They had no idea why they did this. Cloud would be in the shower, Tifa would be in their bed and they would yell back and forth about whatever it was that they needed to talk about. It seemed as this was the only time they had to discuss anything of importance. The typical routine was that Cloud got home between four and five o'clock. If the kids had any functions or appointments or were at a friend's house either Cloud or Tifa would pick them up, drop them off, wait on them, or whatever it was they needed. The four of them would have dinner and the kitchen would be cleaned up by 7:00. After that, it was time for Marlene and Denzel to complete their chores around the apartment. Their chores were usually done by 8:00 and it was time to get them settled in for the night even though they didn't have a curfew since school was out. What was left was an hour and a half before Tifa would go downstairs and work the bar for three or four hours. Sure, she could start working during the day and alleviate the evening schedule but it worked out better that she worked in the evening for the sake of the delivery service. Tonight was different; Tifa wasn't working so it was hard telling why they were yelling back and forth like this. Once you got into a routine, it was hard to break the norm.
"So, I think I'm going to have to hire another driver. There are three plus me and the business is getting too big for the four of us to handle all the deliveries. Not to mention we're delivering to three new sectors now. I think I'll post it next week that the business is hiring. Would you care to review applications if I start accepting them next week?" Cloud said loudly to Tifa from the shower.
"I don't care to review them. You could use another driver; it would take some stress off you. Why don't you hire two more drivers? The money is there to pay them." Tifa answered him just as loudly.
"It wouldn't hurt. Maybe you're right; it might be the best option. Can you go to the post office tomorrow morning and get like…a hundred mailing labels? We're almost out of them." Cloud asked.
"Yeah, I'll take care of it." Tifa answered. Tifa could hear the water shut off in the shower which would make this conversation go much more smoothly.
"By the way, we got a check from Barret today. I can't believe he sends us money but he can't take time to come see Marlene. That's bullshit." Tifa said a little irritated with Barret.
"He tries, my god that man tries but he's just…I don't know…he'll never get his priorities right." Cloud said.
"Yeah…anyway…you've heard me talk about the Mackey's right? You know, Marlene's friend Stella Mackey?"
"Yeah, yeah …um…Eliza and…Garrison, right?" Cloud asked.
"Yes, that's who they are. When Eliza brought the kids by from day camp she asked my how many times a week you and I had sex." Tifa said.
"Wait…the Volvo driving soccer mom asked you that?" Cloud said. Tifa laughed. She thought that was hilarious.
"She doesn't drive a Volvo! It's a van! And Stella doesn't play soccer!" Tifa said still laughing.
"Well it looks like that could be true…so did you tell her." Cloud asked.
"Not exactly….I told her twice a week." Tifa said.
"You lied to her! You lied to that sweet stay at home mom that gets a thrill from clipping coupons! Oh, Tifa!" Cloud had to laugh at her. Tifa laughed harder.
"Cloud!" she was trying to tell Cloud about this beach offer but she had to stop and bury her face in the pillow beside her she was laughing so hard.
"I'm serious Tifa, she probably sits at home scanning the paper…she comes across a coupon for soap and she's like ooooooh yes, baby because it's not the normal soap…it's that fancy aromatherapy kind we have in the kitchen. Then she gets that little rush from snipping it out on the dotted lines and putting it in her coupon organizer. Wait…why is it you lied to her?" Cloud asked. Tifa had to regain her composure and it wasn't easy after the clearly condescending coupon statement.
"I had to lie to her because she thinks her husband might be having an affair! I didn't want to make her feel even worse by telling her we were having amazing sex four nights a week! But anyway, that's not my point. My point is…" Cloud interrupted her. He turned out the bathroom light and pitched the towel that was wrapped around him to the floor.
"Hold on…the Mackey's…who have this picture perfect family image…with their coupon clipping and their soccer van and their…color coordinated hand towels…are having marital trouble?" Cloud asked getting under the covers beside Tifa. She put her arms around him.
"Yes, that's what I'm saying. But there's more, see…" Cloud cut Tifa off again.
"So…what we have here…where no one has the same last name and the kids aren't even related and where we don't have color coordinated hand towels is more normal than what the Mackey's have?" Cloud asked.
"Yes, yes that is true, baby…that is true. Okay, what I'm trying to get to is…" Cloud interrupted her again.
"Why are you wearing clothes? I am naked and clean under these blankets and you're still wearing my t-shirt." Cloud said moving his hand to Tifa's stomach.
"I know, but I was cold laying on top the covers and…okay anyway, so Eliza asked me today…" he interrupted Tifa again. She sighed.
