Chapter 6
Race and I walked over to "Chubby's". The food just didn't look right. The restaurant was empty and when we walked in we couldn't just leave, the people looked so happy to see customers. I ordered a salad and Racetrack ordered a cheeseburger. Surprisingly enough, the food actually tasted ok. Maybe I thought it was tasty because I hadn't eaten since I had left for England. I didn't even think about food at all most of the time, strangely enough, except for that short period of time where my stomach had been grumbling. I told Racetrack of my starvation. "What? And you didn't tell nobody?" he inquired.
I shook my head. "I didn't think about it myself even."
Racetrack raised an eyebrow after his first bite. "I'm shocked!" he chuckled, "Dis actually tastes good."
I smiled. "So is my salad."
He asked, "Do ya want some?"
I shook my head, simply saying, "Vegetarian."
"You don't eat meat?" Racetrack acted like vegetarianism was a disease.
I laughed. "I just don't feel that it's right to eat animals. And the cruel things they do to the animals…" I trailed off and then picked my voice up, "But I don't want to ruin anyone's appetite."
He shook his head and placed the burger down. "S'okay," he said, "I'm done anyhow."
"You only had one bite!" I cried.
He shrugged. "I ain't hungry."
Just as I finished my salad Jack and Trey walked into "Chubby's". I sighed and looked at Racetrack. "I thought you said no one came here?" I whispered.
"I didn't tink anybody did."
Jack came over while Trey walked to a table. "What are you two doin' in here? Dis ain't da best food in da world…"
"Den why did you guys come?" Race looked more confused than I was.
"We wanted ta talk about, uh, dat… ting." Jack nodded.
"We were just leaving. We're done," I informed him.
"Uh," Jack lowered his voice, "do ya wanna talk ta Blink?"
I shook my head. "No. Not now. I'm still kind of… steamed." I blew out a deep breath.
Racetrack got up and I did the same. "Maybe youse can talk ta him lata'?" Jack inquired. "He's just buzzin' all about you. He tinks all des tings about you guys and…"
"What is he sayin' about us?" Racetrack asked.
I blurted, "He saw us kiss." I closed my eyes and then opened them, smiling. "Not that I was eavesdropping."
Jack laughed, "A'course not." Race blushed. Jack looked at my eye. "Ay, what happened to ya eye?"
"Nothin'."
Race was still kind of pink. "Come on." We walked out the door into the street. Racetrack stopped, tilting his head slightly. "What did you tink'a da kiss?" he inquired.
I giggled. "Well…" Oh wait…
Racetrack came up to me and placed his lips on mine. No. John. Arg. I pulled away. "Racetrack, I have a fiancée."
"What?" He looked hurt.
"Well, I had forgotten at first." I laughed. "Kind of stupid I know. I actually haven't thought about him at all since I came."
He cocked an eyebrow. "Is der a reason?"
I smiled. "Maybe." I forced my smile away. Was I really saying this? "I shouldn't be talking like this and all..."
"If it comes out like dat den it comes out like dat." Racetrack held my hand. "Tings happen fa a reason right?"
I nodded, slowly pulling my hand from Racetrack's. "Yes. That's why I have a fiancée right?" I guess that was sort of mean to put in.
Race took his hat off and brushed his fingers through his hair. Then he put the hat back on, asking, "So what's dis guy like? What's his name?"
"His name is… uh… John. He's…" I thought about John. He was plain. He was a perfectionist. Why was he marrying me? "He's sweet," I simply said.
Race nodded, glancing around. "I guess I shouldn't be 'round ya much."
What? "Well, how come?"
"I don't wanna get da urge ta kiss ya again afta' ya flirt wit me."
"Flirt?" This wasn't right. "I never flirted with you!" Did I?
Racetrack put his hands up in defense. "OK. Right." He stormed past me. "I hope you and ya fiancée have a great life togetha' Evelyn."
