Chapter 11
Chapter Eleven
LOUISA
“It was that good?”
“B, it was amazing.”
She lets out a high-pitched shriek that makes me pull the phone away from my ear. “I’m so happy for you.”
“I’m happy for me too.”
“So, did he go home right after?”
“No, it was super late by the time we checked, so he actually spent the night. Then, this morning, we took Pepin on a walk to get some coffee. He just left a little bit ago.”
“So, basically, your first date lasted almost 24 hours, and you didn’t get sick of him, in addition to coming three times? Marry that man. Right now.”
I laugh and start to tell her to chill out, but she cuts me off.
“No, wait! What happened to enjoying being single for a while? Lou, you’re not supposed to meet your dream guy this soon. You haven’t sucked enough dick yet.”
“How was I supposed to know he’d end up being so great? I honestly wasn’t even that blown away by his profile. I think I almost swiped left because I was getting so frustrated.”
“Do you guys have plans to hang out again?”
“No, we didn’t talk about it. And with the holiday coming up, I’m sure we won’t see each other until after.”
“Speaking of which. I’ll be home on Tuesday. Are we driving back home together on Wednesday?”
“That’s the plan. Mom said she wanted us there on Tuesday, but I told her you weren’t getting in till later, so we would just leave sometime on Wednesday.”
“Sounds good. Thanks for making the plans. I’ll be crazy jet lagged, but I’m hoping Thanksgiving dinner will put me in a food coma and give me a hard reset.”
“Sounds like some flawless logic to me.”
I hear a door slam on her end. “I have to go to a meeting, so I’ll talk to you later.”
“Wait,” I stop her before she hangs up, “I was talking about me so much I never asked how your night went. Did you hook up with that marketing girl?”
“No. Poor girl thinks she’s straight.”
“Maybe she actually is straight, B. You do know that not everyone is gay, right?”
“Keep telling yourself that.”
“Alright, love you.”
“Love you too. Congrats on getting laid.” She hangs up before I can throw back a snarky reply.
The other night, after Sam and I finished, he threw his boxer briefs back on. I put on my silk pajama shorts and matching tank top, and we curled up in my bed and talked for a bit before we fell asleep. Pepin, of course, joined us on the bed since it's his spot, and Sam was just a guest. The three of us snuggled up in my queen bed looked like a clown car, but I loved it. Sam was the big spoon, I was the middle spoon, and Pep was the little spoon.
I don't even remember what we were talking about when I dozed off because all I could think about was Sam's hand on my bare waist. His hands are strong and calloused from all the physical labor he does. Last night, I learned that Sam’s company doesn't just do landscaping in the summer; it also does snow removal in the winter. Makes sense, I guess, since you can't do landscaping year-round in Minnesota.
He also bought a house a couple of years ago and has been fixing it up with the help of his brothers, mostly Quinn, since Jacob is in dental school.
He talks about his brothers a lot, which I think is really sweet, and I've told him all about B and her adventures. He hasn't told me much about his parents other than they're divorced, and I've gathered that he's not his dad's biggest fan.
This week is Thanksgiving, so B and I are headed back to our hometown to spend time with family. We'll be staying at our parents' house, and some of our extended family will join us for dinner on Thursday.
Holidays are pretty typical at our house. My aunt loves to ask questions that are way too personal. My grandfather is getting dementia and says some very out-of-pocket things that are usually insensitive. My mother worries that everything isn't going to get cooked on time, and my father tries to help, but when he gets shooed out of the kitchen by my mother, he joins everyone else in the living room and watches the parade or football.
Sam
Happy Thanksgiving, Lou.
Lou
Happy Thanksgiving to you too! Where are you headed first, your mom's or your dad's?
Sam
My dad's. We typically don't stay there long, so it's easier to dip out if we have the excuse of going to my mom's.
Lou
Makes sense. Don't you get super full eating two Thanksgiving meals in one day?
Sam
Yes. Now that I'm not a teenager though, I've gotten better at not overindulging during the first meal. I still typically end up passed out with my brothers on the couch at the end of the day.
