Really? by M.J. Garrett (the beginning after the end read novel .TXT) 📕

throat and shyly reached for the bag. "I'll just give this to Katie."

Looking at the kids, with their faces smashed up against the rear window, they laughed and covered their mouths. Today's entertainment...me. I'm so glad that everyone could share in my embarrassment. The girls smiled and waved as Angela pulled away with her hand waving out of the driver side window.

"Did you see that?" I asked Rick as he straddled the motorcycle and smiled at me, giving me his silent approval. "What was that?" I just watched the car drive away as Rick placed a hand on my shoulder.

"Bro, that girl really likes you!" he looked at me and then lightly punched me on the arm.

"Really?" I paused for a moment still trying to watch the car. Standing there with my head covered in hot pink plastic, I smiled. "She said that?"

"Well, she didn't not say it." He turned the key and revved the engine to his motorcycle.

"What the hell does that mean? 'She didn't not say it'? You are impossible."

Pulling him close to my chest, I placed my chin on his shoulder. Shrugging me off and shaking his head, I could tell what he was trying to say. Without removing my chin off his shoulder, I yelled to make sure he could hear me through his helmet. "Yeah, this is happening!" He clicked his foot down, putting the bike in gear, and we began to pull away from the apartment.


**

“How long is Rick going to let you stay at his place? You barely know him.”

“I don't know, Angela. I looked around and I don't really know where to live. The only places I have found are about twice as much as my current rent.” Sitting in the office chair at my daughter's school, I pondered what to do or where to go. Slumped down with my chin resting on my chest and my hands buried in my jacket pockets, I couldn't help but release some to the things running through my head. “He's a cool dude! He's really clean and he is great with the kids. I think he likes us staying there.”

“Do you....yeah....I think you do! Oh my god!!” Leaning back in her chair, she tilted her head toward the ceiling and started laughing. With my chin still resting on my chest, I look toward her as she just laughed and shook her head.

“What?” I asked her while I continued to sink into the chair.
“You have a man crush!” she laughed and covered her mouth.
“A man crush? What the hell is that?”

“You know, where you are infatuated with a person of the same sex.” she smiled and opened her eyes wide as if she was waiting for my retort.

“I'm not gay! You can't crush on a guy!” I couldn't believe her audacity. I shook my head and continued to sink in the chair.

“Okay, let’s test it out. I'll ask you a couple of questions and you have to answer them truthfully.” she was really enjoying this I could tell. But I had this under control. I'm the most heterosexual person I know.

“Bring it on, Sister!”
“Okay. What is his favorite food?” She asked me with this smile on her face.
“Lasagna.”
Squinting her eyes she asked, “What is his favorite TV show?”
“NCIS. Well, he also watches Snapped, but I would stick with NCIS.”

“Interesting.” she said this as if she was probing my mind, but I knew she had nothing to sustain her accusation.

“One last question. Is he an asshole?” she grinned and just waited for me to answer.

“No. He's actually a very sweet man.” This is where I do a dramatic pause and evaluate my own answer. “Holy shit! I have a man crush!! What do I do? I'm not gay!!!” I became quite hysterical after realizing that I just called him a “sweet man”. Laughing at me, she looked at me and promised that there was nothing gay about it.

Sitting up in my chair with my hands covering my face, I almost started to weep. How could I get to this part of my life? I genuinely cared for this guy and I think I'm gay now! “I'm not gay, am I?”
“You're an idiot. But no, you aren't gay. Come on, lets go pick up the girls.” She walked over and extended her hand. I looked up at her with shock and confusion covering my face. “It's okay; I'll hold your hand.”

As we walked down the hallway holding each other’s hand, I nudged her with my elbow. “Say anything to anyone, I'll kill you.”

Laughing, she said, “Tell anyone? You don't even have any friends. Well, if you don't include your new boyfriend.”

“Really?”


Chapter 10

"So, where are you taking her?" Rick leaned up against the door pain chewing on an apple while I splashed cologne on my face. The way he smiled made me realize that this is the sort of things that guys talk about. Here I was, getting dressed up, butterflies filling my gut and throat, with my pal trying to pry out all the juicy details that are yet to happen.