After a few minutes I realized my mouth was open in utter awe. I quickly closed it, frustrated. Angered. Deeply hurt really. I mean, I can't have a fiancée and kiss some guy, while trying to make some connection with my brother who hates me. This is all too much. I glanced in the window; Jack and Trey were looking at me. Were Race and I really that loud? Since the restaurant was empty, they could hear more I suppose. I shook my head and walked in, sitting beside Jack. Trey started to get up. "No!" I bellowed, "Sit back down!" He did too. I was amazed at my power when I was mad. I wanted to smile. Not the right time Evelyn. "Listen, I've gotten enough bull from…" I stopped myself. Race hadn't done anything. I shook my head. "Trey, we need to talk or… do something. You're my brotha' for God's sake."
He shrugged, still giving me the silent treatment.
"After all dis," Jack said, getting up, "you two should realize dat you need eachotha' ta figure out some stuff about yaselves." He walked out the door.
"What was that all about?" I inquired, staring at the door.
"It was a Jack Moment."
He had talked. I really listened to his voice. It was so out of place, but so interesting. He sounded like a calm and collective drill sergeant. I wanted to mimic it. I threw that thought away. I chuckled, "So, uh…"
"You have Dad's nose," Trey pointed out.
I patted my nose. "Oh?" I shrugged, unaware of any past memories. "I don't remember what he looked like. I guess I got a piece of him." It was supposed to be funny, but I don't think it came out like that after I had said it and thought it over again.
Trey nodded. "What's England like?" he asked after a few minutes.
I smiled and he actually smiled back. It was one of those brother-sister- connection moments. I loved it.
We talked for a good hour and caught up on lots of things. I was almost taken aback when Trey inquired, "So what's da ting wit you'n Race?" He raised an eyebrow, grinning madly.
I let out a deep breath. This wasn't going to help at all. "I have a fiancée in England. And Race and I… well…"
"Did I see it or not, you guys did kiss right?"
I nodded. "I told Race and…" I shook my head, putting my chin in my hands. "This really is insane."
"Well, do ya love dis guy youse is gonna marry?"
I thought long and hard over that question, although it was really only a few seconds before I answered, "Why else would I want to marry him?" I shook my head. "He's set on making everything perfect. I just don't know if I can keep up with his… fastidiousness."
Trey sat back. "Fast'a wha'?"
"Perfectionism."
He nodded. "Ah, ok."
I couldn't believe this. My brother and I were actually talking. This is deep. Memories… scattered pictures… "Can you talk to Racetrack? I feel just awful but… I feel obligated and…"
Trey shrugged. "If you tink dat Race'll really care, den you care about him. Derfore, you need ta choose between Race or dis otha' guy, uh, what's his name."
"His name is John." I closed my eyes. Race---sweet, charming, cute, adventurous, outgoing, and so much more. John---sweet, charming, handsome, boring, talkative, and… some more. "I just can't drop it. I have a fiancée. It's almost inconceivable. I can't see myself being proposed to eva' again." I felt my lower lip bulge out like a child's.
"Youse can find betta' if he ain't dat good fa ya. Ya still young. Ya don't need ta fix yaself up jus' yet."
He was right. But… "I've known John so much longa'. It wouldn't be fair. It's like I were playing hard to get or something." I shook my head. "It just wouldn't be right."
Trey stood up. "Well, youse gotta do sumpin'. Race might," he shrugged, not finishing himself.
"He might what?"
Trey shrugged walking toward the door. He opened it and held it. "Ya comin'?"
I jumped up, racing toward him. I linked my arm with his as we walked to the lodging house. "I wish this were easier."
"Life wouldn't be fun if it was easy."
I nodded and thought about it. Not what Trey said, but the issue at hand. I thought about a contest. Who would win?
Kissing---Race, no doubt about it.
Talking---John, NO doubt about it. More like blabbing in fact.
Cuddling---John, but only because I haven't cuddled with Racetrack…
What am I talking about? I laughed out loud. Trey glanced at me but kept quiet, allowing me to think. No more contests. Who could I really talk to? John allowed me to talk if he thought I needed to. He realized that I had problems too. Race and I had had our moments. It was nothing really special though. John had even been willing to pay for half of this trip to see Trey. It wouldn't be right to just say, "Hey, thanks for the money, let's break up, I met someone else." No way. I'm in some deep trouble.
