Small Wonders

by Courtney Lux

  “Dammit, Nathaniel, I had my mind made up.” Trip nudges him in the ribs.

  “So get what you were going to get.”

  “You’re making me reconsider.”

  “I’ll get this one and you get the other one. We’ll share.”

  “What if I want both?” Trip lowers the menu.

  “Then get both.”

  Trip hands the menu to Nate. “You trying to get me drunk?”

  “Since when do two drinks get you drunk?” Nate turns the menu over to read the other side.

  “Maybe I’m gonna try the whole menu.”

  “I’m not paying for you to try the entire menu,” Nate replies.

  “You won’t need to. I’ll figure something out.”

  “One of these has something that sounds a hell of a lot like green juice in it.” Nate turns the menu back toward him. “You might want to reconsider your full-menu plan.”

  Trip snatches the paper, holds it close to his face for easier inspection. “You’re lying.”

  “Right there, look. The drink has the word ‘green’ right in the name.”

  “Now I don’t trust this place to have even one decent drink.” Trip drops the menu on the table.

  “Either you pick something or I’m doing it for you.”

  “So pick it for me then.” Trip taps a finger against the face of Nate’s watch still on his wrist. “Make it snappy.”

  Nate looks at the watch and then at Trip’s face. “Are you going to pretend to hate whatever I pick?”

  Trip crosses a finger over his heart.

  “I’m holding you to that.” Nate slips out of the booth. “Kel? You going up?”

  “Just waiting on you two crazy kids.” Kellan touches a kiss to Scarlett’s temple. “Be right back.”

  Trip watches Kellan and Nate make the short walk to the bar. He whistles, hoping to get a rise out of Nate. Nate doesn’t turn to respond, but does give Trip the finger.

  “Well, well, well.”

  Trip jumps, surprised by Scarlett’s proximity to his left side. “You make a habit of sneaking up on people?”

  “I moved maybe three inches closer to you than I was before.” Scarlett sips from her water glass. “Not that you would have known. You might as well have been walking on a cloud a million miles above my head.”

  “Anybody ever told you the clouds ain’t that far away?” Trip sees that he has a water glass, too, and he wonders where it came from.

  Scarlett kicks his ankle beneath the table. “Has anybody ever told you that you are completely and totally smitten?”

  “You’re one to talk.” Trip makes a face. “My teeth hurt just thinking about you and Kellan Kipley. Christ.”

  “Fine, I admit it. I’m completely head-over-heels in love.” Scarlett looks toward the bar, her expression dreamy.

  Trip makes a choking noise before picking up his water glass. “Sorry, I think I just threw up in my mouth a little bit.”

  “Please grow up.” Scarlett tears her gaze from the bar to focus on Trip. “In all seriousness, though, this has been an amazing day, right?”

  Trip is ready to fire back with a nasty remark, but he deflates. “It hasn’t been awful.”

  “Coming from you, that’s not half-bad.” Scarlett tweaks the watch on his wrist. “You and I, Trip Morgan, are doing all right for ourselves.”

  Trip twists the watch so it’s facing the right way. “He’s not gonna let me keep it. He just gets pissed when I take it.”

  “I wasn’t talking about the watch.” Scarlett nods toward the bar. “I meant them.”

  Trip toys with the crown at the edge of Nate’s watch. “Yeah, I guess.”

  “I guess,” Scarlett echoes in a mock exaggerated Southern accent. “I’m Trip Morgan, and I’m trying to pretend like I’m not a smitten kitten.”

  “You’re telling me to grow up?” Trip looks her over, unim­pressed. “And I don’t talk like that.”

  “It’s close,” Scarlett replies in her own voice. “Okay, fine, I’ll come down to your comfort level: Kellan is a nice guy. Nate is a nice guy. It’s nice to be with nice guys.”

  Trip doesn’t respond. He watches Nate at the bar and twists the leather band of the watch around his wrist.

  Scarlett’s hand on his knee makes him jump. “He is nice to you, right?”

  “Yeah, sure.” Trip stops his restless spinning of the watch strap.

  Scarlett’s hand tightens on his knee. “Would you tell me if he isn’t?”

