Page 60 of Lessons in Love
“Who is she?” Dad asks. Leo makes a round, topping off our glasses.
“It’s complicated. I don’t want you getting invested when we’re not meant to be.”
“We care about you and if you care about her, then we’re invested already,” my mom says.
“That’s so pressuring, Mom. Don’t you see?”
My dad leans his elbows on the table. “You know what I see, Son?”
Sitting back, I cross my arms over my chest. I can tell this isn’t going to be as quick as I thought. “What?”
He says, “You and your sister have been so busy with your careers that neither of you have even a second in your day to spare for the stuff that matters at the end of it.”
“I—”
His hands go up. “No, Hardy. I want you to listen to your mother and me.”
I drop my reactions and relax, willing to hear them out. He continues, “I worked hard for thirty-five years and what did that get me?”
“A five bedroom colonial in New Canaan and a retirement that you and Mom can actually survive off and live nicely.”
“Yes, it did, but it’s this woman next to me,” he says, taking my mom’s hand, “that really made it all worth it. She gave me purpose.”
“I have purpose, Dad. I like my life.”
My mom leans in. “What your father is trying to tell you is we want to sell the house and travel the world at our leisure without the heavy ties of a mortgage. Do you understand what that means?”
“No.”
“It means we can’t do that because our children are unsettled in their lives.”
“Sabrina and I are fine. She’s got an amazing job overseas and I have the bar and my life here. Don’t let us hold you back from doing what you want to do.”
“You’re not understanding. If something happens to us, we don’t want you to be alone. I’ve read about The Hideaway. You have wonderful reviews, but there’s mention, more than once, of a . . .” She lowers her voice to a mouse’s whisper, “Sexual undercurrent.”
“Oh God, please don’t ever say anything like that again. Gross.”
“Stop being ridiculous. We’re all adults here. Sex is a natural part of living a full life.”
“Mommm. No. Stop.” She laughs and I think I catch my dad sliding his hand up and down her thigh. Ew. I stand. “Look. I’m going to be very frank with you. There is a girl, a woman actually, that I am interested in. She’s beautiful, and tastes like vanilla ice cream on a hot August day. She carries the color of the changing leaves at the end of summer in her eyes. And without a doubt, what I want to do to her perfect mouth is probably illegal in most states.” The sins she makes me want to commit make my dick ache.
“Virginia’s beauty is more than skin deep.” Deep. God, I want to fuck her so bad. “She’s kind and thoughtful. Spirited, and when she looks at me, she sees the person I want to be, the person she believes I can be, and damn do I want to be that guy for her.”
I didn’t plan on breaking out into some lovesick soliloquy, but here I am, standing in an empty bar pouring out all those cramped emotions I’ve been pocketing onto a table in front of my parents and Leo. When I look up, Clive and Eddie are standing near the back door with boxes of scotch in their arms. Leo starts a slow clap and soon the scotch is set down and I’m getting the worst of golf clap ovations. When my parents stand and join in, the applause builds.
Flipping everyone off, I laugh. “I really hate you guys.” I don’t and they know it, but I hate this shiny happy shit. Kind of. Sort of. Only when I’m at the center of it.
My mom comes around the table, and says, “Bring Virginia over for dinner sometime. We’d love to meet her.”
My dad claps me on the back, and says, “Or better yet, kiss her and seal that deal on New Year’s. You know what they say about that holiday. Whatever you’re doing at midnight on New Year’s Eve, is what you’ll be doing all year long.”
If that’s the case, I can think of a million other things other than kissing I’d like to be doing with her at midnight. Or to her. Or in her. Or her to me. Or together. I think that’s what he means. Be together. #MFEO and all that junk.
I follow my parents as they head for the door. I’m thinking they’ve had enough of our antics to hold them over for quite some time. “Thanks for coming to see me. I actually feel better, more determined to make this thing with Virginia less complicated and more simple.”
“When it’s right, it’s easy.” She hugs me at the door. “I’ve never seen you with that look of love in your eyes before. It looks good on you.”
I’m not one for blushing, but the embarrassment I feel makes my face feel hot. “Thanks, Mom.”
