Chapter 24 Chest Hair
Just a regular day at the Reyes household, y’know.
Taron and I had decided to stay the night with Mom and Dad after attending Mass, which had made our folks super happy. Not that I minded their company. They were amazing, and Taron and I were so damn lucky to have them.
“But hot chocolate is LIFE!” my niece, Sienna, said. “It’s basically comfort food.”
“It’s a beverage, hon, not an actual food item,” added Tori, my sister-in-law.
“For the last time, guys: IT’S COLD AND I WANT HOT CHOCOLATE!” Taron all but yelled.
“Relax, sweetie,” Mom requested, just as Dad muttered, “Oh, for the love of baby Jesus.”
My back was to them, which meant I was saved from having to become an involuntary member of their…government-flipping discussion.
An absolute relief.
I shook my head and opened Rina’s chat on my phone. I’d wished her a Merry Christmas just as the clock had struck 12, to which she’d responded almost an hour later. Can’t say I minded, given how busy she must’ve been.
Every year, Mr. Ribeiro and Rina held a family dinner at Christmas Eve, and according to the latter, it ran pretty late into the night.
Everyone from the shop, some of Mr. Ribeiro’s and Rina’s friends, including their families, were invited, so I could only imagine the amount of cooking and interacting that went down, let alone the cleaning and stabilizing.
I quickly typed a message to Rina, and drummed my fingers against my thigh as I waited for her to respond.
Me: You free yet?
To my surprise, she responded within a minute. I took that as a win.
Rina: Yes, just done. Ashleigh and some of the other ladies stayed back to help, so I didn’t have to do everything myself. They just left, so I’m about to head into the shower to freshen up. What about you?
Me: Just got back from Mass. Now I’m trying to zone out my family’s voices in the background as they argue about the significance of late-night hot chocolate consumption.
Rina: Ughhh, don’t even get me started. I could really use a cup. Or two. And you. And some cuddles :’)
A flush of warmth hit my chest at her words.
Me: I could come over…
God, how I wanted to go to her. Every second I’d been out, I’d thought about driving over to her place and crashing the damn dinner. But I couldn’t, of course, given my flawless rapport with Mr. Ribeiro.
Rina: Really?! Aren’t you tired?
I smiled.
Me: Nope. Although, the glaring blisters on my toes would say otherwise. But hey, they won’t mean shit if I get to kiss you and hold you tonight.
Rina: You can be extremely sweet sometimes, you know that?
Me: And that’s a good or bad thing?
Rina: It’s PERFECT.
I grinned.
“Bro!”
Taron came up behind me and placed his chin on my right shoulder. If I moved my head towards him even in the slightest, I’d end up with at least an inch of his beard in my nose. Yeah, that’s how close he’d pressed his face to mine.
“What?” I told him.
“Whatchu doin’?” he asked, like it wasn’t obvious, given that he’d gotten way past invading my personal space.
I glanced at my phone in my hand, and then looked sideways at him. “Making love with my chest hair, of course,” I deadpanned.
To my momentary relief, he moved back, but then came to stand right in front of me.
“You don’t have chest hair,” he said.
“It’s creepy that you know that, you know?”
He rolled his eyes. “We work out together, you dumbass.”
Ah, right.
“Well, you did initiate this conversation by asking a stupid question,” I told him.
“It was rhetorical,” he countered.
I raised a brow. “Was it, though?”
Taron clicked his tongue. “You’re cray, bro.”
Sweet baby Jesus, what the fuck?!
“Please stop spending so much time with your daughter,” I said with a grimace. “You’re turning into a massive…bearded…” I pursed my lips, “…and too-muscly version of her, and I am not here for it.”
“She inspires me,” Taron said casually. “She’s my pride.”
“Of course she is. I love her to pieces as well, but that doesn’t mean you have to let her turn you into…this.” I waved a hand at him. “‘Cray’, Taron, seriously?”
He chuckled. “She spent almost an hour trying to explain the meaning of that word to me yesterday. I had to use it somehow.”
