Mia was doing the things she used to love to do again. She was regularly hiking and painting like before, and Raul had started to take her rock climbing which she discovered she enjoyed. She wasn't withdrawn into herself anymore either, now going back to the more social person she had been. Even before she had caught Aaron cheating on her, when she thought her life was set to where it was going to be indefinitely, she still wasn't the best version of herself. Aaron was manipulative and hostile, never supportive, never encouraging. Anything Mia enjoyed was considered trivial or insignificant. He never asked her about her day, never asked her about herself, or anything at all. But she had grown to dearly want a family. She wanted to get married and have a baby and be happy. She thought she wanted those things with Aaron, because he was all she was used to anymore. She knew deep down that she would never be happy with him, and wouldn't want him to be the father of her children...but she was resigned to being tethered to him, and always imagined her future with him in there.
His cheating on her was a blessing, really. Shame her stupid best friend had to be the one involved, but that was a blessing too, she supposed.
She and Carly had been friends since middle school. They had gone through a lot of life events together, and had always been there for each other. Mia was there for Carly when Carly's mother went through stage 3 breast cancer. Carly's mother was like a second mother to her, too. They went through high school and college graduations together, celebrated landing their first jobs, went through boyfriends and break ups, bad days and good days. Mia took the cheating hard, way harder than she felt she had a reason to. She knew Aaron was a jerk and had been suspecting his infidelity. In hindsight she could see Carly was acting funny about certain things. And yet, she was still blindsided.
If she didn't have Jackie there to see her through it, who knows where she would have ended up? Jackie was there to give her a place to stay for a while, to make sure she ate, to keep her going to work every day. She owed Jackie her life. She owed Tom her life, too, honestly. He was there for her as well, opening his home to her, saying nothing when Jackie spent the majority of her time with Mia instead of him, her husband. He went with her to pack her things, he helped her move into her new apartment, he supported her and checked up on her. He was there for her, like a brother. And now it was because of him she met Bill, by and far the best thing to have ever happened to her.
It was almost daunting, thinking about how much she owed Jackie and Tom, and how much she wanted to repay them, and express to them how much they meant to her. She had tried to tell them, almost tearfully, how appreciative she was of their kindness and love, but they would always wave it off.
"Seeing you happy is enough for us," Tom had told her the last time she tried.
Mia rolled her eyes and grinned. Tom was always so noble.
Bill was definitely changing.
He needed fewer notches on his belt as time went on. He even went down a whole shirt size. His jawline did seem more defined than before. He felt more energetic, more active, and no longer on the brink of a deep depressive episode anymore. He was more confident and not as prone to second-guessing himself like he had been. He was more productive, too. He was getting a lot of house projects done that he hadn't had the drive to even start in the past. Mia kept taking him out on walking trails, which at first he only did because she wanted to, but now he actually looked forward to them. He wasn't as out of breath, even on steeper inclines, anymore. He took her fishing and camping, old activities of his he had forgotten how much he enjoyed.
Long ago he was the school's star athlete, he was fit and muscular, and he was confident and happy. But once he found his future wife passed out in his lap at a concert, it was all downhill from there. It was love at first sight for him; she was beautiful, she was wild, yet she was also vicious. He had had nice girlfriends before her, but something about Lenore really made him attach more than anyone had before. As he admitted to Gilbert, he was used to being looked down upon by his father, and having all of his qualities and traits criticized. It was what he knew, what he expected, what he had grown up being taught was normal.
After Lenore left for good, Bill became needy and obsessive with any potential girlfriend in his trajectory. He threw himself into his loneliness and his desire for affection and let his other needs fall to the wayside. He stopped putting effort into his appearance, his health, or mental well-being. His main focus was finding a woman would give him the time of day for more than a few minutes before becoming disgusted or annoyed with him.
Years went by, and so did the failed relationships. One after the other something went wrong. He became beaten down and exhausted from the heartbreak. Eventually...he gave up. He stopped trying to find a relationship of any kind and let himself accept the inevitable: he was a fat, bald loser who would be alone for the rest of his life. Bill had contemplated ending it all, many times; and a few times he did come close, had Hank not stopped him in time. And now he looked at his life, saved by Hank, and in a way, saved by Tom, who introduced him to Mia. Tom gave him a chance at finding someone to share his life with, to give himself to, someone to be with. He often pondered why Tom would ever give him such a tremendous, life-changing gift. Did Tom fully realize how deeply and completely he had transformed Bill's very existence?
