chest,
she looked like she’d fallen asleep.
“You know, if it’s too
soon after everything I’d understand if you—”
Out of nowhere, an errant
football whizzed through the air and crash landed between us with a thump .
A young, freckle-faced kid of about ten-years-old ran up to us, panting and covered
in sweat.
“Sorry, mister! I told my
little brother not to throw it so hard.”
I flipped the football to
him. “That’s okay, buddy. No harm, no foul.”
“Thanks!” He heaved it to
his brother, a red head who couldn’t have been more than seven. With a fluid
motion, he caught it, smiled, and screamed his thanks before running back to
his group of friends.
When I turned around,
Catherine eyed me with intensity. She propped herself up on an elbow, and the
strap of her black tank top fell to the side, exposing her shoulder. The C
& R charms clinked together as she spun them.
“Are you serious, Ricky?”
My mouth went dry. I
couldn’t read her expression. The corner of her mouth twitched, and her eyes
darted around furtively. Was she thinking it over? Trying to formulate a polite
way to tell me to piss off?
“Like I was trying to say
before we almost got beaned by that football, if you think it’s too soon after
everything that’s happened, or too soon in general, I’ll understand. No
pressure, honest.” I swallowed. “We can pretend this never happened.”
“Yes,” she whispered.
“Say again?”
Her eyes glistened in the
strong sun. “I said yes.”
“Really?”
“Really.”
“Really really?” What the
hell? Couldn’t hurt to be sure.
Catherine threw her head
back and laughed. “Really really.”
She came to me on all
fours. With a hand on my face, she kissed me, and I almost asked her to pinch
me. I swore I’d been dreaming. Rather than that, I returned the favor. Not to
toot my own horn, but it was a pretty romantic moment, if I do say so myself.
In fact, it was damn near epic until a familiar wayward football came ripping
through the air again and connected solidly with my ass.
“Son of a bitch,” I
mumbled. “Someone’s got a rocket for an arm.” I rubbed my ass and spun around. The
ginger-haired little brother waved his hands. “Hey, Johnny Unitas, watch where
you’re throwing this thing!”
“Who’s Johnny Unitas?”
“Ugh. Kids.” I winked at
a laughing Catherine. “Go deep!” I heaved the ball their way. Mini Johnny U
caught it, yelled something incomprehensible, and the brothers took off.
“Nice spiral, roomie,”
Catherine said. She took my hand and pulled me down next to her.
“Thanks. Roomie. I like
the sound of that.”
That was a great day.
Really really.
CHAPTER 24
Everything was
exciting and new back then. Each step, big or small, was fresh, and with them
came the excitement of the unknown, the joy of discovery. It was an adventure;
a brave new world. It’s important to cherish those moments, to hold on to them
for all you’re worth. Once they’re gone there is no getting them back. Life
runs away from us. When we’re young, we think we’re immortal. Steps, no matter
how mundane or spectacular, are easily lost in the shuffle. Don’t let them be.
You may not live to regret letting them pass you by, but you will regret
it.
The remembrance board is
not the recipient of much attention currently.
With nobody there to
suffer the chilly effects that my proximity seems to have on the living, I
swoop in for a closer look and focus on the time in my life when everything was
new and thrilling.
Here’s one of me, Cat,
and Bill, taken not long after she moved in with me. We’re all beaming smiles,
pearly white teeth, and happiness with our arms slung over each other’s
shoulders. This is only one of many shots that were taken in that tiny two-bedroom.
I find myself missing that place now. It was home to some of my fondest
memories, back when things were simple: the day she moved in with me, our first
Christmas as ‘roomies’,
she looked like she’d fallen asleep.
“You know, if it’s too
soon after everything I’d understand if you—”
Out of nowhere, an errant
football whizzed through the air and crash landed between us with a thump .
A young, freckle-faced kid of about ten-years-old ran up to us, panting and covered
in sweat.
“Sorry, mister! I told my
little brother not to throw it so hard.”
I flipped the football to
him. “That’s okay, buddy. No harm, no foul.”
“Thanks!” He heaved it to
his brother, a red head who couldn’t have been more than seven. With a fluid
motion, he caught it, smiled, and screamed his thanks before running back to
his group of friends.
When I turned around,
Catherine eyed me with intensity. She propped herself up on an elbow, and the
strap of her black tank top fell to the side, exposing her shoulder. The C
& R charms clinked together as she spun them.
“Are you serious, Ricky?”
My mouth went dry. I
couldn’t read her expression. The corner of her mouth twitched, and her eyes
darted around furtively. Was she thinking it over? Trying to formulate a polite
way to tell me to piss off?
“Like I was trying to say
before we almost got beaned by that football, if you think it’s too soon after
everything that’s happened, or too soon in general, I’ll understand. No
pressure, honest.” I swallowed. “We can pretend this never happened.”
“Yes,” she whispered.
“Say again?”
Her eyes glistened in the
strong sun. “I said yes.”
“Really?”
“Really.”
“Really really?” What the
hell? Couldn’t hurt to be sure.
Catherine threw her head
back and laughed. “Really really.”
She came to me on all
fours. With a hand on my face, she kissed me, and I almost asked her to pinch
me. I swore I’d been dreaming. Rather than that, I returned the favor. Not to
toot my own horn, but it was a pretty romantic moment, if I do say so myself.
In fact, it was damn near epic until a familiar wayward football came ripping
through the air again and connected solidly with my ass.
“Son of a bitch,” I
mumbled. “Someone’s got a rocket for an arm.” I rubbed my ass and spun around. The
ginger-haired little brother waved his hands. “Hey, Johnny Unitas, watch where
you’re throwing this thing!”
“Who’s Johnny Unitas?”
“Ugh. Kids.” I winked at
a laughing Catherine. “Go deep!” I heaved the ball their way. Mini Johnny U
caught it, yelled something incomprehensible, and the brothers took off.
“Nice spiral, roomie,”
Catherine said. She took my hand and pulled me down next to her.
“Thanks. Roomie. I like
the sound of that.”
That was a great day.
Really really.
CHAPTER 24
Everything was
exciting and new back then. Each step, big or small, was fresh, and with them
came the excitement of the unknown, the joy of discovery. It was an adventure;
a brave new world. It’s important to cherish those moments, to hold on to them
for all you’re worth. Once they’re gone there is no getting them back. Life
runs away from us. When we’re young, we think we’re immortal. Steps, no matter
how mundane or spectacular, are easily lost in the shuffle. Don’t let them be.
You may not live to regret letting them pass you by, but you will regret
it.
The remembrance board is
not the recipient of much attention currently.
With nobody there to
suffer the chilly effects that my proximity seems to have on the living, I
swoop in for a closer look and focus on the time in my life when everything was
new and thrilling.
Here’s one of me, Cat,
and Bill, taken not long after she moved in with me. We’re all beaming smiles,
pearly white teeth, and happiness with our arms slung over each other’s
shoulders. This is only one of many shots that were taken in that tiny two-bedroom.
I find myself missing that place now. It was home to some of my fondest
memories, back when things were simple: the day she moved in with me, our first
Christmas as ‘roomies’,
Similar Books