Lou
I love that for you.
Sam
What are your Thanksgivings usually like?
Lou
Nothing too crazy ever happens, but there's always something going on. I'll keep you updated if anything interesting starts happening.
Sam
I would love that. My dad's place is usually pretty boring, so I would love to hear about what's going on at your place.
Lou
Consider me your personal Thanksgiving entertainment.
SAM
Quinn and I decided to carpool today because the odds of both of us being able to stay sober through this are slim. We have an unspoken rule that whoever is getting targeted by Joel the worst gets to get drunk, and the other one drives, and if it's pretty even, we play rock paper scissors.
Jacob's car is already here when we pull into the driveway, and I wonder how long he's had to endure our dad without us.
Quinn inclines his head toward a car next to Jacob's that I don't recognize. "How old do we think Joel's girlfriend is this year?"
"Who knows. My bet is 35." I know that's wishful thinking.
Our dad tends to attract women who are significantly younger than him. He always swears it's not because of his money, but that's hard to believe when they're half his age and wearing designer clothing that they clearly can't afford with their waitressing job.
I'm not judging the women, good on them. If my dad is desperate enough to shell out that much money for pussy, then that's his choice. I just don't like when he expects us to take their relationship seriously and treat her like she's going to be our new stepmom. That's a little hard to do when they flirt with me at the dinner table.
I knock on the door and wait. My dad answers with his new toy at his side .
"Boys, you know you don't have to knock. This is your home, too. Just come in next time."
"Mmmmk, Joel." Quinn can't help himself; he just has to poke the bear.
He steps aside and welcomes us in. Recently, we've been showing up empty-handed because any time we try to be helpful and bring something, it's always the wrong brand, or he has a better one, or it's too cold. He always has an excuse to throw it in the trash when we're not looking, and sometimes, he's not even that considerate.
I take off my coat, and Denise, our dad's housekeeper, takes it out of my hands. Denise is a 50-year-old Colombian woman who barely spoke English when she started here. Either he pays her a lot of money, or she's desperate, because she's been working for him for 15 years now, despite him treating her like shit. At first, he tried to hide it, but over time, the facade went away. "I can hang up my own coat, Denise; you don't have to."
"That's what she's paid to do, son."
Prick.
Denise grabs Quinn's coat too, and before heading off to the coat closet, she reassures us, "I don't mind, sir."
I hate when she calls me that. I don't want her to think of me like my dad, and that's what she calls him. "Sam, please call me Sam. We've known each other long enough."
"Okay, Sam." She smiles before turning to leave with our coats in hand.
Finally acknowledging the woman standing beside him, my dad introduces us. "Boys, this is my girlfriend, Holly." She looks no older than me.
"Hi Holly, I'm Sam." I wait for Quinn to introduce himself, but he's looking off in the distance, pretending not to be a part of this conversation. "And this is Quinn. "
"I've heard a lot about you guys."
Sure she has. I doubt my dad has told her more than our names and a list of the top 10 things we've done to disappoint him.
"Where's Jacob?" Quinn asks.
Joel is clearly annoyed that Quinn is ignoring Holly, but he chooses to let it go. "He's here somewhere. Probably already raiding the bar."
Quinn takes off down the hallway, leaving me behind. "Great! I'll join him."
I start walking through the foyer with my dad and Holly, heading toward the living area.
"So, Sam, how's the kitchen renovation coming?" I'm surprised he remembers that.
"I finished that a couple of months ago. I'm onto the master suite now."
"It's taking you forever to finish that place. How do you live like that? I don't know why you didn't just let me give you my guy's number and have him handle everything. He could have had it done a year ago."
"Because I like doing it, and it's a lot cheaper if I do it myself."
"Are you hurting for money? Is that it?"
"No—" He cuts me off.
"I told you that lawn mowing business wasn't going to get you the lifestyle you grew up with. You should have taken your degree and gone to law school like I told you."
"I don't mow lawns."
