by Renee Porter
“Sorry, sir, shop’s closed.”
“I know, honey. That’s why you’re gonna be quiet, give me the cash in your hand and not do anything stupid.” I ducked behind a rack, hoping that he hadn’t seen me. I pressed the earpiece, “Just do what he says, El.”
“No way, you’re not getting this. Go work for your money, loser.”
“Not what I said!” I growled into the ear piece.
I picked my head up from the rack and knew exactly what El was doing. That defiant look in her eye was telling me that I needed to get to the emergency alarm. We learned about this during orientation. They guy didn’t have a weapon that we could see and he looked like he had fallen on pretty hard times. He was probably just trying to intimidate us.
“Look, just give me the money and no one gets hurt okay?” He was desperate.
“Oh, I’m going to kill you, El. You know that?”
“Yeah I know? Now go, kay?”
The robber was confused but I darted out toward the back of the shop just in time. He yelled over to me as I hit the emergency alarm. The siren went off as the thief jumped over the counter, grabbed the cash in El’s hand and pushed her to the ground.
I felt sick as I heard the thump of her head against the counter. What the hell? Why didn’t she just give him the money?
“El? El?” I couldn’t run fast enough. It was as if my feet were stuck in muddy water. And then I realized it was because I couldn’t move. I was paralyzed from shock.
“God, what an idiot man. I swear. Hey, Jayce, are you okay? Can we turn the alarm off now? Cause it’s giving me a splitting headache.” Just the sound of her voice over the headset put my feet in motion. I ran behind the counter and saw El sitting up. She smiled up at me and then frowned.
“He took the cash.”
“Why didn’t you just give it to him?” I kneeled next to her and studied the gash on her forehead. It wasn’t deep, just a scratch but the bump was a little worrisome.
“I hate people who think they could just take without putting in any work.” El tried to sit up but she swayed. “Putting in the work is most of the fun you know? It’s like trying to get someone to like you. You can’t just go for it. You need to let it build, form a friendship and then ‘bam’ go for it. I think I’m talking but it feels weird.”
“I think that maybe you should sit still until we can get you to the hospital.”
“I don’t need that.” Her words were slightly slurred as if she was drunk. “Ugh, my head hurts.”
“You have nasty bump.”
“Damn, am I still pretty?”
I couldn’t help but laugh at her. “Yes, you’re still very beautiful.”
“Oh, thank god, how else am I gonna get you to marry me?”
I rolled my eyes at that tease. “At least we know you didn’t lose your humor.”
“Yeah, at least there’s that.”
It was a few more minutes before the real cops arrived and the ambulance was sent. El didn’t want to go to the hospital but they insisted. They were afraid of a concussion and I was afraid of that too.
“It’s just for a bit. Don’t worry.” I held onto her hand as she was placed in the ambulance and told to lay down while they examined her.
“You’ll come, right?” I nodded my head and went to take a step up into the ambulance but the paramedic stopped me. “Sorry, ma’am. Only family.” I bore my gaze into him.
“I am family, ass hat.” I didn’t allow him to stop me again and I couldn’t help but see the other paramedic chuckle along with El.
“Ass hat. Who says that?” El asked to no one. But to my dismay I did have someone to call. And it was the last person I wanted to. Grabbing my phone I took one last look at El who just rolled her eyes.
“Hey Summer? It’s Jay. We need to talk.”
Chapter 12
The waiting room to the ER was overfilled. I couldn’t believe that tonight had gone from playful teasing to El risking her life.
I’m sure it wasn’t that bad but anything could have happened.
Summer came as quick as she could, her mother and father just as worried as she looked.
“What happened,” were the first words out of her mouth. She looked tired and disheveled. It was probably the most natural I’d ever seen her in her life.
“We were closing up and someone came in, stole the cash and pushed her into the counter. They think she has a concussion. She also has a small cut but it will heal.”
“Oh, thank god, stitches on the face scar so bad,” I heard Summer’s mother say. I tried to bite my tongue. I think I know now where Summer got her personality from.
“Can we see her?” I nodded my head.
“Yeah. You can let the nurse know that you’re family. They wouldn’t let me in cause…”
Summer didn’t let me finish. Instead she ran up to the nurse’s station. “Excuse me, Bloom? We would like to see her.” The nurse looked at her and then back down at the screen. Typing something on the keyboard she looked back up to the family. “And you are?”
Summer pointed at each one of us, “Father, Mother, Sister, fiancé.”
Okay that would work. The nurse didn’t second guess frantic Summer, I don’t think I would either. She was a force to be reckoned with.
I followed the Blooms through the large double doors and down the ER hallways. For the most part, the back was much quieter than the front. Summer finally turned into El’s room and I watched as the family sidled up next to her bedside. I took my time studying her from the door.
“Hey, are you okay?” I had never really met Mr. Bloom. I had imagined him as a hard, business man, but instead he seemed so vulnerable.
“Yeah, Dad I’m okay.”
“I told you not to get that job. You don’t need even need it. You could’ve just hung out with Jay outside of…”
Summer seemed to realize where she was and retrained her thoughts. “Okay, you’re okay?” El winced at her sister’s strong grip and Summer finally released her.
