“A little much, don’t you think, groupie?” I teased as Marlowe adjusted one of the candles.
Aunt Sylvie smacked the back of my head lightly. “Leave her alone, Wyatt.”
“I put them all on there and I sure as hell am gonna light them all, so give me a minute.” We waited as Marlowe lit each candle. All three of us offered to help, but she shooed us away each time. Once they were all ablaze, wax was dripping all over the cake. Marlowe began singing quickly. “Happy Birthday to you…Happy Birthday…” Aunt Sylvie joined in, and they finished singing to Dexter and me. We blew out the candles and helped Marlowe pull them all out of the cake.
Dexter cut slices of the cake and put them on paper plates for us. We walked to the back porch and sat together on the chairs.
“Why do we only do dinners on Dex’s birthday and not yours too, Bunny?” Marlowe asked before taking another bite of her cake. “Yours is just in a couple of weeks.”
I nodded, swallowing the piece of cake I just ate. “When I first met Dex, he invited me over here for his birthday party. I think we were like six or seven. I rode the bus home with him. It was a slumber party, and Aunt Sylvie drove me home the next day. I told Dex that night that I didn’t know when my birthday was. My mom never told me, and I never had a party or presents, so being able to celebrate with my new best friend was so cool. Dex shared his birthday with me that year and promised to forever. Even after I found out when my birthday was, whenI found my birth certificate and got my license. I didn’t want to celebrate on my own. It didn’t feel right.”
“The next year,” Aunt Sylvie spoke up after lighting a cigarette. “Dexter bought him this shirt. It had a hot pink bunny…”
Dexter stood up. “Okay, Sylvie, thank you so much for coming out. It’s getting late.”
“Dexter, sit down. Let her tell the story.” I said. It was the perfect opportunity to test the waters and see how Marlowe reacted to more about Dexter and my past.
Sylvie looked at Marlowe and smiled. “The next year Dexter saved all of his allowance before their birthday and bought Wyatt this expensive shirt from one of the trendy stores at the mall ten years ago. It had this crazy looking neon pink bunny on it. Dexter picked that one specifically because he knew Wyatt would like the bunny. He liked “cute and scary things,” is what Dexter said. When Wyatt opened that shirt, he fell in love with it.” Marlowe’s eyes widened, and she looked at the sleeve of the jacket she wore, my jacket.
“Dexter found the shirt a few years ago and brought it to me. We sewed that damn bunny on the jacket right there.” Sylvie pointed to the bunny stitched on the sleeve, and Marlowe lifted her arm.
Marlowe tilted her head and looked at me. “Is that why we call you Bunny?”
“I started calling him Bunny, and it was kind of a joke. But over time I just saw him as Bunny.” I looked at him while he spoke and turned to face me, placing a hand on my thigh. “Other people just picked up on it, I guess, and now Syvie is the only one who really calls him Wyatt now. And me sometimes.” He winked at me. He only called me Wyatt in bed, and it drove me fucking nuts in the best way.
thirty-three
acceptance
Marlowe
“The couch is fine. You won’t be in the way, don't worry.” Naomi sat down on the couch and called Dojo to sit there with her. “Diet Coke?” I asked as I grabbed two out of the fridge.
“Please.” Naomi scratched Dojo’s belly as he rolled on his back between her legs.
Walking over to the couch, I sat down on the rug, spreading my legs out wide on the floor. “Is Rich nervous?” I asked casually. Trying to gauge her reaction.
Naomi shrugged, continuing to entertain Dojo. “Mmm, I think a little bit. But he’s gonna be fine.” Raising my eyebrows, I smiled widely at her.
“How would you know that, Naomi? You two been talking?” I tilted my head back and forth, waiting for her answer. She looked over at me and narrowed her eyes.
“Dojo attack your mother!” Naomi yelled. Dojo barked, and I started laughing.
When the guys arrived, Naomi and I were sitting on the floor holding hands and gossiping about boys. Being girls.
“No autographs please ladies, that’s for after the show.” Rich threw finger guns at us both as he walked over to his guitars.
“Fuck off.” Naomi threw a pillow at him.
Turning around, I moved so I was on my knees directly in front of where Bunny would stand. Dojo lay down behind me, and Naomi sat on the couch.
They played through their set as if Naomi and I were their audience. Bunny kept leaning over me. Sweat dripped down his chest as he jumped around, and each time he leaned over me, I could smell the vanilla in his body wash. He would pull the strap of my tank top down or tip his sunglasses down his nose and wink at me. I was going to lose my mind.
As soon as they finished playing, the twins packed up to leave. “We will be back later, pizza?” Chris asked.
“Yeah. Grab some wings too if you can.” Bunny answered.
“I’ll pick up beer. Need anything else?” Naomi asked as she started to leave too. Dexter, Bunny, and I shook our heads.