Good Lord.
“Well, go use it on your wife, man. Why am I your only target when you get a slang-itch?”
Taron folded his arms across his chest. “Because, Beauty, you wouldn’t threaten to divorce me in return. You’re a formidable option.”
“Ohmygod,” I muttered, just as Sienna yelled, “Uncle Myles! Tell Grandma to gimme a mug of hot chocolate!”
I closed my eyes and let go of a long breath. “Mom, just give her the damn hot chocolate already.”
“Language, Myles!” my mom countered.
“Sorry,” I mumbled, just as my phone pinged back-to-back with new messages.
“Looks like Chest Hair wants your attention,” Taron said.
I glared at him. “Ha-ha. Very funny.”
He laughed. “You get back to your texting, and I’ll go handle my girl,” he told me.
I chuckled, and bumped a fist against his as he walked past me and toward our family.
Alone again, I opened Rina’s messages.
Rina: Myles? Hello?
Rina: You still there?
She was cute, wasn’t she?
Me: Yup, here. Taron just called you Chest Hair, by the way.
Fuck. I don’t know why I just texted her that.
Rina: I’m sorry, WHAT?
I put my tongue to my cheek.
Me: Forget I said that, please.
Rina: I’m not even sure I fully understand what you meant by that anyway.
Me: Pretend I didn’t say it, then.
Rina: Impossible. That text is literally there, staring me in the face.
Me: You’re not a chest hair, Rina, I promise.
Rina: I’m so confused right now…
Rina: And scared.
I couldn’t help but laugh.
Me: I’m sorry ·? ? ,·?
Rina: Lol. Forgiven (? 3?)
Me: You still want me to come over?
Rina: Why is that even a question?
I laughed again.
Me: Alright, I’ll be there in twenty.
Rina: Yay! I made cookies for you earlier. Thought I’d give them to you when you stopped by the shop on Monday, but…
Could she get any more perfect?
Mr. Ribeiro had asked me to halt renovation until January. So, because I couldn’t meet Rina at the house, I’d decided to visit her briefly at do Acaí.
When Mr. Ribeiro wasn’t there, obviously.
Me: What flavor are the cookies?
Rina: Lofthouse ???
Me: I could kiss you a thousand times right now.
And then some, of course.
Rina: Then come here and do it ???
I smiled.
Me: I’m on it.
I got to my feet. “Uh, hey, guys,” I said to my family.
They looked up from where they were all sitting around the kitchen counter, sipping their hot chocolate.
No cup for me…
Nice.
“I’m heading over to Rina’s,” I told them. “I’ll prolly go back to my place after and then come here in the morning for the gift-opening. That okay?”
Mom gave me a look. “Isn’t it a bit too late to be visiting her?”
“She said I could come over, Mom.”
My dad chuckled and placed a hand over hers. “He’s not a child, honey.”
She glanced at him, and then at me. “Well, as long as that horrid grandfather of hers doesn’t come at you for visiting her at this hour of the night…”
“Jesus Christ, Michelle,” Dad said, just as Taron grumbled, “The fuck, Mom,” and Sienna and Tori muttered, “Wow,” in unison.
I shook my head at her. “I’ll be fine,” I said to her, and then turned before hobbling over to the door.
Damn blisters.
“Wear your dad’s sneakers, hon! They have that cushion thing underneath for comfort!” Mom called out after me.
I’ve never felt more like a kid than I did in that moment.
“Will do, Mom. Love you.”
“Love you right back, sweetie!”
I put on my dad’s shoes, grabbed my coat, and walked out of the house before closing the door behind me.
I’d only just made it to my car, though, when a new message came in.
Rina: Don’t knock.
I sniffed against the chilly air and got into my car.
Me: Of course I won’t. I’ll text.
Rina: Drive safe. And don’t sing while you’re driving. It distracts you from the road.
I coughed out a laugh after reading that, and then started my car before turning on the heater.
Me: Aye, ma’am. See you soon.
Rina: I’m counting on it :)