This will be a very short multi-chapter based on the previews that I have seen of DESERT. Your comments and suggestions are appreciated! :)
The words seemed to linger in the air a lot longer than Danny had expected them to. The sudden silence of the room didn't seem to make matters any better. Since when did the volume of the TV go down during the commercial break?!
He looked expectantly to Mindy, waiting for her to respond with some form of unintelligible remark, or a punch to throat at the very least. He wholeheartedly expected the latter and even unconsciously raised his hands to protect himself from her sudden attack.
Mindy mulled his words over in her head, fighting back the urge to slap Danny full across the face. She turned slowly towards Danny and took a deep breath in, intentionally looking over the contours of his face. At this very second, she could be on a flight back to New York attempting to patch things up with Cliff. Instead, she was here in no man's land at Danny's father's house.
The flicker of the television screen created wonderful shadows against Danny's face and she wavered in her intent to yell at him. In a much calmer voice than even she intended, began, "What the hell, Danny? You just sign me up for a weekend from hell and expect me to happy about it?" Mindy demanded, pointing her finger dangerously close to Danny's right eye, which made him flinch.
He took a step back and raised his hands in surrender.
"I'm sorry, Mindy. He offered, I said yes. Besides, what do you have to do back in New York until Tuesday? Jeremy already told me that our schedules are clear until Tuesday. Peter's heading back now and they can handle whatever comes up. It's only 3 days. I can't do this alone, Mindy. Just say you'll stay, please?" Danny lowered his voice as well as his eyes at the last part of his plea. It was true, Danny would leave at the very thought of having to do this alone.
"I really need to see Cliff, Danny. You don't understand! He thinks that I cheated on him, he doesn't trust me. I may be an awful girlfriend, but I am no cheater!" Mindy said, sounding defeated but continued, "Danny, I have to work this out. I am no spring chicken. I cannot let my relationships fall to pieces anymore. Plus, I don't want to spend my weekend cooped up in this house with you, no offense, and some random stranger. Yeah, whatever dude, he's your dad but...a complete stranger! Besides, he already said he only has ONE extra bedroom and we're in it! What is this? A twin? My rear end can't even fit on this!"
Danny nodded his head in agreement but before he could verbalize his other pleas, there was a knock at the door. Danny immediately jumped a step back from Mindy. The door to the bedroom slowly opened and an older gentleman appeared before them. Mindy winced. She still could not wrap her head around how much of Danny she saw reflected in the features of this old and surly man. The eyebrows were practically identical and Mindy could mentally outline the exact facial structure of Danny's onto his older counterpart. Thankfully, there was also some facial features which were alien to her, a stern jaw, receding grayish hair line, and the haggard look of someone who had lived a rough life.
"Sorry to interrupt, Daniel. I was just letting you know that dinner is ready." the older gentleman said to Danny, in a low voice with a tone of underlying energy. He then glanced to Mindy and smiled, a lop sided one that Mindy knew all too well. She couldn't help but to grin back to Mr. Castellano.
"Uh, thanks. We will be out in just a second." Danny breathed.
The door closed and Danny immediately started "Look, Mindy, I am sorry for dragging you along here but I can't do this by myself. I don't trust myself alone with this man. You said it yourself, he's a stranger. He is, Min, even for me. So, please just stay. As for the sleeping arrangements, I can sleep on the couch..."
Mindy considered her options. To stay or not to stay, that is the question. She desperately wanted to work things out with Cliff but felt that it might be best to stay here and give each of them time to think about their short and somewhat tumultuous relationship. She knew that deep down, Cliff had been itching to end things with her for about two weeks now. He had even mentioned the possibility of being non exclusive. Ugh. Now here she was a gazillion miles away stuck with Danny and his father of all people! She glanced to Danny, who stared back at her, his puppy dog eyes begging for a response. Ugh again. Why the hell am I rushing back to someone who just broke up with me?, she thought unhappily. Her mouth opened and before her brain could catch up, she blurted out "Ugh. Damn it, Danny. Fine, whatever. I will stay. On two conditions, though."
Danny's face lit up. "Ok. What conditions?" His eyes narrowed in on her, "No. We are not stalking Miley Cyrus! Not going to happen, Min!"
"Oh, that is a great idea, Danny! We will do that on Monday. No, my first condition is that you work out whatever issues you have with your father before we leave. If I stay, both of us are in this for the full 3 days, no backing out, you little pansy."
"How am I a pansy? Fine, whatever. If a promise that I won't leave before Tuesday is all you need. Fine. I promise. What is the second?"
"That when we get back home, you will talk to Cliff for me and try to convince him to give me another chance. You guys are friends, he might listen to you. Danny, I am a single doctor, you would think I would have men lined up outside my apartment, but it just isn't happening. I need this relationship to work."
Danny lowered his eyes and rubbed his hands against the back of his neck. "He has to decide for himself, Min. But if it will make you stay, then sure...I will talk to him." He spit in his hand and extended it to Mindy.
"What is it with men and spit? Gross. Pinky promise will do, Danny boy."
They promised with their pinkys. Danny looked at Mindy for a second and questioned again "So...about the sleeping arrangements?" Mindy couldn't help but to notice a little glimmer in his eyes.
"Fine. Danny. The bed is big enough for the two of us. We are both adults here. No need to be all weirdo about it."
"After all, we have already seen each other naked." Danny joked. Point for Danny.
