Page 96 of Perfectly Us
“Just wait until college starts back in the fall,” Dad says. “You picked the perfect spot. Those college kids are going to come in droves.”
I opened my own coffee shop four months ago. For the past fifteen years, I worked my way up at the Brew and eventually became the general manager. When I voiced my dream of having my own café, Alex helped me make it happen.
I might not make a fortune, but I’m happy and love going to work every day.
The volume kicks up a notch when Ruben’s three older brothers arrive with their families. One of his brothers is gay and brings his fiancé, a quiet redheaded guy who comes out of his shell once he warms up to everyone.
Ruben invited all of us over to his house that Sunday to grill out and swim. Two of his brothers live out of state and flew in for the Fourth of July weekend. Get-togethers like this used to make me nervous. Not anymore. They’re family.
Alex squeals as Ruben and his brothers team up on him. He holds out a hand to me. “Help me, Shi!”
“Okay, okay,” I mutter before pulling off my shirt and diving into the pool. The cool water crashes against my heated skin, refreshing after being in the hot sun for so long.
Hours later, once the food is eaten and the sun’s sinking low in the sky, Alex and I say goodbye to everyone and hop into my car to go home.
“Did you have fun today?” Alex asks, resting a hand on my thigh.
“I did.” I place my hand over his, using the other to drive. “Gabbie’s gonna wear me out one day.”
“She loves when you give her piggyback rides through the pool.” Alex beams at me. “I like to ride you in other ways though.”
I breathe out a laugh. “God, you’re still just as perverted as you were when we were teenagers.”
“Nah, I think it’s worse now.” He rests his head back against the seat and closes his eyes. “Dylan texted me earlier. Asked me if I wanted to try some new edibles.”
Dylan has a marijuana seller’s license and makes bank with the edibles he makes. With my anxiety, my doctor said I qualified for a medicinal card, but I refused it. I don’t like anything that alters my behavior too much. Including alcohol. I still don’t drink.
“I swear, if you eat some edibles, I better not see a truckload of Amazon Prime boxes arrive on our doorstep.”
Alex laughs. “Ah, come on, Shi. You know the shark soap holder I bought for the guest bathroom is super cute. And the rug.”
“And shower curtain.”
He laughs again. It’s deeper than it used to be. Raspier. My blood heats at the sound.
“Did I tell you he and Tyler moved in together?” Alex said.
“You didn’t.” I smile. It was a shock to all of us when Stoner Dylan and Jock Boy Tyler started hooking up last year. But then again, it makes sense. They balance each other. Complete opposites.
“How’s Justin doing? He just had his third kid, didn’t he?”
Ever since the summer when Trey died, Justin and I got closer. We started meeting up at least once a year, along with some of the other people I attended the summer program with. I might not have a ton of friends, but the ones I have are pretty damn amazing.
“Yeah. He’s doing great. Probably stressed with three kids, but happy.”
“Evil spawns,” Alex says, shuddering. He’s full of crap though. He loves Ruben’s kids.
When we get home, I park in the garage, and we walk into the house. Our black Lab greets us, wagging his massive tail.
“Boby!” Alex says, falling to his knees and accepting kisses.
His name is Bo, but Alex started calling him Bo Boy, which was then shortened to Boby. I hang my keys on the hook and smile as I hear Alex baby-talking our six-year-old Lab, who was much more like a child than a dog. To us anyway.
It’s funny now when I think back to that night at the carnival when I worried Alex and I wouldn’t last once he went to college.
Him going to school only brought us closer. He came over to my apartment nearly every night and barely spent any time in his dorm room. I helped him study for his tests and destress when he got too overwhelmed with classes.
He works as a crisis counselor for an emergency hotline. He also has in-person counseling sessions with teens at the local mental health clinic. The job weighs heavy on him sometimes, but his passion for helping people is a driving force that can’t be stopped.
