4. Taran
Work has been so busy the last three days, but no deliveries to the house I want to deliver to. I try lying to myself, and say it”s because Brody is such an awesome pup who I want to spoil with treats. I mean, I do, but I”d also really like to see Lyra. So this morning when I looked at my route, I got a rush of excitement that I have a delivery for her that needs signing. It”s always near the end of my day, so it all drags on until I finally pull up to her house. When I go up to ring the doorbell, I hear her walking and then see her peep through the sidelight. Then I swear, though it”s super muffled, that I hear her mutter, “Shit.” She opens the door and everything that was on my lips to say dies. She”s clearly been crying. Her eyes are still wet, not to mention all swollen and bloodshot. There are tear tracks down her cheeks that she tries to wipe away. I can”t help blurting out, “What”s wrong?” It”s not my place, and definitely not appropriate, but it takes everything to not reach out, wipe the tears away, and hug her.
She shakes her head like she”s going to deny anything is wrong, but then thinks better of lying. I get a heavy sigh as she says, “It”s just been a day, Taran. Work was a little tough, and then I got some shocking news that I just need to process. Nothing I can”t handle.”
“I don”t doubt you can handle it, but do you need anything?” Again, it”s not my place but I can”t help asking it. It also doesn”t sit well with me at all to not comfort someone who is upset, so I say screw it. I reach out and slowly start to bring my arms around her, giving her plenty of time to pull away if she wants.
She furrows her brow in confusion and searches my face, like someone asking her if she needs anything or wanting to hug her is foreign to her. More likely, she”s wondering why the UPS man who she barely knows is about to hug her. Then her face softens a little, apparently deciding that I at least don”t seem to have any bad intentions. She lets me hug her and leans in a little, letting both hands go up to my shoulders.
“I appreciate you asking, but I”ll be fine. My best friend will be coming by. Some time with her, and some wine, and all will be well,” she says into my chest.
We stay like that, silent, for what feels like a long time but is probably less than 10 seconds in actual time. The way she feels so perfect in my arms is completely disarming. I”ve never experienced anything like it. All too soon, she breaks the hug and the tension with some of what I”ve come to know as her dry and sarcastic brand of humor.
“I’m glad you bring my dog treats, because otherwise I”d be pissed about you constantly showing up with more work for me to do,” she jokes.
I playfully point at her. “Hey, no shooting the messenger. Where is my buddy, anyway?” I ask, just realizing he didn”t come bounding out to greet me and beg for the treat in my pocket.
“I want him to get more socializing in, and not be bored, so I”ve put him in that doggy day care they have a few miles from here, over by the deli. It”s only a few hours once a week,” she tells me.
“I”ll miss giving him his treat today, had it all ready for him in my pocket and everything.” I add a little theatrical pout for effect, which gets her to huff a laugh.
“I guess that means he gets double the next time, huh?” Her tone is almost playful, and I”m silently victorious that she”s not tearful anymore.
“You bet he does,” I say, unable to help giving her a huge smile.
Her lips twitch, and there”s more light in her face than when I got here as she thanks me and signs for the package. She still looks so sad though, and I hate it. I want to keep joking with her, keep pulling her out of whatever happened. I need this job and need to keep going on my route, otherwise I’d stay here all night if I had to.
“I better get going then. You”ll be alright?”
She hardens just a little again, fully straightens her spine, and lifts her chin. Dammit, I guess I should have left without asking if she”ll be alright. I”d be lying though if I said I didn”t find her independence sexy.
“Totally fine. You don”t have to worry about me, Taran.”
She doesn”t say it in an unkind way, but she is making it clear the discussion is over. Telling her that I will worry anyway, and that I think about her a lot more than I should, will just make things worse. So I just give her a quiet, “Ok, see ya around, Lyra,” with a little smile so she knows that we”re all good, and head back to my truck.
After work I stop by my mom”s again to just check in on her and make sure her day went ok at therapy. While I’m there my buddy Carlo texts, asking if I have time for a quick drink since he just finished his shift. It”s hilarious, he ended up at FedEx as a driver and I ended up at UPS. We joke about it constantly. I”ve known him since we were freshman in high school when we had a few classes together. His mom and my mom became friends through us too, and still keep in touch, although none of us see each other as much as we would like. After my dad passed, Carlo and his family really stepped up and became another family to us when we needed the support most.