"Did you seriously tell her it was amazing sex because it is; you wouldn't have been lying about that." Cloud said.
"No, no I didn't use those words; I think I was quite vague actually…now what I'm trying to tell you is…" her interrupted her again.
"I bet they are so boring in bed. Are you sure she's not just jealous? No! I bet she wants advice from you! You should call her right now and tell that she and her husband should do it in the floor…I bet that would freaky for them." Tifa didn't say a word she waited for whatever crazy and funny thing Cloud was going to say next. "You're not saying anything, is that too wild for them? Are they that dull? Okay, tell her they should try it with the lights on." Tifa sighed again.
"Cloud, they want us to go to the beach with them…well Eliza asked. They're going for five days in about three weeks, what do you think? Tifa said calmly before Cloud could interrupt her with something else.
"What you mean like a vacation, a vacation with the dull sex, matching towels, coupon, soccer van family?" Cloud asked. Tifa laughed again, god he was on a roll tonight and he wasn't even intending to be so funny.
"Yes, that's what it would be, Cloud. They will be criticizing the color choice of hand towels in the condo and not having any sex since their marriage in trouble and you I…well we'll be cleaning up the mess from all the kinky sex with the hand towels." Tifa said sarcastically. "When was the last time you or I had a vacation?" Tifa's touch was soft as her hand slid over Cloud's body.
"It's been…it's been too long to remember. Tell me more about this." Cloud said pulling his shirt over Tifa's head.
"It's a five bedroom oceanfront condo. They need an answer by tomorrow." Tifa said. Cloud pulled her over on top of him.
"Tell coupon mom we'll go. I don't know that family all that well but we desperately need to get away for a few days. Have you told Denzel or Marlene about it?" Cloud asked.
"No, I wanted to talk to you first." Tifa said resting her forehead against Cloud's. The look on Cloud's face became suddenly serious.
"You know that I would never, ever have an affair, right? You know I would never do that to you or the kids…right?" Cloud asked Tifa.
"Of course I know that." Tifa kissed him.
"You're hotter than every other woman anyway; I would have no reason to have an affair." Cloud said she he felt Tifa's body slink down his.
"It's sad…you think you know what a family is and what it should look like…and then she drops a bomb like that. You never know what's truly going on." Tifa said feeling rather sad for the Mackey situation.
"You mean like last month when you and I went to the parent teacher conference and Denzel's history teacher looked at that informational paper and then looked at us and said 'guardians don't have the same rights as parents in my classroom'… I can't believe that bitch…" Cloud was so pissed about that. Tifa laughed again.
"And you handled it so well when you said 'Denzel doesn't like this class and we're in a hurry' immediately after she said that." Tifa said.
"Hey, that bitch had it coming. She didn't even say hi first and she gave Denzel a C on that report I helped him with!" Cloud defended himself.
"She's just an odd teacher who doesn't understand…well…life. Besides, Cloud…you two had that report so fucked up no wonder he got a C! I can't believe I let him turn that in for a grade."
"I can't believe you are knocking my 4th grade report writing abilities. We had a very strong opening paragraph! At least Marlene didn't ask me to come to school for career day." Cloud said reminding Tifa of how Marlene thought it would be a great idea for Tifa to come to her 5th grade classroom and talk about bartending to a group of 10-year-olds."
"I could have discussed the business entrepreneur part of my job!" Tifa said.
"You could have, but Marlene wanted you to…and I quote 'make that drink that changes colors'." Cloud said.
"And that's why she's not allowed to watch me make any drinks anymore." Tifa said.
"I love you, Tifa. Even though Marlene could have potentially put you in jail, I love you. We need to make a list. If we're going to the beach in three weeks we should probably get some things together." Cloud said.
"You're right. Maybe the four of us can do that tomorrow. I'll tell Marlene and Denzel tomorrow morning about the trip before they leave for day camp." Tifa said. Her body continued creeping lower into the covers.
"They are going to be so excited about this. Neither of them has been to the beach. Since that's Marlene's friend she will be very excited." Cloud said.
"Yes, they will. I'll start making arrangements tomorrow with the schedule downstairs. There are a couple of cooks and bartenders that I can give some extra hours to." Tifa said.
"I need to reroute the deliveries and reschedule the drop off times. That shouldn't be a problem though. Now that I think about it, I should also….ooooh my god…" Cloud gasped and clenched the sheets below him in his fists. It was going to be hard for Tifa to talk with her mouth full. Cloud wouldn't interrupt her anymore.