He got his chance to ask, one Tuesday afternoon.
Tom came through the door of the barber building, plucky and cheerful as he always was, grinning his dashing crooked smile.
"Billy!" he whooped, and flopped down into the barber chair as if he were on his couch at home.
"Tommy! It's been a while since I've seen you. Your hair has gotten long."
"Yeah, I let it go a little too long. I got lectured about it this morning. So you gotta save me."
"Of course. The usual?"
"Yessir!"
Bill set to work, deftly clipping and trimming, his lines straight and clean. They talked as the hair dropped to the floor, discussing the Fourth of July trips they each took a few weekends ago, Tom with his wife and Bill with his girlfriend. Tom remarked that Jackie wanted to have him and Mia over for dinner soon.
"Mia had mentioned that a couple times. I'd really like to meet her, too."
"I think, finally, both Jackie and I have normal schedules again. If you or Mia don't have to work late Friday then what do you say?"
"I say that sounds great!"
Bill finished Tom's haircut and brushed him clean. Tom started to get up to leave.
"Tom, before you go, I've been wanting to ask you something."
Tom settled back down into the chair.
"Shoot."
Bill took a deep breath.
"Okay... remember back when you set me up with Mia? You said she wanted to find someone who was kind, and you said that someone was me. But uh…" he rubbed the back of his neck nervously, "Look, you know what she looks like, and you know what I look like. You can't tell me that there wasn't anyone else you could have found for her. Yet you chose me. I just...wondered what I did to deserve that."
Tom sat quietly as Bill spoke, all while with a smile on his face.
"What you did to deserve that...okay, think back a few years now, when I was first recruited. I don't think I was here more than a month or two. You know how rough it is at the beginning; I was still getting adjusted to everything, still getting hazed and razzed and trying to keep up with the work and routine. And then...my dad died suddenly. It devastated me, of course, he was my dad, but he was also my hero. We were very close.
I came in to work the next morning still, not even hours after he died, because I didn't know what else to do with myself. I was so deep in shock, all I could do was just my usual routine, find some semblance of normalcy, you know? And all day I was just trying to hold it all in, because you know what it's like if you show any emotion around here, especially coming from a new grunt like I was. They'd eat me alive.
That day I sat at the mess hall, just sitting there alone, trying to keep my shit together, just trying to make it through the day until I could go home and uh...cry, I guess. And you came and sat with me. Do you remember that?"
"Vaguely, yeah…"
"So I was sitting there, an emotional wreck, my dad just died and I was having a hard time with adjusting to military life as it was. And you came and sat down with me. I think I had only really talked with you once, when you shaved my head right after I enlisted. So you didn't even really know me. You sat down with me and you saw I didn't get any food. I couldn't even think about eating, especially mess hall food at a time like that. You had brought in a sub sandwich from Green's Deli. Remember?"
"Yes, I do." The memory was becoming a little more clear to him now, but he still wasn't sure where Tom was going with it.
"So you saw I didn't have food, and you were talking with me, and you weren't expecting me to answer or anything, I don't think I could have, anyway. But it was nice to have someone come talk to me about normal, everyday things. And you gave me half of your sub. You said it was the best sub in the world. I didn't feel hungry, but you were being so kind to me, and you were sharing it with me, so I ate it mostly to be polite. But you were right, it was the best sub in the world. Like, I ate it and I actually felt a little better. It really got me through the rest of the day. And you did, too, coming over and talking to me. I never got to thank you for that."
Bill shrugged it off. "I knew what it was like being new, so I think I was understanding what you might have been going through. I didn't know about your dad though, I'm sorry."
"Thank you, but that's not all. I mean, that's part of it... But, the next week, after my dad's funeral, I was still having a hard time with him dying, obviously. And I thought, hey, I'm going to go get the best sub in the world and bring it to work, then I would have something nice to look forward to, to kinda keep me moving forward, you know? So I go into Green's to get one. And I get in there and behind the counter I see the most beautiful girl I had ever seen. She looked like an angel, a goddess among mortals. I was mesmerized. Then I started to feel better again, kind of like my old self, you know? I saw her and I talked to her, and I even made her laugh, and I asked her out while she made me the best sub in the world. A few years later, I married her."