When he and I met, neither of us were into sports since we were more interested in girls at the time. We joined the dance team instead as the only guys, and became each other”s wingmen. He grew up dancing cumbia with his family, and both my brother Seth and I did some Irish dancing growing up. We both wanted to be Michael Flatley, Seth more so than me because Riverdance came out about when I was born and he was 10. I just followed him like a puppy and wanted to do it because he did. It became something I absolutely loved doing, though. All this to say, Carlo and I can both move. So we make plans to meet up at El Abrevadero, where people can grab a beer, fantastic Columbian food, and let out Monday frustrations on the dance floor. Running home, I quickly shower and change into black jeans and a crisp button down before heading out. The live band is getting warmed up on one side of the black and white checkered dance floor when I walk in. The bar, tables, and high tops are all sleek, black, and modern with big splashes of color from the eclectic decorations and bright mosaic backsplashes. It”s a big enough place that nobody feels too cramped, but it also manages to feel so cozy and intimate. When Carlo spots me, he waves me over and brings me into a back slapping hug.
“Good to see you, man, glad you could make it out,” he says.
“I’m glad you texted, I could definitely use a beer,” I reply.
“You said you have your own route now, right? Since Dave moved? Has work been crazy with that?”
“It”s been busy, but having my own route is great. There”s a lot more consistency, know what I mean?”
“Not going to lie, I”m a little jealous. I’ve been waiting to get my own route.” Then he quirks his eyebrow and asks, “So what”s going on? Why the need for the beer?”
He’s going to give me so much shit, but in that loving, brotherly way. I need to tell someone about Lyra, and once he’s done having his fun, he’ll come through with sage advice like he always does.
“There”s a woman on my new route who just moved in. She”s funny, a little fiery, gorgeous, and has the sweetest dog that she is completely soft for. I’ve definitely got a huge crush on her.”
Carlo is smiling hugely. He knows that my love life has been non-existent, and I haven”t talked about a woman like this since we were in high school. Since my dad died.
“Is there a reason you”re not having a drink with her right now instead of me? Lose your touch with the ladies?” That took longer than I thought for him to give me shit.
“You”re hilarious,” I say dryly. “I guess I have. The day we met I caught her checking me out. When I tried flirting, she walled up and shut me down. Her exact words were ”you”d have much better luck with someone else.” Maybe she has a significant other, I don”t know. I just wish I knew her story.” I fill him in on the two times I delivered to her after we met, and how those conversations went.
“It seems like she”s going through some stuff. You”re a patient dude. Just continue doing your job, deliver her packages, and don”t be a creep. Keep doing what you”re doing, and maybe she”ll come around. You got a hug, that”s a start.”
“I just wish I had more time to talk to her than snippets when I have to deliver her work to her.”
“Hopefully that’ll happen. You said she is usually on your route late in the day, right? Maybe you ask if she still feels like you”d have better luck elsewhere. You can tell her that you”re interested in getting to know her and taking her out for a drink, on whatever timeframe she wants if she needs time.”
All of my doubts and questions start to overwhelm me. “Yeah, I don”t know about asking her that when she already shut me down. I don”t want to push.”
“Definitely not, but as you said, you two have spoken more since then. Also, may I remind you about the hug. It couldn”t hurt to let her know you”re genuinely interested in more than just a hook up. Flirting like a high school boy doesn”t count. You need to show her you”re not just some fuckboy. At least ask what her situation is.”
“Where is all of this wisdom coming from, man? You haven”t had a serious girlfriend since I can”t remember when.”
“I still have 3 sisters, and I still know women, my Padawan,” he teases.
Then he grows more serious. “If you like her that much, Tar, fight for her a little. You deserve finding someone that lights you up. I haven”t heard you talk about someone like this since Deanna Curto in 11th grade.”
“I can”t believe you remember that. I had such a crush on her. This is definitely something different, more adult I guess.” The waitress comes by then and takes our orders of beers and arepas.
“So what about you?” I ask, wanting to change the subject. “Any ladies have your attention?” His eyes slide a little sideways before he mutters a “maybe.” My eyes widen, and I smack the table a little. “Who?? It”s your turn to spill.”
He rolls his eyes. “There”s nothing to really spill. It”s no one you know. She”s a new driver at work, gorgeous, funny, but we”ve never really talked. There hasn”t been time.”
I decide to let it go with, “She sounds great, I hope you chat her up soon, brother.”
