Fifteen
“What do you use to make your skin so soft?”
I was holding her from behind and nuzzling her neck while she washed the breakfast dishes. Several times, I’ve tried to get her to use the dishwasher, but she preferred the “old-fashioned way” and said that the mundane task was soothing.
“Baby, I was born this way!” she said, craning her neck for a kiss. “I don’t even have to shave my legs.”
“You don’t?”
“Nope. For whatever reason, I don’t grow hair on my legs.”
“Wow. I wouldn’t advertise that. Other women would be jealous. I’ll see you later?”
Alex turned off the faucet and wiped her hands with a paper towel. Even inside, she sometimes wore a crocheted hat that made her look boho chic. “Where are you going?”
“The gym. I spoke to Cable while you were in the shower. There’s something he wants to talk to me about.”
“He couldn’t talk to you over the phone? He does know that’s why it was invented, right?”
Alex has been having frequent nightmares, causing her to lose sleep. I’ve noticed that anxiety often rears its ugly head, and to tame it, she’s been drinking practically every night. She admitted that she feels safer when we’re together, and while I didn’t want to leave her, I had to.
“Are you okay?”
“Yeah. Sorry. I’m just tired.”
She walked over to the couch and sat down with her head in her hands, and I knew immediately that I never wanted to see her that way again. Whatever she needed, I would move mountains to provide.
“I’ve never asked you something, and it’s important.”
“What is it? You know you can ask me anything.” Sitting next to her, I rubbed her back.
“Do you want kids?”
She was reading my mind. I had been thinking about what she admitted to my mother and about how hard it must have been to lose her baby, but sometimes, we leave the important things unsaid because we don’t want the bubble to burst. “Alex, look at me. The short answer is no.”
Sitting up, she whipped her head towards me. “No?”
“My family might disown me, but no. I didn’t grow up with a father. I wouldn’t know how to be one. I always pictured myself in Cable’s shoes mentoring others, and to be honest, helping young boxers get ahead in their career would make me happy.”
“You’re... you’re not just saying that because of me?”
“I am saying that because of you.”
“I don’t understand,” she said, playing with her hair.
“What I’m trying to tell you, baby, is that you’re all that matters to me. I love us. If you did want kids, I would love them too, but you’re all that I need. All that I ever wanted. Does that make sense?”
“Yes, it does. Jesus, I never thought that walking into Nicky’s that day, that I’d find someone as incredible as you. Even if I did think you were a lunatic.”
“A what?”
“You know what I mean... Fairy Godfather. But I... I love us too.”
We kissed in that gentle, captivating way that fuses two souls into one. “What’s this, by way?” I asked, touching the scar on her forehead. “Another U.P.W.?”
“I don’t have that many funny stories. It happened during birth. Apparently, I almost didn’t make it into this world.”
“Thank God you did. I have to get some training in too, but I promise I’ll be home for dinner.”
“You better be. I’ll try to work on the book.”
“How’s that going?”
“Not bad. The job has its perks.”
“Oh yeah?”
“Yeah. I get to sleep with my boss. Speaking of which, who was she?”
Alex’s quirks still catch me off guard, but I learned that she was right. I’d rather she be unpredictable than boring. Still, I was confused. “Who are you talking about?”
“At the restaurant. You said that you believed you were in love at some point.”
Anjela.
“I had brain damage,” I said. “She was nobody.”
“Good answer.”
“Come here,” I said, pulling her into a hug. “You have the number for Phoenix, right? I dog-eared the phone book.”
“Yes. I’ll be fine. Don’t forget about me.”
“Not possible. I love you.”
“Ti amo.”
“Good of you to show up, kid.”
Before I met Alex, I was 5-6 guy. I’d train five or six days a week, and rest on the seventh.
Lately, I’ve been slacking, and I only make it to the gym every 3-4 days.
My lack of discipline is affecting my performance.
During my last sparring session, I felt light-headed, like the time I helped my Uncle Joe make his homemade wine and siphoned too much from the demijohn.
“You’re not supposed to swallow! Meh... that’s okay.
It’ll put hair on your chest,” he told my fourteen-year-old self.
“Had to. I missed you,” I said to Cable. “So what did you want to talk to me about?”
“Your new girl.”
“Really?”
“Nah. But you seem happy, kid.”
“What gave it away? My goofy smile?”
“And this,” he said, patting my belly. “You need to get rid of that. I got a sure thing for you. An underdog.”
“Easy money?”
“The best kind.” Cable was popping cashew nuts into his mouth.
“How much?”
“A grand. Nothing to sneeze at.”
“When?”
“Two weeks. I need you in here four to six hours a day. We have a lot of work to do before then.”
My first thought was Alex, and spending that much time away from her, but we could use the money.
Or, more accurately, I could use the money – to buy her a diamond.
A couple of weeks ago, ma asked me if we were serious, or just playing house.
She was in a bad mood. She was watching the soccer game, and AC Milan was losing.
My mother wasn’t a soccer fan, but it was pop’s favorite team.
To honor him, she’s never missed a game and will often talk to pop as if he was sitting beside her.
So as not to add fuel to her fire, I had chosen my words carefully:
“Someone once told me that when you know, you know.”
“I told you that!”
“I know. And you were right.”
“I’m always right. I’m your mother!”
Cable was done with the nuts, or he was just being Cable, because instead of chewing, and swallowing, he was spitting them out. “Well, kid? You game?”
“Isn’t it late to choose an opponent?”
“Kind of late, yeah. The other guy had an accident.”
“In the ring?”
“Nope. In the shower. Hurt his back.”
I had a lot of work ahead of me. I’d have to get back in shape and adjust my diet. Then I envisioned Alex’s beautiful face and there was only one answer.
“Where are my gloves?”