when I saw Amber nod at me while she passed, I knew it was time. I skated my ass off as Amber reached her hand out to put me in front of the pack and then I slowed down. The girl was a jammer and she had finally caught up to me and was trying to make it through the pack. I had slowed the whole pack down a bit and it gave Amber the leverage she needed. I saw her move in and then I took off. I would use this opportunity to make some points as well. I rounded the other side and saw Amber throw her entire body backwards into Ms. Show My Boobs and then get up and try to skate away, but she didn’t make it far. I heard the whistle and knew that Amber was going to get thrown into the penalty box. But she went with a smile on her face. Show My Boobs was still on her hands and knees catching her breath. Amber yelled something at her, by the look on her face she knew exactly when she had fouled up, then fist bumped me as she passed me.

  The bout ended and we won again but I knew that meant we faced a really tough team next week. But for tonight we won and I wanted to celebrate. But my celebration and everyone else’s were two different things. I just wanted time with Owen. But I didn’t know if he would want to go out with everyone else or not.

  Amber, Dylan, Owen and I went back to our apartment so we girls could shower and change. We hadn’t made any solid plans but it looked like Dylan and Amber wanted to go out. Owen was quiet, so I didn’t know what was going to happen. I came out and Amber was still in her bedroom getting dressed and Dylan was with her.

  Owen sat on the couch and I decided to be bold and sat right on his lap. He inspected my bruises that showed through my tank top. Thank goodness I wore jeans because I knew there was a huge one on my outer thigh. It was turning black and blue before we even left the skating rink.

  “I’m glad no one decided to take vengeance out on you like you and Amber did to that girl.”

  “I have no idea what you’re talking about. She was just on the other team. That’s all.”

  “Mmmm—Hmmm. You know you have nothing to worry about, right?”

  “You mean you had no interest in Boob girl?”

  “None. I’m only interested in you.”

  He hugged me to him and just when I was enjoying myself, Amber and Dylan came out of the bedroom and announce that we were all going to a club. I could feel the rumble from his chest and I didn’t know if it was positive or negative.

  “I hate clubs Amber, you know that.” I whined at her.

  “Whatever, we’re leaving. Owen, you coming?” Dylan took over the conversation.

  “Nah, I’m not.”

  Dylan mumbled something about being whipped as they went out the door. I turned back to Owen.

  “You can go if you want to. I just have never been into clubs and all that.”

  I started to get up while I said it so he could catch up to Dylan but he held on to me tighter.

  “What’s it gonna take?” He said it so softly that I almost missed it.

  “What?”

  “I hate clubs and frat parties and drinking and all of that stuff. I have no interest in that stuff. Haven’t for a long time. Plus I’ve been dying to see you and I can’t really
talk to you or hear your voice in a club now can I? So what’s it gonna take to convince you that with you is the only place I want to be?”

  I caught that comment about ‘Haven’t for a long time’ but I didn’t give myself away. He would tell me when he was ready. Instead, I ran my hands along his broad shoulders and then met his gaze.

  “I was hoping you would say that.” I inched forward and kissed his chin.

  I continued, “And I’m starving to death.”

  “There’s a place I’ve been meaning to bring you. If we leave now we can make it. You wanna go?”

  “Sure, am I dressed ok?” I looked down at myself.

  “You can wear pajamas for all I care. In fact…”

  “Ok, ok, I get it. What’s so special about this place?”

  “You’ll see.” He smiled as he picked us both up and made for the door.

  22. Owen

  Little did she know that I was taking her to my Mom’s restaurant in the next town. I had spent most of lunch with my mom telling her all about Nellie, even though I had spent most of our phone conversations talking about her. Mom and Dad really wanted to meet her. They had been involved, and I welcomed it, in most everything I did after the accident. I wish I had gone to them after the whole ‘Lucas and Amy’ thing and just talked to them. Maybe I wouldn’t feel like I was always making it up to them. But I still felt guilty.

  I pulled up in the parking lot and the funny thing was that Nellie never even questioned me. She rolled down her window and let the cool air blow her pink locks. I reached over to take her hand shortly after we started out and she took it without hesitation. I didn’t think she was capable of pretenses—ever.

  The front of the restaurant was closing down, but I told Mom there was a chance we would be coming. I walked right past the hostess who said ‘hello’ to me and caused Nellie to look confused.

  I walked with her hand in mine on the way to the kitchen. I asked her to wait outside and pushed the swinging door open and looked left and right. Then I spotted her. She was smiling ear to ear as she mouthed ‘Is she here?’ to me. I nodded and she silently clapped. I walked back out of the kitchen and waited for my mom to come out. She came out quickly and looked between me and Nellie.

  “Nellie, this is my Mom, Sylvia Black and this is her restaurant. Mom, this is Nellie Forrester.”

  Nellie was shocked for a moment and then she and my mom embraced like they were old friends. Mom kissed her forehead and complimented her on her beauty. Nellie was graceful and never showed any outward sign of nervousness. She said that my mom had a beautiful restaurant and knew where I got my good looks from. I had yet to find anything that she wasn’t a natural at. And meeting parents was no exception. Mom said we should find the family table and sit while she cooked us something special.

  The family table was a circular table in the back and we sat there and waited. Nellie wasn’t talking so I didn’t know if she was pissed or furious or worse. She knitted her fingers with mine under the table and smiled at me and I knew it was ok.

  “You could’ve told me. The outcome would’ve been the same.” She reassured me.

  “I didn’t know. And I didn’t want you to think I was weird for wanting you to meet my parents so quickly.” I let out a long dramatic sigh and shrugged.

  “Your mom is great. And believe me, if my parents weren’t how they are, I would want you to meet them too. I’m so glad you brought me.”

