A/N: Sorry (kinda) for the small delay in updates. My selfish muse had other plans. (New AU coming soon!) This chapter is just a little family bonding to bring in the new year. It just came to me as I was listening to Daley's "Those Who Wait" on repeat. (: Enjoy, my little darlings.
Chapter 27: In With The New
Sunday, December 29, DT's Auto Shop, 10:46PM
"Done. Finally." Leon announced with a stretch of his back. He wiped his hands on the rag that Letty threw to him.
"Finally. I've got a hot date tonight." Letty replied. She closed her eyes and tilted her head from side to side, attempting to dull the cramp in her neck. Her left hand came up to rub her right shoulder and she sighed.
"Yeah?"
"Yes. With my bed. Can you guys not hear it calling my name right now?" Letty grinned and opened her eyes.
"Nah. Probably because I'm too busy listening to my bed call my name." Vince joked. He flicked a rag at her stomach, causing her to flinch inwardly.
The days after the holidays proved to be extremely busy for the shop. Accidents because of wreckless drivers in the constant winter rain mixed with early annual inspections. Whenever they finished one car, another customer entered the garage. The money was good and working on cars was what they loved to do, so they weren't complaining.
That is, until the entire week slipped by them and before they knew it, it was Sunday night and their weekend was pretty much over.
"Dude, we didn't do shit this weekend." Jesse interjected. They grabbed their belongings and began locking up.
"True. That means we'll be well rested for New Years." Vince added, positively.
"Believe me, your liver's should be thankful of this short reprieve." Letty replied before realization fell over her face. "Oh shit. Dom's still in the garage."
Lifting the vertically-sliding door back up, she squinted at the small hint of light coming from the very back of the auto-mechanic paradise. He'd been back there all damn day, doing only god knew what. More than twice that week, he'd asked other members of the team, including Letty, to finish one of his cars as he worked in his mysterious workshop.
"Dom?!" She yelled.
"Yeah?" Came the reply.
"We're heading out."
There was silence for a few moments. Letty looked at Vince and Leon, who simply shrugged. They were all tired and just wanted to go home and everything inside of them hoped like hell that Dom didn't ask them to stay.
"Lock up!" He shouted back.
He didn't have to tell them twice. They closed the door again and Leon looped the chain around and sealed it with a padlock.
And off they went.
Tuesday, December 31, Los Angeles, 10:23PM
Entering her and Mia's apartment after her last boxing class of the year, Letty felt relief wash over her. She half-expected Mia to already have the New Years' festivities underway. But there was nothing but silence, and she loved it. She was exhausted and all she wanted to do was wash the smell of the muggy gym off of her body.
"Mia!" Letty called as she dropped her bag by the door, as per weekly tradition. Mia would yell at her later to pick it up.
Speaking of...
"Mia!" Letty yelled out again. She still received no answer. Letty searched around the apartment quickly, with no sign of Mia anywhere.
Heading to the kitchen to get a banana and water, Letty stopped in her tracks. In lieu of the usual shopping list, Letty read the message that Mia had left on their dry-erase board.
L,
At Hector's for NYE.
Shower and get your ass here!
-M.
Letty groaned inwardly. It's not that she didn't want to celebrate New Years' with her friends and family. But, goddamit, she was tired. And if she had to celebrate, she'd rather it be in her own home. That way, she could kick everyone out when she got too tired and not worry about having to drive home at four a.m., semi-tipsy.
"Oh, god. I'm turning into my mother." Letty remarked to herself.
That statement alone was enough to kick Letty's ass into high-gear. Years ago, she had promised herself that she'd never turn into her mother when she got older. And the exhaustion and desire to stay home -and on New Years, no less- was definitely something that only her mother would do. After mentally scolding herself (bad Letty!), the Latina headed straight for the shower.
Hector's, Echo Park, 11:17PM
"Ayyyy! Nice of you to show your face!" Hector greeted. His face, already looking like the poster boy for marijuana, had lit up and he pulled her into the apartment. The place was nice, and although Letty had only been there about four or five times, she was sure something was different about it.
Besides the fifty or so people that had been crammed inside. The music blasted. Liquor was flowing freely. Thick smoke hung in the air and Letty was suddenly worried about Mia's baby catching a contact high.
"Where's Mia?" Letty asked, concerned.
"Out on the patio with O'Connor." Hector replied. She smiled at him and gave him a nod before heading off towards the kitchen. Swiftly, as Letty walked past the counter, she pulled herself a Corona out of the large bin of ice and opened the patio doors.