Mindy gasped at him and a punch to the arm followed. "Don't even bring that up or so help me I will smother you in your sleep..."
"Calm down, Lahiri. It was a joke. Now let's go. He probably is wondering why we're taking so long." Danny tried to appear calm but Mindy knew him too well to not notice the small amount of perspiration which was showing on his forehead.
Mindy took the lead and walked out of the bedroom with Danny lazily following behind. They walked down the dimly lit hallway and rounded the corner towards a bright yellow kitchen. The smell of freshly baked bread and an array of different herbs and spices permeated the room. Italians sure know their way around a kitchen, Mindy thought as she stole a glance back towards Danny who was just crossing the threshold of the kitchen.
Just as she saw him walking closely behind her, the sudden realization of the importance of this moment struck her. This is a big deal. I will forever and always be a part of Danny's timeline. I will forever and always be a part of this family's timeline: the reconciliation of father and son. She swallowed hard and tried to focus on the goal on hand: stuffing her face with authentic Italian food. That did the trick.
The sound of movement in the room visibly startled the elder Castellano. Mindy had the feeling it was because he never had anyone over to his home. Her first impression of the man was that he was a bit of a hermit, like Danny. But at least Danny had her to help him out of his antisocial tendencies.
"I was beginning to think you guys just up and left." He said bluntly but followed it a smile. "Dinner is getting cold. I can pop it in the microwave convection oven if you need me to." He added while pointing towards a microwave that appeared like an antique. It even had wood paneling. Mindy smiled, briefly laughing to herself at his choice of words, she made a mental note to make a jab at Danny the next time he used the word billfold. Mindy assured him that the food would be fine. They were ushered towards the dining room and forced to sit.
Danny sat down at the small table located in the middle of the large dining room. He stared at his utensils while Mindy attempted to nudge him back to life. Senior Castellano moved loudly in his kitchen, clanking everything together in the loudest preparation of dinner ever. "I hope you guys aren't vegetarians because I'd have to kick ya out!" He yelled from the other room.
Mindy immediately responded energetically, "Bring on the meat, Mr. Castellano!"
A loud and coarse laugh came bellowing from the kitchen, along with a whiff of garlic bread. "Oh my God, Danny! Can every Italian man cook? I seriously need to reconsider my dating pool options."
"That's offensive. As for your dating pool, yes, definitely reconsider your options..." He quickly looked away from her, shifting nervously in his seat.
Danny's father appeared with the first plate of food, settling it in front of Mindy. She inhaled deeply and gave an appreciative thumbs up to Mr. Castellano, who stood waiting for her response. Mindy felt the pressure of being civil to this man on merely on the account of him being her Danny's father...wait, her Danny? Whoah, calm down there Mindy...she thought. Must be the smell of food making my head all crazy.
As Danny's father retreated into the kitchen, Danny faced Mindy and accused "What the hell are you doing? You can't be nice to that man! Stop acting like you are his buddy!"
Mindy, shocked at his sudden attack, shook her head in disbelief. "Excuse me, what? Me being civil doesn't mean we are buddies. I thanked him for the food, call me Satan."
"I see what you're doing. You are trying to force me to be nice to him. Not going to happen. Maybe this was a bad idea of you coming along. You obviously don't remember who that man is and what he did to my family!" Damn it, Danny thought to himself the moment the words left his lips. He never wanted to argue with Mindy. In fact, he wasn't angry with her. He was angry at how seemingly normal this day had gone with his father. He had mentally prepared himself for lots of yelling, lots of shouting and lots of cursing. He definitely had not foreseen a night where Mindy would be casually extending a thumbs up to the man who had single-handedly ruined his childhood, if not life. But what was he expecting from her today? This was the woman who had managed to wiggle herself into his life and plant herself in his heart even after he constantly proved to be nothing other than a jackass and bully to her? She embraced his faults, his tendency to brood and had managed to peel away his layers of "protective" skin which he had purposely drawn around himself over the years. I am such an ass...
Mindy stared incredulously at Danny. "Look, Danny. I am sorry. I am. If you want me to be mean and a bitch to him, I will. I am here to do whatever you want me to." She had manged to pull out her soft, womanly voice to appease Danny. She placed a hand on his shoulder.
"Sorry. I didn't mean to snap like that. Thank you for trying to keep the peace. Sorry, Min." He sighed and brought his right hand up to clutch hers, which was still resting on his shoulder.
Mr. Castellano reentered, his hands full of food. He was having trouble keeping everything balanced when Mindy stood and offered to help. She quickly grabbed the basket of fresh garlic bread out of his hands and smiled.
Mr. Castellano nodded his appreciation and yelled out, "Daniel, I hope you're making this woman a Castellano!" He didn't bother waiting for a response before walking over to where Mindy was still arranging the basket of bread on the table. He patted her on the shoulder, gave her a playful wink and walked out of the room oblivious to the tension he just caused between the pair.
Mindy sat down, unsure of what just happened. "Um, yeah, ok. You heard him, Danny...I need to be a Castellano. I don't think Ritchie will be too happy to learn he will have to give up men for me, though." She said, half confused and half ready to change the subject.
Danny, unsure himself what just happened looked to Mindy and nervously chuckled. "Not going to happen. But hey, you seem to be enjoying yourself with my dad, maybe you can just stick with him..."
"Ok, that's enough. I am too hungry for this conversation. Let me eat and then we can talk about your sick and perverted thoughts about calling me mommy.." Point for Mindy. That shut him up.
TBC