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“Thanks again.”
“No, sir. Thank you,” she said.
I shook my head in laughter as I made my way out of the store with the doll in hand.
I walked about a block, and headed toward my car before spotting what looked like Oak’s Cadillac drive by. It stopped before suddenly reversing.
“Hey, Rush!” Oak rolled down the window and nudged his head toward the doll. “Something you want to tell me, man?”
I couldn’t help but laugh. “It’s for Gia.”
“You mad at her or something?”
Looking down at it, I said, “Nah. She actually collects ugly dolls. It’s a hobby.”
“Well, then I’d say you got it right. Because that is one ugly ass doll.”
“Yeah. That’s why it’s perfect.”
He stuck his head farther out the window. “You need a ride or something? Why are you walking?”
“No. My car is parked a few blocks away. I just decided to walk around town, blow off some steam.”
Oak pulled over to a parking spot before getting out and joining me on the sidewalk. He looked me up and down with a big, goofy smile on his face.
His stare prompted me to ask, “What?”
“Never thought I’d see the day my man Rush was buying dolls for his sweetheart. Life is damn funny.”
“Hysterical.” I rolled my eyes. “Well, glad I could amuse you. Gia’s been feeling kind of shitty. So hopefully this will cheer her up.”
“Pregnancy hormones?”
“I think so. She’s just been down. I dragged her to a party at Elliott’s, and I almost wonder if it was too much for her under the circumstances. She’s been in a funk ever since. You know…like she thinks she looks fat when she’s never been sexier.”
“I hear you. Well, I guess it’s normal to feel out of sorts in her condition.”
“Yeah. I’ve heard pregnant women just get that way from time to time.”
Oak placed his hand at his forehead to block the sun from his eyes. “How are you holding up?”
“What do you mean?”
“I mean…this is a big adjustment for you, Rush. It’s not just Gia whose life is changing forever. Has anyone asked how you’re doing?”
That was an interesting question. I was too wrapped up in Gia to dissect my own feelings. But I knew a few things to be true.
“Honestly? I’ve never been happier. I’ve also never been more scared about anything. But I’m taking it one day at a time. Moment by moment. And right now? I just really need a fucking cigarette.”
“I noticed you haven’t been smoking lately. Good for you.”
“Good for me if I don’t kill anyone in the meantime, yeah. It’s harder than I thought.”
“Resist that shit, Rush. The sooner you quit, the better. Been twenty years for me.” He put his hand on my shoulder. “You’re gonna be just fine. If you ever need to vent, you know you can talk to me, right?”
“Yeah.” I nodded.
Oak was a good friend. I messed with him all the time, but the truth was, I’d never do anything to hurt him, would never fire him in a million years. He was one of the few people I trusted. Not to mention his big, burly ass could flatten me if I ever crossed him.
“Alright.” He opened his car door and got back in. “I’ll see you tomorrow night.”
I called out, “Hey…uh, can we not repeat this to anyone at The Heights, that you caught me carrying a doll?”
Oak leaned his head back in laughter. “Don’t worry, boss. Your secret’s safe with me. Although, might be fun to hold this over your head the next time you threaten to can me.”I made sure everything was set up for Gia at my place when we arrived that night. The Chunky Monkey ice cream was in the freezer, and I’d picked up a pre-made lasagna at the Italian restaurant in town that I planned to pop into the oven for dinner.
She spotted the doll right away as she walked over to the center of my kitchen table where I’d propped it up against a vase of red roses.
Her mouth curled into a rare smile. “What did you do?”
“Surprise.”
Gia lifted the doll and took her in. “She’s…oh my God…she’s…”
“Ugly as fuck.” I crossed my arms, smiling proudly.
“I was gonna say…perfect. But so ugly, yes. Which makes her perfect. Where did you find her?”
“I got lucky. She was sitting in the window of the local thrift store just waiting for me, waiting for us to find her, to give her a good home.”
She clutched the doll to her chest, but her reaction was unexpected. She started to cry.
Fuck.
This was supposed to cheer her up, get her out of whatever funk she was in, not make her sadder.
“What’s wrong, Gia? This was supposed to make you happy.”
She looked up at me before wiping her eyes. “Nothing. Everything is perfect.”
Gia put the doll down and wrapped her arms around my neck. She still had tears in her eyes when she leaned in. Her kiss was hard and intense as she raked her fingers through my hair.