  “You are the sweetest person in the world.”I said to her, and I meant it. She was everything good and I hoped that maybe some of it would rub off on me.

  “Sweet? Sweet? I am not sweet.” She tried to look all offended. “I am tough and mean and very, very dangerous.” She couldn’t even finish the sentence without laughing.

  My mom came out of the back and brought out the whole spread. I knew she would. There was enough food for five people.

  “Mom, this is too much.”

  My mom looked at Nellie and they both laughed.

  “Have you seen him eat Nellie?”

  “Yes, and I don’t think you cooked enough.” They laughed again at my appetite, but I was used to it by now. And to see my mom and my—Nellie get along was worth all of the nervousness.

  My mom moved to go back to the kitchen but Nellie grabbed her hand to stop her.

  “Please stay and eat with us or at least tell me some good blackmailing stories about Owen.”

  My mom and I locked eyes for a second and I knew she wouldn’t tell any compromising stories. She smiled at Nellie and pulled up a chair next to her. She started in about when I was little and we were in church. I pulled so many stunts in church that there was no telling where she was going with it.

  “So, they are passing the grape juice around and Owen stands up in the pew and almost screams, ‘Are you feeling better Mom?’ So I tried to shush him, but he wouldn’t listen, of course. Then I asked him what he meant, hoping that if I answered his question he would be quiet. Then he screams, ‘Everybody is taking the same medicine, so I wanna know if you feel better,’ He thought the grape juice was little cups of medicine! The whole church cracked up.”

  She and Nellie laughed and Nellie leaned over to hold on to my bicep because she was laughing so hard. Mom’s phone went off and she checked the message.

  “Your dad will be here soon. He wants to meet Nellie before you leave.”

  “Ok, thanks Mom.”

  “I need to go see if everything is done in the kitchen. Nellie don’t even think about leaving before telling me goodbye, ok?”

  “I wouldn’t dare.” Nellie answered her.

  Mom made her way to the kitchen and we had pretty much finished eating.

  Nellie reached under the table and put her hand on my thigh and squeezed the tiniest bit. My eyes went wide and she giggled knowing exactly what she was doing. She moved her hand away as my mom now approached with her famous lemon cheesecake. Nellie took her first bite and looked like she might slump out of her chair.

  “Oh, this is the best.” She practically moaned it.

  “Yeah, she makes this every Friday night. So every Saturday morning I ate cheesecake for breakfast.”

  “Lucky.” She said before she put another bite in her mouth.

  I saw my dad walk into the front door and my mom went to talk to him. They had been divorced for almost two years but they still talked on the phone every day and neither had ever dated. I was sure that one day they would get back together. And I was also sure that everything I had put them through had caused them to divorce in the first place. The stress of the whole thing tore them apart.

  I didn’t alert Nellie to his presence. Chase Black was one who needed to observe her for a few minutes before he approached her. It was his way. Mom went back into the kitchen and dad watched us a little more before he finally came our way. Nellie looked up at him and then to me and back to him.

  I got up and hugged my bear of a Dad. I only had about an inch on him in height but he met me in weight. I may have had my mother’s looks, but I had my father’s stature and height almost identically.

  My dad introduced himself and Nellie got up and shook his hand. Then he reached under her arms and picked her up and gave her one of his bear hugs that he usually only reserved for me and my little brothers. One day Nellie would have to meet them too. I hoped soon.

  Nellie laughed at something my dad whispered in her ear and he was such a clown there was no telling what he said. He talked to us for just a while and then went into the kitchen. Nellie looked exhausted so we decided to leave. We stopped in the kitchen and Mom and Dad both hugged her almost to death and then invited her to Thanksgiving.

  She looked to me and then my mom backtracked.

  “Why don’t you two decide what you’re doing for Thanksgiving and then let us know, ok?”

  “Ok Sylvia, thank you so much for dinner and everything. It was a pleasure to meet you and you Chase.”

  My parents had insisted she call them by their first nam
es. I hugged my parents again and we headed out.

  23. Nellie

  It was all I could do not to cry. His parents were warm and kind and anyone could see how much they loved him. Not once did they comment on my hair or my tattoos. Not once did they look at me like anything was wrong or different. And it was the very reason I didn’t want him to meet my parents. They would probably not say anything directly to him, but they would cut me down to no end in front of him. I just knew it.

  I sat in his Bronco on the way home and didn’t realize that I was completely ignoring him until he started speaking.

  “You ok? I freaked you out right?” He said while he stared at the road ahead.

  “No, not at all. I’m so glad you brought me to see your parents. They are so nice. Seriously. It just made me think about my parents and how they are kinda the opposite of yours.” I reached between us and took his hand in mine.

  “They can’t be that bad, they had you.” He rubbed my hand with his thumb as he spoke.

  “Yeah well, there’s not a day that goes by that they don’t regret that. Don’t worry.”

  We pulled up at my apartment complex. Apparently I had been in my own world longer than I thought.

  We both sat there and looked up at the windows which marked my apartment. Tonight had been so wonderful but I wasn’t ready for it to end. But at the same time it was already almost one in the morning and I’m sure Owen was tired.

  “I’m not ready to let you go.” He turned in the driver’s side seat and half smiled at me.

  “Me either. I…” I was always such an open book but it also meant that I took a chance at getting my heart broken.

  “You what?” He said as he played with the ends of my hair.

  “I feel like I never get enough of you. We’ve spent all this time together tonight and it’s still not enough.” His face stayed unmoving so I tried to backtrack.

  “Sorry, I’m just tired. Can we just ignore everything I just said?” I covered my face with my hands.