Read on!
Race and I walked over to "Chubby's". The food just didn't look right. The restaurant was empty and when we walked in we couldn't just leave, the people looked so happy to see customers. I ordered a salad and Racetrack ordered a cheeseburger. Surprisingly enough, the food actually tasted ok. Maybe I thought it was tasty because I hadn't eaten since I had left for England. I didn't even think about food at all most of the time, strangely enough, except for that short period of time where my stomach had been grumbling. I told Racetrack of my starvation. "What? And you didn't tell nobody?" he inquired.
I shook my head. "I didn't think about it myself even."
Racetrack raised an eyebrow after his first bite. "I'm shocked!" he chuckled, "Dis actually tastes good."
I smiled. "So is my salad."
He asked, "Do ya want some?"
I shook my head, simply saying, "Vegetarian."
"You don't eat meat?" Racetrack acted like vegetarianism was a disease.
I laughed. "I just don't feel that it's right to eat animals. And the cruel things they do to the animals…" I trailed off and then picked my voice up, "But I don't want to ruin anyone's appetite."
He shook his head and placed the burger down. "S'okay," he said, "I'm done anyhow."
"You only had one bite!" I cried.
He shrugged. "I ain't hungry."
Just as I finished my salad Jack and Trey walked into "Chubby's". I sighed and looked at Racetrack. "I thought you said no one came here?" I whispered.
"I didn't tink anybody did."
Jack came over while Trey walked to a table. "What are you two doin' in here? Dis ain't da best food in da world…"
"Den why did you guys come?" Race looked more confused than I was.
"We wanted ta talk about, uh, dat… ting." Jack nodded.
"We were just leaving. We're done," I informed him.
"Uh," Jack lowered his voice, "do ya wanna talk ta Blink?"
I shook my head. "No. Not now. I'm still kind of… steamed." I blew out a deep breath.
Racetrack got up and I did the same. "Maybe youse can talk ta him lata'?" Jack inquired. "He's just buzzin' all about you. He tinks all des tings about you guys and…"
"What is he sayin' about us?" Racetrack asked.
I blurted, "He saw us kiss." I closed my eyes and then opened them, smiling. "Not that I was eavesdropping."
Jack laughed, "A'course not." Race blushed. Jack looked at my eye. "Ay, what happened to ya eye?"
"Nothin'."
Race was still kind of pink. "Come on." We walked out the door into the street. Racetrack stopped, tilting his head slightly. "What did you tink'a da kiss?" he inquired.
I giggled. "Well…" Oh wait…
Racetrack came up to me and placed his lips on mine. No. John. Arg. I pulled away. "Racetrack, I have a fiancée."
"What?" He looked hurt.
"Well, I had forgotten at first." I laughed. "Kind of stupid I know. I actually haven't thought about him at all since I came."
He cocked an eyebrow. "Is der a reason?"
I smiled. "Maybe." I forced my smile away. Was I really saying this? "I shouldn't be talking like this and all..."
"If it comes out like dat den it comes out like dat." Racetrack held my hand. "Tings happen fa a reason right?"
I nodded, slowly pulling my hand from Racetrack's. "Yes. That's why I have a fiancée right?" I guess that was sort of mean to put in.
Race took his hat off and brushed his fingers through his hair. Then he put the hat back on, asking, "So what's dis guy like? What's his name?"
"His name is… uh… John. He's…" I thought about John. He was plain. He was a perfectionist. Why was he marrying me? "He's sweet," I simply said.
Race nodded, glancing around. "I guess I shouldn't be 'round ya much."
What? "Well, how come?"
"I don't wanna get da urge ta kiss ya again afta' ya flirt wit me."
"Flirt?" This wasn't right. "I never flirted with you!" Did I?
Racetrack put his hands up in defense. "OK. Right." He stormed past me. "I hope you and ya fiancée have a great life togetha' Evelyn."