  “And what would you do about it if I said he knocks me around or somethin’?” Trip barely manages to suppress his smile.

  “I’m being serious, Trip.”

  Trip is startled by Scarlett’s sudden ferocity. “Christ, of course he’s nice to me. You’re the one accusing me of being all kinds of lovesick over him. What the hell do you think I like in a guy?”

  “I don’t know. Sometimes we worry about you.” Scarlett’s hand stays on his leg, looser now. “I think the past couple months is the longest you’ve gone without coming home with some mystery injury.”

  “Which should tell you something about Nathaniel. He wouldn’t leave a bruise even if I asked him to.” Trip eyes her hand, considers asking her to move it. “And who the hell is ‘we?’”

  “Me. Liam.” Scarlett’s expression lightens. “Probably June if she could talk.”

  “Well, all three of you can cut out your worrying, I’m fine.” Trip moves to push her hand from his leg. “And what the hell ever made you think I like getting knocked around?”

  “I don’t think you like it. Sometimes I just think that you’re so used to people hurting you that you think it’s okay.”

  “Nathaniel wouldn’t lay a finger on me, all right?” Trip pauses, his hand hovering in the air above Scarlett’s. “He likes taking care of people—of me. I’m better than okay.”

  Scarlett hesitates before speaking again. “You know if you weren’t—”

  “Yeah.” Trip rests his hand over hers. “I know.”

  They’re both quiet, but then Scarlett is turning her hand to squeeze Trip’s. “You know, you never denied that you’re a smitten kitten.”

  Trip pulls his hand out of hers. “Jesus Christ, woman, do you ever stop?”

  Kellan and Nate return with their drinks just as Scarlett lets out a peal of laughter.

  “I take it we missed something good,” Kellan says as he places a martini glass in front of Scarlett.

  “Not particularly. Your girlfriend doesn’t have the greatest sense of humor.” Trip slides over to allow Nate more space.

  “Ignore him.” Scarlett flicks a wrist. “It was funny, but one of those you-kind-of-had-to-be-there sort of things.”

  “I trust your judgment.” Kellan kisses her, and they are imme­diately lost in one another just as they had been at the museum.

  Trip turns his attention to Nate and the three glasses on the table in front of them. “You planning on seducing the bar back or something? More drinks than there are people at this table.”

  “You said you wanted both, you got both.” Nate sips his drink. “Deal with it.”

  “And let me guess, I get both because you couldn’t bring your­self to stray from one of your usual.” Trip picks up one of the glasses and sniffs the amber liquid inside. It smells vaguely of smoke and oranges.

  Nate ducks his head. “Something like that.”

  “So predictable, Nathaniel.” Trip clicks his tongue as he picks up the second glass. It’s more red-tinted than the first and there’s a spiral of lemon peel at the bottom.

  “I’m not that predictable.” Nate watches intently while Trip sips from the straw in his glass. “I just know what I like.”

  “Yeah?” Trip lowers the drink to the table, then hooks his open hand over the edge of Nate’s thigh. />
  Nate leans closer. “Yeah.”

  Trip closes his eyes when Nate kisses him. With his sight obscured, he’s more aware of the slow heat already spreading in his chest from the small sip of his drink.

  Nate pulls away, licking his lips. “Though that’s not half-bad. Do you like it?”

  “Like what?” Trip blinks at him.

  “The drink. It’s got absinthe in it. You and absinthe seem like a good pair.”

  “Oh, yeah, it’s good.” Trip takes another drink, notes the slight bite of licorice. “Absinthe the one that makes people crazy?”

  “Shouldn’t be much of a personality change for you if it does.”

  Trip bumps his shoulder against Nate’s arm. “Be nice.”

  Scarlett meows quietly.

  Trip kicks her under the table.

  The drinks are good, the atmosphere is cozy and inti­mate, and they decide to remain at the bar in lieu of leaving to find a restau­rant for dinner. They share bar food and chatter about the increased subway fare and the sporadic warm and cold bursts the fall has produced so far. Nate and Kellan dis­cuss Ashbury-Whiteman at length, and Nate doesn’t seem bothered by the con­ver­sation, but Trip tucks a hand over his leg and rubs a thumb against his knee anyway while he talks to Scarlett.