He nods and we switch subjects. I update him on my mom, and her recovery progress. I let him in on our emotional talk too, and he tells me he”s hopeful it”ll be a great start to healing. Again, he is the wise one in this friendship. He updates me on his family, and mutters darkly about the men his two youngest sisters are dating that will never be good enough. His oldest sister has been married to her wife for 3 years, and he was the same when they were dating. Now he adores his sister-in-law. All three sisters would have his balls if he ever said a word about their respective relationships anyway, so he”s smart enough to stay out of it. We joke around and go back and forth with our usual stupid banter. The beer is great and the arepas are incredible. The crispy corn cakes are such a perfect canvas for the flavorful shredded beef and cheese. I’m in absolute heaven. They”re so addictive that we order another round, with more beer to wash them down.
I don”t do this often enough, it”s great to get out and catch up with one of my best friends. Adult friendships are so hard to maintain, so I”m beyond thankful for a friend like Carlo. Even if we go a month or so without seeing each other, it”s as though no time has passed. To have that friendship since the beginning of High School is a gift. I’ll never forget how he was there for me when my dad passed and things fell apart a little. His parents and three sisters have always treated me like one of their own.
Soon enough, the live band is starting with some cumbia music, getting people drifting toward the dance floor. Putting aside our empty beers and plates, we make our way over too. Carlo definitely garners a whole lot of attention when he starts moving, and a couple of really pretty women approach us. We dance with them, but Carlo and I lock eyes and make our non-verbal communication. Neither of us are interested in anything except dancing tonight, and we make it clear to the women as politely as we can. It feels great to get out and dance, though. I can feel myself relaxing and just letting my body take over. After three songs, we head back to our table for some water as we both start yawning. I”m about ready to pack it in since we”ve been here for a little over an hour and a half, and I know he”s tired too. We”re almost getting to the point in our lives where going out for two beers on a night before work is going to do more harm in the morning than it”s worth.
We”re sitting and sipping our water, starting to wrap up our night when I see her come in. That magnetic presence of hers pulls my gaze like gravity. Lyra is here?? She”s with a lovely, dark haired woman who I am assuming is the BFF she mentioned. They make their way to the bar without Lyra spotting me, so I just watch her for a minute as casually as possible. She”s changed into a really cute purple dress that shows off her curves and brings out the color of her hair. Of course, Carlo notices that I”m distracted right away. He follows my line of sight and sees the two women.
“One of them certainly got your attention. Which one?”
“The gorgeous woman with the purple curls is the one I was just telling you about earlier. Lyra.”
His eyes widen. “Are you shitting me? Why are you still sitting here? Go over there and say hello!” I roll my eyes and shake my head at him. “Let me at least give them a minute before I go interrupt their night, man.”
Turns out a minute is too long, because I see a guy sidle up to Lyra and say something. She smiles politely but it doesn”t reach her eyes, shaking her head with what looks like a “no, thanks” on her lips. I can”t hear her with the band. She turns back to her friend when he puts his hand on her shoulder to get her attention again. This time her smile is gone as she turns back to him, and I”m moving without thinking. I see him gesture and her scowl deepen. As I reach them I hear her say, “I’m just here with my friend, I already said no politely. I”m about to not be polite if you put your hand on me again.” Her voice is ice cold, but man do I love it. Sneering at her one last time, he slinks away with the proverbial tail between his legs. No need for me to rush over like her white knight at all, apparently. Still, now her eyes slide to me, and they go wide with shock as she takes me in.
“Didn”t recognize me without my uniform, did you?” I tease in greeting. She huffs a small laugh, shaking her head. “What are you doing here?” she asks.
”I met up with my best friend for a couple of drinks after work. That”s him over there,” I say as I point to Carlo. He gives a smug little wave, then motions that he”s heading out and he”ll text me. Now her best friend is at her side, tilting her head as she pierces me with her eyes suspiciously.
”Who”s your friend, Lyra?”
”Gina, meet Taran. Taran, this is my BFF, Gina,” she says on a sigh.
Gina instantly transforms, grinning like the Cheshire cat, as if my name means something. Someone has been talking about me, it seems. I couldn”t be happier about it, and my smile must show it. Tonight is really my lucky night. I was planning on just about leaving, but that is not happening now that she”s shown up. This is the perfect opportunity to shoot my shot if she”ll let me.