Bill's eyes widened in shock. "Wait...Jackie?"
"Yep...so, in a way, it's because of you I met my wife. I don't know if I would have known about that deli had you not told me about it, and I never would have met Jackie while she was working there, all because you took pity on an emotionally fragile newbie. "
Bill was in awe. "Wow. I didn't know any of that."
"I know, and I'm sorry. I should have thanked you and told you about it. I guess after you saw me in that state I was kind of embarrassed to remind you about it. Then as time went on I felt like it would have been awkward to bring it up. I don't know."
"I understand what you're saying. Just, wow, I just can't believe I was involved in someone meeting their wife ..."
Tom smiled. "So when you ask what you did to deserve me introducing you to Mia, that's it. I owe you for sort of introducing me to Jackie. So hopefully we're even, in some way."
"Definitely even, no question about it. Thank you, Tom. Really."
"Hey, no problem, Billy. I'm just glad y'all hit it off so well. If things didn't work out then I'd really owe it to you."
They said their goodbyes, and Tom actually hugged Bill before leaving. Bill stared behind him as he left, thinking back to the story he told. It was amazing to Bill that he was, in some small way, a part of somebody finding true love. And now it came around back to him, and somebody was a part of him finding...well, a romantic interest. He couldn't say love yet, not so soon, but things were headed down that path...
It was high summer now. The air was thick with humidity and sultry heat. Why Raul insisted on playing tennis under the blazing sun of midday, Mia didn't know. They went together to the local tennis court which was, unsurprisingly, empty. Tennis wasn't usually one of her better games, but today she seemed to be doing alright. The two of them had been playing for a little while, though it felt like longer than it was, being so unbearably hot.
They were hitting the ball back and forth for a good consecutive chain until Raul served it into the net.
"Thirty-love," Mia called the score.
"This is the only time I'll get any love," Raul muttered dramatically as he fetched the ball.
"Hey, I love you!"
"Love you too, but you know what I mean."
"Nate didn't work out, then?"
Raul wiped his forehead with the back of his hand. "No. He never, like, asked about me or showed any interest in me as a person. He only ever wanted to smoke and uh...yeah." He cut off what he intended to say, but Mia knew where he was going with it.
"Come to Jackie's tonight. She's making dinner and meeting Bill. You can meet him, too."
"Oh, yeah! Now I can finally see what's got you so twitterpated."
He lobbed the ball to Mia, who dashed to the side into another clean serve.
"Forty-love."
"Dang, you're good." He wiped his brow again after collecting the ball from beside the fence.
"Usually you're the one winning."
"I'm off my form today."
"It's a billion degrees out, too."
"Yeah. Maybe we should call it."
Mia looked smug. "You never duck out early from anything."
"Don't question it. Let's get something to drink."
They hopped into Raul's Jeep and decided on a local dive bar. The walls were wood paneling and the seating was mismatched, but the drinks were good and cheap. Mia and Raul's rather casual attire wasn't out of place here; they had both worn tank tops and shorts for their tennis game, and Raul's baseball hat was turned backwards on his head.
The room was dark except for the light coming in through the front windows. They sat down in front of a window which had a number of dead flies along the bottom.
"What are you getting?" Mia asked Raul.
"My usual. I need something refreshing."
"I'll have one, too."
The server took their orders and left, returning again shortly after with two Cuban mojitos.
"This hits the spot like no other," Raul sighed contentedly after a big sip.
"It's better than the vodka soda I usually have."
They sat quietly as they drank and cooled down from the summer heat outside.
Eventually Raul asked, "So, you don't think Jackie would mind if I crashed her dinner tonight?"
"No, of course not. It will be fun."
"Awesome. It'll be cool to meet your new boyfriend. He sounds legit."
Mia laughed. "Yeah...he's legit."
"I didn't realize how bad things were with the last one. If I knew, I would have been more supportive of you."
"Supportive how, like kick his ass?"
"Yeah, that."
Mia chuckled. "I know you would. I know Jackie would, too. I guess that's why I never really told anyone how callous he was to me. I didn't want to burden anyone with my crappy decisions."
"No, you just got used to it. And after you started putting more and more time into it, you didn't want to throw away all the time you spent, so you stayed to try and make it worth what you put in. Sunk cost fallacy."
Mia considered this, then nodded in agreement. "How do you know so much about this stuff?"