"What's that now?"
Of course, he didn't hear me; he's too busy listening to the sound of his own voice. I'm genuinely surprised that anyone in his industry puts up with him. But maybe all corporate lawyers are like that .
"I said, I don't mow lawns. It's a landscaping business."
"Yeah, landscaping, that's what I said."
No, it wasn't.
I hope to god Quinn brings a drink back for me. Maybe we can both get drunk tonight. Ubering an hour to Mom’s house may be worth it.
Joel won't shut up about his new yacht that he just purchased and how it's better than some other rich man's yacht. I lost at rock paper scissors, so I'm the sober driver tonight. Quinn is already drunk off our dad's expensive scotch, which is dumb because he doesn't even like scotch. I think he's just drinking it because he knows it pisses off Joel when he "drinks it the wrong way.”
Sam
Any funny stories yet?
Lou
Nothing yet. Unless you count my grandpa falling asleep with a KitKat bar in his lap and it melting all over his pants.
Sam
Oh, that definitely counts. Was he mad when he woke up?
Lou
He's still sleeping. And probably will be until he hears my mom yell that dinner's ready. How's it going at your dad's?
Sam
Quinn is already drunk, and Jacob hasn't said much all night. My dad keeps yapping on about how much money he has and his new girlfriend is 25.
Lou
25?! That's only one year older than I am. And a year younger than you. Yikes!
Sam
I give it another month, two tops.
Lou
Very generous of you.
Oh my god. My aunt just asked me how my sex life is. She has no boundaries.
Sam
Just out of curiosity, what did you tell her?
Lou
Oh, wouldn't you like to know?
Sam
That is why I asked.
Lou
My mother chimed in before I had to answer and told her it's none of her damn business.
"No texting at the dinner table, Jacob." When I look up, I see Joel looking at Jacob with a stern look.
Jacob doesn't put his phone down and continues with whatever he was previously doing. "We aren't even eating yet."
"Well, it's still rude. You could engage in the conversation."
Jacob throws his phone down and his hands up. "What could I possibly have to contribute to a conversation about vacation homes in Tuscany? Plus, no one can get a word in when you're going on and on about yourself."
"Fine, Jacob. You want to talk about you? How are your graduation requirements coming? I heard from my friend at the dental school that you may be falling behind."
"That is none of your damn business. And Dr. Mayes better watch what he says. It's against school policy for him to discuss my grades with you. I'd hate to have to report your friend ." I can tell Jacob is starting to lose his cool.
"Are you avoiding my questions because you're embarrassed?" Joel presses.
Jacob hasn't hung out with Quinn and me for several months now. Is it because he really is falling behind? I know he was stressed about requirements last spring, but I figured he would have caught up by now. With only one semester left, he doesn't have much wiggle room. He also failed one of his board exams and had to retake it. From what I understand, it's not uncommon for students to fail at least one board exam due to how subjective dentistry can be.
Jacob has always put a lot of pressure on himself. I think being the oldest plays a part in it. He always felt like he had to set a good example for us. Jacob took our parents' divorce the hardest. Quinn and I were young enough that the memories of that time are foggy. Jacob remembers it all. And for some reason, our dad has always been toughest on Jacob. He was the one always telling Jacob to do something useful with his life, so Jacob went to dental school. Our dad put similar pressure on Quinn and me, but we both said "fuck it" and did what we wanted. Jacob didn't have that option.
Jacob didn't get in the first time he applied to dental school. Again, his classmates that I've met tell me that's very normal, but Jacob saw it as a huge failure. He spent that whole gap year studying to retake his DAT and working at a dental office to boost his resume. He didn't get in the next year either. It's likely because he wasn't pursuing it out of passion.
If my dad was upset about the first time, he was livid about the second. He straight up told Jacob he was an embarrassment and that even with him pulling some strings, Jacob still dropped the ball. I've never seen Jacob more upset in my life. Right now might top that.