“I’m fine. It’s nothing really. Just a small concussion.” And then El looked over to me. I didn’t even realize she knew I was there. “Did they catch the guy?”
I nodded my head and moved further in the room. “Yeah. The cops came by a bit ago and let me know they caught him trying to hold up a liquor store with a snickers bar.”
“God, what an idiot.” El tried to laugh but she winced again. I immediately took her hand and our fingers interlocked.
“I’m sorry, El.” I knew it wasn’t my fault but I couldn’t help but think it was. If I hadn’t scheduled her tonight, or just locked the doors a minute earlier.
“Stop thinking it’s all your fault. It was a series of unfortunate events.” I nodded my head, but it still didn’t relieve the pressure inside of my heart.
“Hey, can you do me a favor?” I nodded my head again, “can you call Adam for me?” It wasn’t a question she needed to ask. Of course, I would call for her, but I wish I didn’t have to.
“Sure. Do you have your phone?” She pointed to her clothes on the chair and I walked over to her purse. Looking in, I rifled through, trying to find the phone. I finally grabbed it, and stepped outside to make the call.
El was too trusting. That’s what I thought when I found she didn’t have a passcode on her phone. I went to her contacts and typed in Adam, and pressed send. The other line immediately went to voicemail and I left one for him. It was short and sweet, letting him know that El was alright. I ended the call but almost immediately a text message popped up from Adam.
I told you not to call, didn’t you get my other messages? We’re done.
My stomach flipped at the way it was written. How could anyone be so cold? I wanted to close the phone and put it away, knowing full well that it was none of my business. But I couldn’t. El just risked her life for me and by darn it, I was going to give this shit a piece of my mind.
I went to the text messages and read the series that he had sent thro
ugh the night. I had seen El on her phone and at times she looked a little angry but what I was reading made no sense.
Adam: I thought you said you don’t like sharing…But it’s okay for you?
El: Adam, she’s a friend. That’s it.
Adam: Don’t give me that shit, she’s more than that and you know it.
El: Adam please don’t do this again. I told you. We kissed once. It was a long time ago.
Adam: Don’t just don’t give me your shit you dyke. It’s over. Don’t call me again. DONE!
“Everything okay?”
I clicked the phone off as I turned to Summer. “Do you know this guy, Adam?”
Summer looked at me curiously and then it clicked. “He’s an asshole to the ninth degree. Really controlling, borderline abusive if you ask me. He’s a few years older than her. I think he’s into some heavy stuff.”
I worried my lip. “Why does she choose guys like that?” I sat with Summer outside of the room and heard the sister sigh.
“El is always looking to fix things. She thinks if she can put in enough work, things will eventually work out.”
“Huh. Funny you say that, that’s what she was telling me tonight.”
“Yeah, well, that’s my sister to a T.”
“He broke up with her, over text.” I handed the phone to Summer who read the messages quickly.
“See? Controlling ass.” Summer shook her head and pocketed the phone. “But he is right when it comes to you.”
“You don’t have to say anything, Summer. I’m just happy she’s okay.” Summer nodded and let it slide.
“I’m…sorry? I think I made out with you in Madison’s kitchen last summer when I was wasted.”
I had to laugh. “Yeah, and you stood me up.” Summer scrunched up her nose.
“I just couldn’t do it, Jay. She liked you too much.” Summer shrugged her shoulders and stood, entering the room again and leaving me to ponder. This wasn’t exactly how I thought of the summer starting, but I couldn’t help but think it would be the last one with El for a while.
***
“How’s the head goldi-locks?” I threw El a lollipop and she snatched it from the air.
“Oh, green apple. My favorite.” El watched me move as I sat next to her in the backyard. The warm sun was almost starting to get hot and I knew it wouldn’t be long until she was back inside in the cool air conditioning. “The head is fine. I’m officially cleared for work.”
“That’s great. Cause I’ve missed you this week. I can’t take Lorissa’s valley talk anymore. If she says ‘like’ one more time…”
“You’re going to knock her in her head and give her a concussion?” I chuckled with El as she popped the lollipop in her mouth. She rolled it around a few times and then regarded me with it.
“How do you know I like green apple?”
Because last summer all you would do was buy green apple everything. Don’t think I didn’t notice….”Lucky guess.” I shrugged a shoulder.
“Adam broke up with me, by the way.” El sighed. I was wondering when we were going to have this conversation. I didn’t want to tell her that I knew, and I wanted to let her come to me on her own.
“That’s a shame.”
“Somehow I don’t think you really think that.”
I smirked at El, looking at the soft gentle ripples of the pool. “You know, sometimes it feels like we’ve been friends for ages.”
El hummed in agreement. “Hard to believe we only met three years ago, huh?”
“Back when we were barely figuring things out.”
“Ah, Jayce. I still don’t have things figured out.” She tilted her head up toward the sun.