"I don't know. It's funny because I can't keep a boyfriend for more than a few months."
"You just have standards, and respect for yourself. That's good."
"Eh," he shrugged, "Maybe my standards are too high. And maybe I have too much respect for myself."
"Stop. You're awesome. And I'm glad you realize that...even if you are a little vain sometimes." She grinned playfully.
"I'm only as vain as my looks allow. And can you blame me?" He flexed his muscled arms.
Mia laughed.
She had always known Raul to have a different boyfriend every couple of months. He usually went for men who needed someone to take care of them emotionally, or fuss over them, which Raul didn't have the time or aptitude for, yet he was drawn to those types anyway. Mia thought he needed a guy who was more grounded and self-sufficient, and maybe then things might work out a little better.
They continued to chat and finished their drinks, then it was time for them to head out. As they left the air conditioned bar it was as if a thick wall of heat had hit them when they opened the door.
Raul took Mia home and waited for her to make it inside before he left.
"I'll see you there at six," she reminded him, and waved before retreating to the coolness of the house.
Bill was nervous to meet Mia's sister. He knew how important she was in Mia's life, and badly wanted to make a good impression. This was a time that needed to count, and he wasn't sure he had the social skills to carry him through his awkwardness. He had been feeling more confident about himself now that he's noticed some weight loss, but the fact of the matter was he was still overweight, bald, and old. If he was blundering his way through conversation then it would only make it all even more apparent. And if Jackie had a poor opinion of him, it might carry over to how Mia felt about him and make her rethink why she was with him in the first place.
Mia sensed his nervousness as they drove the way there, due to how stiffly he sat and how short his replies were.
"I'm telling you, it's going to be fine," she reassured him once again. "Don't you think I was nervous meeting all your friends?"
"Yeah, but you're pretty and funny. No one could ever think badly of you."
"No one will think badly of you! How could they? I tell them all the time how great you are, and now they can see it for themselves."
He felt a little better, in a way, though not completely convinced.
They pulled in front of Jackie and Tom's house. It was a newer, contemporary ranch style with a large yard. Raul's red Jeep was already parked in the driveway.
Mia held Bill's hand and looked up at him with a reassuring smile as they walked up to the house. She always helped him feel more at ease.
"Billy!" Tom greeted when he answered the door. He looked much different out of his uniform, the only thing Bill had ever seen him in. He was about Bill's height, and now that he was out of the bulk of his uniform, the slenderness of his build was more apparent.
"Hi, Tommy." Bill went to shake his outstretched hand, but Tom pulled him into a hug instead. It took Bill by surprise, though he gingerly hugged Tom back.
"Come on in, guys."
The living room was filled with leafy green plants; Tall palms, hanging ivy, and spindly spider plants gave the room the impression of a jungle. Raul was flopped comfortably on the couch, and by the sounds coming from the kitchen Jackie must have been finishing up dinner.
"Mia!" Raul bounded to his feet and crushed her into a one-armed hug, as if he didn't just see her a few hours ago. With the other hand he extended it to Bill. "Hey Bill, I'm Raul," he said with a dimpled smile. His tattooed sleeve caught Bill's eye, and coupled with Raul's towering, powerfully built frame, he looked a little intimidating.
"Very nice to meet you," Bill managed.
Jackie suddenly appeared in the wide entrance way, wiping her hands on a dish towel. "Guys! I'm so glad you're here. I'm Jackie," she introduced.
Bill thought Jackie was very pretty, strikingly so. She reminded Bill of a carved marble statue depicting a deity of some kind. She and Mia didn't look alike to him at first, save for their skin complexion and the dark coloring of their hair and their round eyes. But with all the time Bill had spent gazing upon Mia, admiring every detail of her face, he could begin to see a few of the same quirks they shared.
"I'm Bill," he said, "You have a very nice home."
"Thank you! It's so great to finally meet you. Mia talks about you all the time."
"I've heard a lot about you, too."
"Great! I can't wait to talk with you. I just finished up dinner if you guys are ready to eat."
"I'm starving!" Mia declared.
They all moved to the kitchen, which was shiny with stainless steel appliances. The table was set with what looked to be fancy tableware.
Jackie motioned proudly to the food the cooked. "I made roast beef, scalloped potatoes, and sauteed asparagus."
"It looks delicious," Bill complimented.