"Fuck you!" Jacob stands up so fast that his chair tumbles backwards, and the table moves. "You were the one that pushed me into this. And in the same breath, you told me I'd be nothing. Maybe if I had a little more support, I wouldn't be so stressed or put so much pressure on myself to the point where I don't eat or sleep anymore."
I could tell he hasn't been doing much of either lately by the bags under his eyes and the gauntness of his face. Jacob has always been athletic and lean, but with him now standing over me, I can see how much weight he's lost. Damn, when was the last time I saw Jacob?
Quinn and I were so busy this summer with work, and then once fall came, we got sucked into my house projects. Of course, we texted Jacob and asked him to join, but neither of us ever checked in on him.
"Those are excuses, Jacob. If you want to blame someone for your failures, look in the mirror."
That's it. That was Jacob's last straw. I see his face go from angry to completely defeated and empty.
"Happy Thanksgiving, everyone." With that, Jacob turns and storms out.
I go to pick up his chair and see that his phone is on the floor. It must have fallen out of his pocket when he jumped up. I pick it up and check to make sure the screen isn't broken. Thankfully, it's not.
"'ll be right back." I jog toward the front door. "Jacob, wait. You left your phone."
I run out the door in my socks, not wanting to bother with shoes and risk missing him. When I get to the driveway, I see he's in his car, about to back out.
"Jacob!"
I wave to get his attention. He sees me and stops, rolling down his window. I'm slightly out of breath when I get to his car. "Your phone was on the floor." I reach out and hand it to him.
"Thanks." He grabs it from me. That empty look is still in his eyes, and there is no real expression on his face.
"I know this is a dumb question, but are you okay?"
"I'm fine."
I know he's lying, but I don't know how to get him to talk to me without prying. "Okay, drive safe. I'll see you at Mom's."
"I'm not going to Mom's."
"What? Jacob, don't let what Dad said ruin Mom's Thanksgiving." I immediately regret it after the words come out of my mouth. He stares at me and starts rolling up his window. I catch it with my hand, and he stops. "I'm sorry, Jacob. I shouldn't have said that. If you need to be alone, then do that. I'll explain it to Mom and make sure she gets over it."
"Thanks."
"Text me if you need anything or if you change your mind, okay?" I remove my hand from the window, and he continues to roll it up. When it's all the way up, I can't help but stand there. He looks so hurt, and I don't know what to do to help him. I've always attempted to be the peacekeeper of the family, and right now, I feel like I'm failing. All I can think to say is, "I love you."
He looks at me, and tears fill his eyes. I've seen my brother cry before, so that's not what jars me. It's that he just shakes his head and backs out of the driveway. Once he's gone, I walk back into the house, nervous about the shitstorm I'm about to walk into.
Quinn is grabbing his coat from Denise, and she's holding mine as well.
"Joel says we aren't welcome here anymore because we didn't have his back when Jacob was being a big meany to him." Quinn pantomimes a baby crying.
"Fine by me." I say that, but I know I should try to smooth things over before we leave. "Go get in the car, and I'll be right out." I hand Quinn the keys and walk toward the dining room.
Joel sits there with his glass of scotch in one hand and the other around Holly. He seems so unbothered by what just happened, and that pisses me off.
"That was a little uncalled for, don't you think?" I know I'm not going to get anywhere with him, but I can't sit by and let him beat up on Jacob like that when he's clearly in a vulnerable state.
"I think everyone is getting too sensitive these days. You little millennials or Gen Z, whatever you are, get so butthurt when people tell you the truth." I look at his girlfriend to see if she's offended by his comment. I can tell she's holding back her wince and trying to act supportive.
"Happy Thanksgiving, Joel. Holly, it was nice to meet you. I hope for your sake we don't see you at Christmas."
On my way out, I grab my coat from Denise, who is still standing in the entryway holding it. "Denise, my offer to hire you at my company still stands. If you ever change your mind and want out of here, I can help you."
She nervously looks over my shoulder to see if my dad is within earshot. "Thank you, Sam."
"You have my number, right?"
"I do."