After a few minutes I realized my mouth was open in utter awe. I quickly closed it, frustrated. Angered. Deeply hurt really. I mean, I can't have a fiancée and kiss some guy, while trying to make some connection with my brother who hates me. This is all too much. I glanced in the window; Jack and Trey were looking at me. Were Race and I really that loud? Since the restaurant was empty, they could hear more I suppose. I shook my head and walked in, sitting beside Jack. Trey started to get up. "No!" I bellowed, "Sit back down!" He did too. I was amazed at my power when I was mad. I wanted to smile. Not the right time Evelyn. "Listen, I've gotten enough bull from…" I stopped myself. Race hadn't done anything. I shook my head. "Trey, we need to talk or… do something. You're my brotha' for God's sake."
He shrugged, still giving me the silent treatment.
"After all dis," Jack said, getting up, "you two should realize dat you need eachotha' ta figure out some stuff about yaselves." He walked out the door.
"What was that all about?" I inquired, staring at the door.
"It was a Jack Moment."
He had talked. I really listened to his voice. It was so out of place, but so interesting. He sounded like a calm and collective drill sergeant. I wanted to mimic it. I threw that thought away. I chuckled, "So, uh…"
"You have Dad's nose," Trey pointed out.
I patted my nose. "Oh?" I shrugged, unaware of any past memories. "I don't remember what he looked like. I guess I got a piece of him." It was supposed to be funny, but I don't think it came out like that after I had said it and thought it over again.
Trey nodded. "What's England like?" he asked after a few minutes.
I smiled and he actually smiled back. It was one of those brother-sister- connection moments. I loved it.
We talked for a good hour and caught up on lots of things. I was almost taken aback when Trey inquired, "So what's da ting wit you'n Race?" He raised an eyebrow, grinning madly.
I let out a deep breath. This wasn't going to help at all. "I have a fiancée in England. And Race and I… well…"
"Did I see it or not, you guys did kiss right?"
I nodded. "I told Race and…" I shook my head, putting my chin in my hands. "This really is insane."
"Well, do ya love dis guy youse is gonna marry?"
I thought long and hard over that question, although it was really only a few seconds before I answered, "Why else would I want to marry him?" I shook my head. "He's set on making everything perfect. I just don't know if I can keep up with his… fastidiousness."
Trey sat back. "Fast'a wha'?"
"Perfectionism."
He nodded. "Ah, ok."
I couldn't believe this. My brother and I were actually talking. This is deep. Memories… scattered pictures… "Can you talk to Racetrack? I feel just awful but… I feel obligated and…"
Trey shrugged. "If you tink dat Race'll really care, den you care about him. Derfore, you need ta choose between Race or dis otha' guy, uh, what's his name."
"His name is John." I closed my eyes. Race---sweet, charming, cute, adventurous, outgoing, and so much more. John---sweet, charming, handsome, boring, talkative, and… some more. "I just can't drop it. I have a fiancée. It's almost inconceivable. I can't see myself being proposed to eva' again." I felt my lower lip bulge out like a child's.
"Youse can find betta' if he ain't dat good fa ya. Ya still young. Ya don't need ta fix yaself up jus' yet."
He was right. But… "I've known John so much longa'. It wouldn't be fair. It's like I were playing hard to get or something." I shook my head. "It just wouldn't be right."
Trey stood up. "Well, youse gotta do sumpin'. Race might," he shrugged, not finishing himself.
"He might what?"
Trey shrugged walking toward the door. He opened it and held it. "Ya comin'?"
I jumped up, racing toward him. I linked my arm with his as we walked to the lodging house. "I wish this were easier."
"Life wouldn't be fun if it was easy."
I nodded and thought about it. Not what Trey said, but the issue at hand. I thought about a contest. Who would win?
Kissing---Race, no doubt about it.
Talking---John, NO doubt about it. More like blabbing in fact.
Cuddling---John, but only because I haven't cuddled with Racetrack…
What am I talking about? I laughed out loud. Trey glanced at me but kept quiet, allowing me to think. No more contests. Who could I really talk to? John allowed me to talk if he thought I needed to. He realized that I had problems too. Race and I had had our moments. It was nothing really special though. John had even been willing to pay for half of this trip to see Trey. It wouldn't be right to just say, "Hey, thanks for the money, let's break up, I met someone else." No way. I'm in some deep trouble.
Read on!