Chapter 11
ELEVEN
Americano
Celeste
Fuck, fuck, fuck, fuck, fuck.
I’m running outrageously late to get to my latest date with…
I look down to scroll through my text messages to find this guy’s name…
Cody! That’s it. Don’t forget that. I semi-sprint across the campus grounds towards OshKosk Park.
That’s not the official park name. It’s a lovely green space in the middle of all the campus buildings that has cute spots to eat, a waterfall, a giant koi pond, and a really cool kids playground that gave it its nickname.
I shuffle past the koi, rubbing the nose of the large bronze koi statue standing sentry in front of the real fish swimming below.
It’s said to bring good luck and since I’m already running late, well, it can’t hurt.
The spot I’m meeting Cody for lunch is just ahead at one of the picnic tables.
As I go to step off the small wooden bridge my foot slips on a wet plank.
My arms windmill like a cartoon character and I screw my eyes closed at the inevitable bruise that’s awaiting me once my ass hits the ground.
Instead, a hand grabs hold of my arm and yanks me upright.
My eyes spring back open to rest on a set of warm brown ones, kind ones, and a soft smile that’s now moving.
Shit, he’s saying something.
“I’m sorry, pardon?” I ask a little flustered, brushing down my skirt and thanking the koi gods that I didn’t flash anyone.
“I asked if you were all right,” he says with another soft smile, his eyes creasing a little in the corner.
He swipes a hand through his short hair, a very faint bronze colour coming through some of his light brown locks.
His button down is tailored and tucked neatly into smart pants.
He appears very…wholesome and put together.
I smile back and nod. “Yes. Sorry, yes, I’m okay.
Thank you. I apologize for falling and running but I’m actually late for a date…
” I look over this guy’s shoulder to see if I can spot whoever Cody is.
I notice a middle-aged woman reading at a bench and a few younger moms with their toddlers in the sand but no one my age except…
I tilt my head, eyes trained on my mystery saviour.
“You wouldn’t happen to be Cody, would you? ” I ask with a playful grin.
His smile widens and, sweet baby Jesus, this boy has the cutest dimples.
#2: Tall & handsome, check
#3: Chivalrous, check
“I am indeed. Celeste, then?” he asks, and I nod.
“Great, you look lovely. Come, I have lunch set up for us.” He leads us to a picnic table in the shade with an adorable wicker basket atop it.
He pulls out a red checkered tablecloth, plates, juice boxes, and two sandwiches that look homemade by someone who truly knows how to make a good sandwich.
“Wow, this looks amazing. Thank you for setting all this up,” I say with no fake amusement or impression.
I release a little contented sigh, feeling good about just feeling good.
Maybe my other disastrous attempts at dating have tainted my view, but I’m genuinely enjoying myself so far and the effort Cody has put into our date.
“It wasn’t just me, my ma helped with the sandwiches,” he says with a blush, his care for his mother is obvious.
Well that’s a good sign. #1: Loyalty, especially to his family, check
“Oh really? Is she a good home cook?” I ask, poking the straw through my juice box.
“Oh yeah, we cook together most nights. I, uh, I still live with her.” He shrugs and looks down to his plate, the tips of his ears reddening.
“Oh! Me too!” I say quickly, not wanting him to feel insecure. “In this economy I’ll be lucky if I ever make it out of my childhood home,” I joke, taking a bite into a delicious pastrami on ciabatta combination that makes me seriously wonder if I have a food fetish.
“I hear ya! Personally, if I could just stay at home with my ma, I think I’d take that. Hope the future Mrs. doesn’t mind!” He chuckles and takes a bite into his sandwich. I chew slowly, contemplating the combination of the flavours and his words, loving one, not so much loving the other.
“So what are your plans after graduation?” I ask, trying to end the conversation about moms, but my efforts are futile.
“My Ma really wants me to go into the accounting department at our family’s construction business.” He smiles at me, his dimples on display again. He sounds so sincere.
“Okay,” I answer more abruptly, “But what do you want?”
Reel it in Celeste, you’re his date, not his academic advisor.
“Honestly, whatever makes ma happy, makes me happy.” His final nod before finishing up his sandwich leaves a sour taste in my mouth and it’s not the pastrami. I try to collect myself a little and reserve judgment for Cody. I love my mom too so why am I being so judgy right now?
It’s Dominic. He’s gotten in your head. Now you judge everyone even if they’re kind and have adorable dimples.
“Well, that’s nice. Refreshing, really. She seems like a nice person,” I say.
“Would you like to meet her?” Cody asks. I meet his warm eyes as mine go a little wide in …panic? Confusion?
“Um…I—” But before I can get another word out, he’s waving down the woman I saw earlier, the one that had been reading nearby. She ambles over with a pep in her step and a wide, equally warm smile on her face as she reaches our table.
“Oh hello, darling!” she greets me before pulling her son in for a hug and leaving her arm around his shoulder. They stand there, smiling brightly before me, and I have no idea what to say.
“Uh, hi. It’s nice to meet you, I, um, wasn’t expecting to meet you so soon,” I trail off with a giggle that sounds on the verge of hysterical.
“Don’t you worry ‘bout a thing! My Cody boy here just likes his ma around, is all. He’s such a sweet boy actually, and you two would look so cute together!” she coos, pulling Cody in to kiss his cheek once, twice, three times, smearing a bubble gum pink lip stain across his face.
“Ma, c’mon.” She licks her thumb before smudging it through the pink mess.
“Oh, it’s just a little colour for your cheeks, booboo,” she croons as they sit down across from me, sitting closer together than I’ve ever seen a grown man sit with his mother.
Her arm is still draped over his shoulders.
I remain silent because I am so at a loss for words, I don’t even think sound would come out if I tried.
I just stare at Cody and his mom as I take the last bite of my sandwich.
“Thank you for the sandwiches. They’re delicious,” I finally manage.
She tilts her head onto Cody’s shoulder, “Not a bother. I like seeing girls like you finally eat! It’s good for future babies and from what I can see, you’ve got very nice birthing hips!
” Cody’s ma singsongs at me. Cody smiles along like some mama’s boy ventriloquist dummy and I suddenly feel like this is the beginning of either a prank show or a horror movie.
The fact that this is my life right now might be the worst. At least a prank show ends and I’d be killed immediately in a horror movie, but this? This is truly a nightmare.
I look down at my hand squeezed tightly around a juice box and drop it as if it had burned me.
My eyes dart over to the moms at the playground with their chunky toddlers waddling around and my veins freeze.
I slowly turn back to Cody and his mom who are talking animatedly about Cody’s birth story.
I hear the word “placenta” and jolt from my seat.
“I have to go. Right now. I’m sorry. Bye!
” I practically yell at them and bolt back towards where I parked my car.
I get to the bridge by the koi pond and make sure to watch my footing this time, lest I be saved by another mama’s boy who admires my birthing hips.
I only stop when I get to the bronze koi statue, mocking me with its pouty fish lips.
“Thanks a lot, fish fucker,” I whisper-yell at the statue before fleeing back to my car in hopes of never running into the two of them again.
I quickly shoot a text off to Dominic once I reach my car demanding that his next pick is someone that ticks off a minimum of five attributes from The List. I sigh, putting my phone away.
At least it was a good sandwich.