"Happy Thanksgiving, Denise." I wrap her in a hug. Partially for her, but when she squeezes me back, I admit to myself that maybe I needed it too.
LOUISA
Laughter echoes from the dining room as I step out of the bathroom. They better not be laughing at my expense. When I enter and reclaim my seat, I look around at my family. We're partially through dinner, which started three hours later than my mother wanted due to a turkey fiasco. Half the family blames my cousin; they think he accidentally turned off the oven when he was changing the clock to the correct time. The other half swears there was a brief power outage that was so quick no one else noticed. Either way, the turkey is now fully cooked, and everyone is sitting around our big table enjoying their meal.
"Where did you run off to? Calling your boyfriend?" My aunt is relentless.
"Auntie, like I said earlier, I don't have a boyfriend."
"Then who are you texting? You've been smiling at your phone all day."
To be more accurate, I was smiling at my phone all afternoon. Sam hasn't responded in a couple of hours.
"Nobody," I say with a not-so-convincing smile.
My mother catches wind of our conversation and ditches her conversation with my grandpa about his BINGO girlfriend to chime into ours. "She's right, Lou. I haven't seen you that giddy over your phone since you found out your phone had a calendar with time blocking."
"Mom, I said it's nothing. I don't want to talk about it. If it turns into something, you'll be the first to know."
"Excuse me. I better be the first to know. I live with you!" B glares at me from the other end of the table.
My mother, ever the peacekeeper, corrects me. "Of course, B will be the first to know. But I'm assuming she already knows who it is, so I'll be the first new person to hear about it." She glances down at B as if she can get her to spill my secret to her later.
B knows that look, but she isn't taking the bait. "My lips are sealed, Momma. Sister code."
I'm pretty sure she just made that up, but I'm grateful she doesn't have a big mouth. I'm also grateful for my mother dropping the subject and diverting my aunt's attention to another topic.
I pull my phone out of my pocket and check again to see if Sam has messaged me back, even though I just checked it in the bathroom, and I didn't feel it buzz. No messages. I go to slide it back into my pocket and stop when I feel it vibrate. I quickly unlock it to see who it is.
Sam
Sorry it's taken me a while to respond.
Family stuff.
Lou
No problem at all. I've been very busy, too.
No, I haven’t Unless you count having a mini marshmallow eating contest with my cousins as being busy.
Sam
Any other fun stories? Don't even ask me, because the answer is no. We left my dad's house early.
Lou
Apparently, my grandpa has a girlfriend at the BINGO hall he goes to every Tuesday.
Sam
Good for him. I hope I still have that much game when I'm his age. Obviously, I hope I don't have to be. But if I find myself a widower, then it wouldn't hurt to still be able to flirt.
Lou
I think it's more transactional than that. He said she has the best BINGO dobbers.
Sam
That's hilarious.
Lou
How's your mom's house?
Sam
It's good. My brother Jacob had to head home after my dad's, so my mom is bummed about that. But otherwise, it's been good. I'm Quinn's sober cab tonight so he is having a great time.
Lou
How did you end up landing that role?
Sam
Lost at rock paper scissors.
Lou
You're joking.
Sam
I really wish I was.
Lou
I'm dying. Maybe I'll start playing that with B to see who has to vacuum.
Sam
I feel like you would just end up doing it after her anyway...
Lou
I hate the fact that you're not wrong.
Sam
Does your family drink?
Lou
Like FISH. My uncle makes his own apple pie, which is a homemade moonshine drink. It's so delicious and so strong, which makes it very dangerous.
Sam
I've never heard of that before.
Lou
It's a staple in my hometown. But my uncle makes the best. I'll have to bring some home for you to try.
Sam
Pretty presumptuous of you.
Assuming I'm going to ask you out on a second date.
Lou
Well, are you?
Sam
I think so.
Quinn is pretty drunk, so I'm going to take him home. I'll talk to you tomorrow.
Enjoy the rest of your evening.
Lou
Drive safe.
And Sam…I'd really like it if you asked me out on a second date.