"I'm thinking about taking her to Red Lobster and then a movie." I lifted my chin and turned my head side to side, searching for any spots that I may have missed with my razor.

"A movie? On the first date, huh?" He quickly took another bite out of the apple and looked at me.

"What's wrong with a movie?" I asked him as I twisted the lid of the cologne tightly shut.

"Oh, nothing. Well, if you don't want to talk to her then it's a perfect place to take her." He smiled with his jaws crammed with the apple. Staring at him with my custom blank stare, he keeps smiling. "Do you want to talk to her or just hold her hand?"

"I don't know! I haven't been on a date in like 10 years!" I stood there with my palms and shoulders raised.

"What am I going to do with you?" Pushing himself off the door frame, he walks over and pulls the back of my collar down to cover the tie that he said was completely nerdy. Brushing the lint off my shirt, he smiles and shakes his head. "Look, I know that you haven't dated in forever, but here is the first couple of rules that you need to know. Rule 1: First dates are not movie dates. If you really like her, you should talk to her. How much talking goes on in a movie theater?"

"Well, it depends on if you are black." I said with a smirk on my face.

"Funny. Inappropriate, but funny." He turned and faced the mirror. Standing beside me, he held up two fingers. "Rule 2: Never wear a tie to Red Lobster. You want to look nice, but leave your tie for something a little more formal than Red Lobster." I guess these are the things you never learn unless you've been on enough dates to have rules. "Oh...and here, wear this."

Rick handed me this crazy blue shirt with a ridiculous flower print. The sleeves were long and each cuff represented a different print than the sleeve itself. One side of the front was a completely different design than the other half. This may have been popular in the seventies, but there was no way in the world I could pull off such a daring look. When you look as good as Rick, I don't think people would say much. When you are a dumpy bald guy with velcro shoes, I don't think people would understand the bold statement. Not to mention the fact that I prayed that Angela did not have epilepsy, because if she did, this shirt would probably trigger the affects.

"The shoes?" Rick said to me as he eyeballed me up and down.
"What shoes?"

"Your shoes! Take them off and put these on. Your going on a first date, not a last date." Rick sat a pair of black shiny shoes, that I could tell cost a pretty penny, next to my feet. I smiled at him and gave him a hug. "Dude..." Rick said with his mouth buried in my shoulder, "...ease up on the cologne."

Standing there looking at the new me, I was impressed. It didn't look near as bad as I thought. Maybe this will be the first day of the new and improved me! "Are you sure that you will be okay with the girls here? They should be asleep by now. Katie tends to wake up. Erin sometimes gets scared because of her dreams. Sometimes they......" Rick softly slaps me on the face and points his finger at me. With my death stare and stone face, I just say "Really?"

"Dude, we will be fine." He pushed me toward the front door. "Remember, find something to do other than a movie! Make me proud you sexy son of a bitch!" He slapped my backside like we were in a sporting event and then closed the door before I could even say anything. Smiling, I knocked on the door.

"Dude, she is coming to pick me up in an hour. Can I at least wait inside?"


**


Dinner went well and she looked amazing. She wore a knee length black flutter skirt with a white silk peasant blouse that rendered me speechless. Her hair was pulled up tightly in a bun that rested neatly just above her neck with little strands of hair hanging over her forehead and tucked behind her diamond studded ears.

At first, I thought I was a little over dressed, but once she smiled and looked at me up and down several times I knew that Rick had saved me. I think the most surprising thing about the dinner was her desire to eat. Her small frame seemed to be able to hold down a large Cheddar Bacon Burger and all of the fries that came with it and that was after she helped me polish off 2 bowls of chips and salsa. I found it to be so cool of her to actually order the burger. I think that most ladies would have ordered a salad or something light to avoid possible thoughts about her dietary habits. As comfortable as she made me feel, I still ordered a Chicken Oriental Salad and left the place hungry. At least I wasn't a total fat ass!