Page 44 of Double Doms


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My mom is lyingon the couch, a book in her hand, while my dad sits opposite her with a baseball game on. “I thought you’d be back later?” Mom asks.

I shrug as part of my answer. “Where’s Meadow?” I turn the watch on my wrist over. After my run-in with the guys, the buzz kill was gone. I actually hadn’t drunk but a sip of my beer. It’s not quite 8:00 p.m.

“Ah, our little baby was tired after a night time walk with ya-ya and papou.” My mom, after over twenty years in the States, has lost a good portion of her strong Greek accent.

“So, she’s in bed?” If I had known she was going to bed early, I would have stayed here to tuck Meadow in for the night.

My mother peers over her book. “Well, Koukla, it’s why we’re here. To give you some relief. But don’t worry. You can have her in the morning if you’d like.”

“I don’t work until noon. I’m covering for a nurse for half of her shift, so that works out great. I’ll take her out for breakfast. I’ve missed my own Koukla.”

I call Meadow the same terms of endearment my own mother called me growing up in Greece for the first eight years of life. I speak Greek to Meadow in the hopes she’ll learn about our heritage, unlike what her father has planned.

“Has Jimmy been by at all?” My father’s tone with his question, at the mention of a boy who was like a son to him, along with being his godfather, has him on edge. He may have loved Jimmy at one point in his life, but after the mess of what he’s done with his life, and ours, there’s no love lost.

“Nah, he’s staying away. He’s not contesting full custody at this point. Not sure if he’s drinking all the money away or not.” I don’t ask about his parents who refuse to see the shitstorm their son has turned into. Though, they keep on threatening a visit to see what I’ve done to turn him into such a shitstorm.

My dad readjusts in the chair, and I know he’s just getting started. “Yeah, that asshole doesn’t want to come over and deal with me.”

A knock on the door has all three of us turning our attention. “Son of a bitch.” My father’s accent is still pretty strong. “I spoke too soon.” He pushes his body out of the chair, stomping to the door. If Jimmy comes around, it’s normally in the evening.

“Dad, please don’t start anything, and remember your blood pressure.” I turn my attention to my mom, and she throws up her hands. She won’t be helping me. Knowing the spirited woman she is, she’ll get a couple punches in.

“Ah, good news. It’s not Jimmy, but”—he reaches his head back, calling for us—“who are you?” His voice is stern, and honestly, at this hour, I can’t imagine who it could be.

“Koukla, you know a man by the name of Gibson Smith?”

Oh, hell, not now, not in the midst of my parents.

“A gentleman suitor, at this hour, must be holding back on me, Charis.” Mom acts as if it’s one in the morning. She pushes to her feet. “Let me and your dad get out of your hair.”

“Nah, sit down. I’ll chat with him on the porch. He’s my old next-door neighbor who helped with Jimmy the other night.”

My mom quirks one of her immaculate waxed eyebrows up higher than the other. “And he’s a knight in shining armor.”

I ignore her statement, passing my dad on the way out to the front porch. “I’ll just be a second, and we can play a game of gin rummy.” It was my favorite thing to do as a kid, and it never fails, we spend most of our free time together reliving my childhood in this way.

Gibson’s back is to the door, and I swing it open. He whirls around quickly, a sheepish grin on his face.

“Do you want to know the whole story, or are you okay with me seeing both Stone and you at the same time?”

It’s a blunt and to the point question and I have a return question for him. “Are you okay with me seeing both you and Stone? That’s the real question. And before you answer—you were borderline rude to him at the picnic. It’s why I thought you didn’t like him. And the whole time, I thought you were upset I was with him. Then I see you both out on the town, looking rather comfortable together. If you’re gay or bisexual, it’s your business, and know I have no issue whatsoever. My cousin is gay, and I’ll take down any person who is a homophobic pig. But I also can’t handle lies or secrecy after all the shit my ex put me through.”

He points to a large bench in front of my dining room, and far enough away from where my parents are in the living room. “May we?”

“We may.” I follow him and he grins at my quirky remark.

“I wanted to be mad at Stone. I really did, because I won’t lie, I felt a connection to you the day I came out here with that fake shotgun. And our first date I thought was out of this world. I’d had words with Stone the night before the barbeque. That conversation is his to share with you, so don’t ask. But I’ll say he really ticked me off. But here’s the thing, he and I, too, shared a connection. He came over today to broach seeing the both of us and I don’t know. He kind of just worms his way into your heart.”

I’m nodding at him. “Fair assessment of one Stone O’Leary. But seeing you both, and you both seeing me, it’s very odd. I mean, someone will get hurt, right? It could be any one of us.”

He’s quiet and I almost bring up Bridget’s preposterous assumption, but it’s so silly, I leave it be.

“There’s a chance, yeah, I guess so, but I’ve been lonely for some time. And even when I dated last, I don’t miss the person.” This time I’m quiet. “I guess the reason I’m over here is to ask you out on another date. Before we decide anything, of who’s dating who, isn’t it only fair to see if we click?”

His hazel eyes meet my own. His dark hair is just a little overgrown and flies in the wind.

“Yeah, I guess you’re right. But you gotta know, between my crazy ass ex and being a single mom, I have absolutely no time for games. I work full-time, my daughter is my world, and I can’t afford to waste time on jackasses.”

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