Chapter 17 #3
“We met at Cal Poly Humboldt. We were roommates in the dorm, both played football, and we quickly became inseparable. But after a year, we were both struggling to pass our classes, and Roger’s parents said if he didn’t get his grades up, they were going to quit paying for his school.
We saw an ad for CAL Fire and thought, cool.
We could stay together, make some money, and then figure it out. ”
“When did you become an item?” I asked, curious. I wondered how much of the Arnie/Rog lore Derek knew. The more I got to know them, the more I adored them. I wanted my cousin to adore them, too.
“The first time we brought dates back to our room. Girls. It was weird. We offered them beers then sent them packing. They were totally confused.” He chuckled and rubbed at his chin.
“I confessed to Roger that I was pretty sure I wasn’t into girls.
He confessed he didn’t know about girls, but he was into me. ”
“Boom,” Kendall said, and we all laughed, even Shay.
Arnie grinned. “Boom. Exactly. And the rest is history. We’ve been together for twelve years, man. And we love being firefighters and paramedics.”
“And making pizza?” Shay glanced around. “You own this place, right?”
“Yeah. My sister is the boss, though. I only work here about once a week, but it was a good investment.”
Shay sighed. “Is she hiring? I need a job.”
Arnie smiled, started to speak, looked at Kendall’s frown, and cleared his throat. “I can certainly ask her. You guys need anything? Refills?”
“We’re good, thanks,” I said.
Arnie was gone in a flash. I didn’t blame him. My anxiety was at maximum warp drive speed whatever. I was close to asking Arnie if he needed help washing dishes or whatever. I’d clean toilets for him if it meant not witnessing the scene about to unfurl.
“What happened to your job?” Kendall asked Shay in a soft voice.
She huffed out a breath and pushed her long blond hair back out of her face. “I quit there, too.”
Kendall sat up a little straighter. “What did Mom say, sweetheart?”
He rested a hand on her forearm… and the knots in my stomach eased a bit. I wondered if I should give them space, but then Kendall glanced up at me, and I thought I knew him well enough to know that his look meant, “Please stay.”
“We had a big fight. I asked her not to tell you. I wanted to tell you everything myself. I gave up my apartment, and she told me that I had a month to find a new job and a place to live, because I wasn’t staying with her if I wasn’t in school.”
Kendall and I both winced. Ouch. I wasn’t too surprised. The white kids I knew didn’t stay at home once they’d finished school or hit a certain age. I didn’t know what Florida was like as far as affordability, but maybe her mother thought she was giving her tough love?
What did I know about their family dynamics?
It was different for me. My parents and I had been more like roommates when I came back from grad school, and it was common for Asian Americans to live with parents until they got married.
My father was still living with his parents when he’d married Mom, and they’d only moved right away because she refused to live with his parents.
“That was the rule with her folks. Same with mine. Part of why I joined the service right after graduation. Grandpa expected me to be out of the house.”
“But you didn’t make Tyson leave.”
Kendall blinked a few times, and his eyes looked wet.
He took in a shaky breath. “No, we didn’t.
He took some time to figure out what he wanted, too.
Went to JC for a couple of quarters and then worked.
When he decided to join the Navy after a year of that, we told him he could keep home as his base as long as he wanted. ”
Shay’s eyes teared up again, but it was different this time. “I wish he was here. He’d understand.”
This time when she started to cry, Kendall wrapped both arms around her and held her tight. I wanted to comfort them both, but I didn’t know what to do.
“I’ll go take care of the check,” I whispered to Kendall.
He frowned but then nodded and mouthed, “Thank you.”
Arnie met me at the register, his eyes wide. “What was all that?”
“A little existential crisis with a side of grief.” I handed him my card. He tried to wave it away, but I put a hand over his mouth when he started to say, “On the house,” and I held up my card again.
“But you and Kenny are family.”
“That’s sweet, Arnie. I’m still paying.”
He rolled his eyes, but he accepted my card. When he looked back at me, he had that “I want to ask you a question, but I don’t know if I should” thing going on.
“I haven’t talked to my cousin,” I said softly, offering him a smile.
He nodded sadly. “Thanks, Francis.”
“Give him some time. He really likes you both. I’m pulling for you guys.”
That brightened his smile, and he thanked me again.
I walked back to the table. “Do you need a minute?”
Shay looked up at me. “I’m sorry, Francis. I promise, I’m not always this much of a drama queen.”
“Oh, please. I am, so don’t worry at all about me. How about we go back to my place? I’ve got so much ice cream.”
That got her laughing.
Kendall’s smile was full of relief.