  By the end of the night, they are all happy and buzzed as they stumble out into the cold early-November air.

  “We should do this more often.” Kellan declares. He spins Scarlett. “Maybe go dancing next time.”

  “We love dancing!” Scarlett agrees.

  Trip shivers, chilled after the warm interior of the bar. “Over my dead body.”

  “I’ll second that.” Nate pulls off his jacket, drapes it over Trip’s shoulders. “We’ll drink and watch.”

  “That’s no fun.” Kellan and Scarlett are dancing in slow circles, occasionally tripping over one another’s feet.

  “Scarlett loves an audience.” Trip stands content beneath the familiar weight of Nate’s arm resting on his shoulders. “And Nathaniel and I like to drink and judge people. It’s perfect.”

  “Fine.” Kellan concedes. He stands behind Scarlett with his arms around her waist. “Are we calling it a night?”

  Nate looks down at Trip.

  Trip shrugs.

  Nate looks back at Kellan. “Yeah, I think so. You still good with the gym tomorrow morning?”

  “Yeah, yeah, I’ll be there.” Kellan groans. “You’ll never let me forget it if I skip.”

  Scarlett squeezes Kellan’s arm gently. “I’m going back to my place tonight. Do you want to come, or is staying over going to make you too tired to make your gym date with Nate?”

  “I can handle both of you.” Kellan releases Scarlett’s waist. “Trip? You going our way or headed Upper East?”

  “I made the mistake of sticking around once when y’all had a sleepover, and I’m still recovering.” Trip makes a face. “I’ll sleep on a park bench if I have to, but I sure as hell am not sleeping in my room.”

  “You can sleep in my bed, you know that.” Nate chuckles. “You coming now or do you have to go do some mystery skulking someplace else first?”

  Trip grins. “I’m coming—”

  Nate interrupts. “I’m cutting you off before you can finish whatever terrible joke it is you think you’re going to make.”

  “Speaking of finishing, I—”

  Nate closes a hand over his mouth. “Scarlett, Kip, it was fun. Let’s do it again soon.”

  “Very soon.” Scarlett takes Kellan’s hand, tugs him toward the corner. “Trip, do you have your key?”

  Trip licks Nate’s palm and speaks when he jerks his hand away. “Yeah, I’m good. See you tomorrow.”

  After Scarlett and Kellan have gone, Trip and Nate decide to take a cab rather than wait for the train. Trip is overcome with a sudden wave of exhaustion in the back of the cab that only grows worse once they are back at Nate’s apartment.

  He and Nate brush their teeth together in silence, and the fatigue must be evident on Trip’s face because after they’ve finished, Nate pushes Trip wordlessly to the stairs. Trip doesn’t pro­test. He climbs the steps, strips out of his clothes and leaves Nate’s watch on the nightstand before slipping beneath the covers on his side of the mattress.

  Nate shakes his shoulder gently when he slips into the right side of the bed. “Hey, sit up for a second and take these.”

  “I don’t need anything.” He murmurs but sits up all the same.

  Nate hands him the pills. “You were coughing the other night. I don’t think you’re totally over that cold.”

  Trip takes the pills and the glass of water Nate hands him. He yawns, rubs an eye.

  Nate places the cup back on the nightstand when Trip’s fin­ished with it. “You’re cute when you’re tired, you know that?”

  “Mmm, I’ll wake up enough to be fun. Just give me a second.” Trip blinks hard and stretches.

  “You’re fine just like this.” Nate lifts the covers. “Lie down. Sleep. You’re never going to get healthy if you keep running yourself ragged.”

  Trip stretches out on his stomach. “I’m not opposed to you fucking me while I’m asleep if you aren’t.”

  Nate touches his arm. “I’m good, just come here.”

  Trip slots himself closer to Nate’s side and rests his head on his chest. He inhales the smell of the body wash still clinging to Nate’s skin and releases his breath with a sigh.

  Nate massages his scalp with soft fingers. “I had fun today.”

  “Me, too.” Trip closes his eyes. “Thanks for the drinks.”