“You’re beautiful, El.” El lowered her eyes and turned her head slowly toward me. She could have taken my comment in so many directions. She could have thought it a tease and laid one back at me, she could have ignored it and laughed it off, she could have said it right back, but instead she just looked at me, understanding that what I was saying was in pure honesty. And then, the moment passed and she smiled
“Thanks, I know. It’s a gift and a talent to have a face as beautiful as this.” I rolled my eyes and laughed with her. “You’re not so hard on the eyes yourself.”
“What are you doing tonight?” I asked after she had a moment for the laughter to die down.
“Wallowing in my own self pity of never choosing the right mates?”
“Wrong answer.”
“It is? Then what’s the right answer?”
“That we’re going out together.” I stood and I placed a simple kiss on the receding bump on her forehead. “On a date. Pick you up at 8.” I didn’t even give her time to answer. Because I knew we didn’t have much time left. And I was determined to let El see that she didn’t need to choose someone that needed fixing. She just needed to choose someone who would allow the best of her to show. And I was going to show her just that.
***
I ran my hands through my hair one last time before exiting the car. I was thankful that Justin was in town so I didn’t have to pick up El in my mom’s PT cruiser. It’s not that I had something against the car itself, it was just that my mom didn’t care for it as well as my dad had hoped.
One time I opened the door and it fell off a hinge.
I took a deep breath and as the clock hit eight, I exited the car and took the steps up to El’s summer home.
Her summer home.
Summer was only a third of the way done but there was always a forbidden sense of looming around the corner. How long did I really have this year? How could we make it feel like it would last forever?
“Woah, nice.” The person who answered the door wasn’t exactly the person I was waiting for. Langston hissed out ‘nice’ and looked me up and down as if he had any right to my body. I didn’t even attempt to give him a smile.
“Where’s El?”
Langston, acting as if he was James Dean, leaned his body against the door, not allowing me to enter.
“Come on, Jay. Not even a ‘hello’ for a dear old friend?” He licked his lips which in his world made him feel like the God of Sex – in the real world, well, let’s just say everything has an equal and opposite effect.
“Langston, let Jay come in, Jesus. You’re a dog. Don’t you have a girlfriend back in Florida?”
I never thought I’d be so grateful to see Summer coming to my rescue. Well, maybe at one time, but that was years ago and before I figured out that the fantasies that you make up in your head don’t ever transfer to real life.
Summer removed Langston from the door and allowed me in. She smiled, gave me a once over and nodded in agreement. “Very nice. I told her it wasn’t going to be too casual.” She pointed to her nose and a nervous laugh bubbled inside of me. “So, what are your intentions with my sister?” And that’s when I rolled my eyes.
“Coming, I’m coming.” I looked up the stairs toward the disembodied voice.
I thought El was beautiful in anything she wore. She always had a way of making even the most casual clothes look sophisticated and put together.
But this El was in a league of her own.
Dark blonde hair exited a neat pony tail in light waves. Her natural dark eyelashes were exaggerated with a touch of mascara. The effect was breathtaking. The dark blue of her eyes reminded me of our summer nights swimming. Her tanned body was encased in an off white summer’s eve dress that floated mid-thigh. Her flats were a brown with delicate straps at her ankles.
Again, I thought El looked marvelous in anything, but this…
“Hi.” I licked my lips to help with the moisture problem my mouth was experiencing at this precise moment. Was El sure this was a date?
“Hey,” she smiled shyly and when she finally made it to me, she took my hand with a slight squeeze to greet me.
“Now you kids have fun, don’t do anything I wouldn’t do.” Summer waved her fingers and Langston ogled on looking from both me to El and then back to me. I
pulled on El’s hand to make sure she didn’t end up in prison from killing the poor kid.
***
“This place is, wow. I wish I had words to describe it, but…no words.” El shook her head and took a sip of her sparkling water. Maestro’s was a newer restaurant in the Leo Carillo beach scene which housed an up and coming neighborhood of the young and wealthy. I was young, although not very wealthy, but I could imagine living here one day. It would take a lot of hours at Now or Never but I didn’t care how many clothes I had to fold to get this view.
“It’s breathtaking. I’ve never really been out of California, but I can’t imagine being anywhere else at the moment.” I smiled as I took a cherry tomato and popped it in my mouth.
“It is breathtaking. Thank you for inviting me tonight.”
El cleared her throat with nerves. I wasn’t sure why we were both so nervous. It was just El and I was just me. We had had hundreds of conversations, but tonight it felt forced. Why was that?
“Did you hear that the ice caps are melting?”
Okay that did it.
“Are you okay? Is your head hurting?” I tried for levity and it worked some. El chuckled and took another sip of her water. This was already her third glass and we hadn’t even had our entrée yet. Her fingers fidgeted with the condensation and I sat back.
“You know, when you’re nervous you always have to do something with your hands.” I pointed to her roaming fingers and she placed them in her lap. “Why are you nervous?”
“Why are you nervous.”
“Good comeback,” I deadpanned. El laughed and shook her head.
“I just, it’s this? It’s you. It’s us, here.” A shrug of her shoulders. I didn’t know what she meant. “I guess maybe, I don’t know what this is.” She used her hand to encapsulate the night. And then she looked at me seriously. “Is this a real date or a friend date?”