Letty thanked the heavens that Hector lived on the first floor. Not that she was afraid of heights, but simply because of the drunken idiot that was leaning on Hector's wrought-iron gate, vomitting up the contents of his stomach, looked as though he was about to fall. Letty raised her eyebrows and sighed as she used the edge of the patio table to pop the top off of her beer.
"Letty! You made it!" Mia exclaimed from Brian's lap.
"I made it." Letty replied, smiling and sitting in a chair. "Where's Dom?"
"My ears are burning." Dom's voice came from the patio door. Letty's head leaned backwards over the chair and she looked at him upside down.
"You should probably get that checked out." She teased just before he bent down and pressed his lips against hers.
The patio light was dim and there was a Off! candle, flickering on the table, surrounding them in an invisible mosquito net. Besides the vomitting fool, the only people on the patio was the team.
"Okay, people, new years' resolutions. What are they?" Jesse inquired.
"Have more sex." Vince confessed, raising his beer in a mock toast.
"Have less sex." Letty grinned.
"That's funny, 'cause that was my resolution, too." Dom teased.
"Oh yeah?" Letty answered. "I'll remember that the next time that Mia tries to take me lingerie shopping."
Though he knew she was joking around, Dom's nostrils flared, briefly. Ever since their Christmas Eve lovemaking, the thought, alone, of Letty in sexy undergarments was enough to evoke the strongest erection known to man. Letty winked at him and she raised her eyebrows, daringly; her tongue pushing against the corner of her mouth. Dom could only shake his head and drink from his beer.
"I want an easy birth and a healthy baby." Mia chipped in.
"Same." Brian said as he rubbed her stomach in a circular motion.
"I think I want to find a good girl this year." Leon's confession shocked the team. Silence fell around them and they looked over to him.
"Define 'good girl'. As in 'virgin'?" Brian questioned.
"Nah, man. Although, let's be honest," Leon chuckled, "that'd be nice. Unrealistic for LA, though."
Mia tilted her head side-to-side in agreement.
"But, I just mean, as in a girl who doesn't want to party twenty-four-seven. I'm getting too old. Ya know? I mean, look at Mia. She's the youngest out of all of us and she's got a good, clear future for her."
"She's a Toretto, bro. Nothing's clear about her future."
"Hey!" Mia laughed, throwing the top from her water bottle at him.
"I'm kidding."
"So, are you saying you want to start settling down?" Dom inquired.
Leon thought about it for a moment, before nodding his head. "Yeah, I think that's what I'm saying."
"Awww. Our wittle Leon's all growed up." Letty chuckled.
"What about you, Let?" Jesse asked.
"Me? I don't know. I'm twenty-seven, ya know? I barely know what I want for breakfast in the morning. Let alone what I want this year." She responded, honestly. "But I will say this: I'm content in my life as of right now. I love who I am and the people that I surround myself with."
"That's always been you, Let. You've always known exactly who you are." Mia told her.
"Dom?"
Dom leaned over so his forearms rested on his muscular thighs. He rubbed his bald head and sighed. "I don't know. I think I'm in the same boat as Leon. I'm always gonna wanna race and have a little fun every now and then. But, I'm ready to settle down. I don't see kids in the very near future, but I'd like to just be able to come home to a hot Latina woman cooking me dinner."
"God, I really hope you find a woman like that. I'll marry her, too." Letty snorted.
Laughter rang around patio.
"Okay, fine. She can order out. As long as she's hot and Latin." Dom compromised, smiling.
He turned his attention to Letty's profile. Watched how she used the neck of the bottle to bring it to her lips and sip. How she cleared her throat after every drink, as if she'd never get used to the slight tinge the amber liquid left as she swallowed. Noticed how she tapped her slender fingers against the arm of the chair she was sitting in; not a nervous tick. Just something to keep time with. Even the little things, he noticed.
And always wanted to notice them.
For as long as he lived.
"So, yeah, this year I definitely want to start settling down." He finished.
A slight smirk crossed Letty's features. It was so slight, in fact, that he wasn't even sure he'd seen it. But, it was definitely there. She wasn't the kind of woman who liked being told what to do. But, Dom had a feeling she didn't mind him speaking his mind about settling down with her.
Vince raised his beer. "A familia." (To family.)
"To familia." They resounded.
"Ay!" Hector said, poking his head out of the patio door. "Get your asses in here! One minute countdown."
Grabbing their things, they headed into the apartment where a lot of their friends (and some strangers) had begun a thirty-second countdown. When they got to ten, everyone in the room began counting.
Five...
Four..
Three.
Two
"ONE! HAPPY NEW YEAR!" They shouted in unison. Laughter rang out. People embraced. Lovers kissed. And the music was turned all the way up. As they brought in the new year with the people who mattered the most to them.
Up Next: A Valentine's Day surprise. And V-day flashback.