  “Anytime.” Trip recognizes the click of the lamp and he’s aware the bedroom is suddenly darker.

  He coughs into his shoulder. “If I’m doing that all night, feel free to kick me to the couch.”

  “The medicine will help.” Nate’s voice is a low rumble against Trip’s cheek. “You’re fine right where you are. Do you want a cough drop or something to help?”

  “I’m okay.” Trip nuzzles closer. “I’m good.”

  “Okay.” Nate presses a kiss into his hair. “Wake me up if that changes.”

  Trip is soothed by the slow rise and fall of Nate’s stomach beneath his arm. He lies for a long time, drifting in the gray space between reality and dreams, wondering exactly when he fell so hard for Nate Mackey.

  ten.

  The light in his room doesn’t work. It’s not a burned-out light bulb; Trip’s sure of it. He pushes his door open so he can inspect the cord for a short. It’s still dusky out and the lack of light through the open door is a surprise. Trip’s been waking up earlier these days, too used to Nate’s early-morning hours to make it much later than nine before he’s rolling out of bed and starting his day, no matter how late he got in the night before.

  He squints at the cord, but there are no signs of mouse-chewing or any other injury. He takes the light bulb out and screws it back in. Nothing. He pulls the cord a few more times, irritated. He gives up and ventures out to the family room where Liam is busy with a canvas and Scarlett’s feeding June a bottle.

  Scarlett looks tired and she’s still dressed in last night’s clothes. “Power’s out.”

  “I noticed.” Trip pulls his hair back into a ponytail, shivers. It’s too cold for the early weeks of November. “We pay the bill?”

  She shakes her head. “Not yet. We were short last month, too.”

  “And the month before that.” Trip flips the light switch on the wall as if it might change its mind about not working. “I s’pose that means there’s no coffee then either, huh?”

  “No coffee to make coffee even if the power was still on.” Scarlett tucks June’s blanket more securely around her middle. “Trip, what the hell are we gonna do?”

  “Get caffeine headaches and have some very long days.” Trip
leans against the wall. “I don’t know what we’re gonna do about electric. Is the water heater still broken? I’m freezing.”

  “You’d stay warmer if you weren’t so damn skinny.” Liam chimes in. His hair, Trip notes, is a mix of lavender and pink.

  “You’d have more to contribute to electric if you didn’t spend all your fuckin’ money on hair dye.” Trip takes the open space on the couch beside Scarlett.

  “So would you if you could get a real job.” Liam smudges a spot of paint onto Trip’s shin. “And stop complaining, this isn’t so bad. Struggle is good for the soul.”

  “My soul’s had enough struggling for five lifetimes.” Trip tugs at the edge of June’s blanket. “Can I hold the baby? She’s practically a portable space heater.”

  “No. I haven’t seen her in ages, and I need to leave for work in a few hours.” Scarlett gives him a look. “You can stick your toes under my legs, though.”

  Trip is grateful for any added heat. He wishes he didn’t run so cold all the time. Liam’s squinting at him—he’s been doing it a lot the past few weeks and the added attention is irritat­ing. “You keep looking at me like that, Li, and I might get the wrong idea.”

  Liam holds his gaze for an uncomfortably long time before looking back at his canvas. “I’m doing a study on roommates. Unfortunately for both of us, I need to stare at you.”

  “Can we focus?” Scarlett snaps her fingers at both of them. “Seriously, what the hell are we going to do about this?”

  Trip scrubs at his eyes. “Fuck, I don’t know. How long does it take to get it turned back on once we pay?”

  Scarlett shakes her head. “I don’t know. I’ve gotten late notices before, but I’ve never actually had the lights cut before.”

  “Can we pay?” Trip drags his bag close to his side so he can unearth one of his coffee cans of money. He pries the lid off of it and pours the contents out onto his lap. It isn’t much. “What if we pay part of it? Will they give us a few extra days or something?”

  “I don’t know. I tried calling Kellan, but he’s gone on busi­ness.” Scarlett puts the empty bottle on the floor beside her feet and shifts June until she’s sitting more upright. “He’s good at figuring these kinds of things out.”