"This looks great, Jackie," said Raul.
They all fixed their plates and ate. Everything tasted delightful. Jackie insisted that cooking wasn't her strong suit, but Bill had to respectfully disagree.
"The crushed peppercorns pressed into the roast was a nice touch," he told her.
"Thank you!"
"So Bill, where are you from?" Raul asked.
"I was born in New Orleans, and lived there until I was six. Then we moved to Arlen and I've been here ever since."
"You ever been to Mardi Gras?"
"No, uh, too busy for me."
"Oh man. You should. I've gone a couple times. I don't remember it though, if you know what I mean."
"Sounds like a good time," smiled Bill.
"Is it a good time if you don't remember it, Raul?" Mia questioned.
"Alright, the parts I do remember were pretty sweet."
"Bill, what do you like to do for fun?" Jackie asked.
That was a tricky answer for him. He had gone so long without really doing much of anything for fun, instead merely existing through his day to day. It was only since meeting Mia he was finding joy in his old interests again.
"Oh, things like fishing and camping. Mia's been getting me into hiking a little bit."
Bill and Tom then discussed various fishing techniques and lures. Jackie had given Mia a bright smile, which Mia took to mean she liked Bill. Mia could tell Raul liked him, too, because he kept peppering him with questions and joking with his replies.
They had all finished eating and moved to the living room. Mia settled next to Bill on the loveseat, Raul and Tom sat on the couch on the opposite side of the room. Jackie stood, facing them, hands clasped together.
"I'm glad to have you all here. Tom and I have something important to tell you…"
The energy in the room was buzzing. Jackie was radiant, grinning a dazzling and joyous smile. "We're having a baby!"
"What!" Mia shrieked, eyes widened, caught entirely off guard.
"Yes! I'm due in March!"
"Oh my GOD!" Mia jumped to her feet and wrapped herself around her sister. "I can't believe it!"
"Wow, that's wonderful," Raul congratulated.
"Congratulations," Bill said happily.
"I can't BELIEVE it!"
"What's not to believe? They've had a lot of extra time together now that you're always with Bill," teased Raul.
"Shut up! Ugh, I can't even be annoyed right now. I'm going to be an aunt!"
"Come look at what I want to do for the nursery!" Jackie insisted, and they both excitedly skittered down the hall, giggling together.
"Congrats, Tom," Bill said to him.
"Yeah man, that's awesome!"
"Thanks," Tom smiled. "What do you guys say to a celebratory beer?" He grabbed beers out from the fridge and handed them out.
They all cracked their cans open and took a sip. Eventually, Tom spoke again, quietly and looking distant. "I can't believe I'm going to be a father. I'm going to be responsible for a human being."
"That's heavy, man. But you guys will be great parents. You guys are well-rounded, well-adjusted people."
Tom chuckled, though a bit nervously. "Thanks, Raul."
"You must be very excited, though, to be a dad," Bill said. What a feeling that must be...
"I am, really...I've always wanted to have kids."
"What do you want? A boy or girl?" Raul asked.
"I don't mind either way. I would say a boy so I could teach him how to play football and go camping and stuff, but I could teach a girl that, too."
"True. Rosa's daughter Sienna is on the wrestling team and plays with a butterfly knife for fun."
"Uh, I don't know, dude. Your sister's kids are kind of feral."
Bill glanced to his side and saw a picture hanging on the wall. It was a posed photo of Jackie and Tom on their wedding day, standing in the center surrounded by wedding guests. Jackie wore a lace adorned dress with a straight neckline, her dark hair elegantly pinned to the top of her head, accentuating her elongated neck. Tom stood at her shoulder, grinning so widely that the corners of his glittering eyes crinkled. On their left stood who Bill presumed was Jackie and Mia's brother, Samuel. He seemed to resemble Jackie more than he did Mia; he was long and lean with sharpened features, yet had the same round, dark eyes that both sisters did. Beside him were who must be their parents; their father looked kindly and mild-mannered, with wire rimmed glasses and a receding hairline. Bill could see some of Mia's resemblances to him, in little areas, like the way their brows arched when they smiled, or the wider shape of their faces. Their mother stood gracefully at his side, her dark hair long and straight, and had the wide, gazing eyes her children had inherited. She had a gentle air about her; Bill recalled Mia telling him her mother was "motherly" to everyone, which even from this picture he could see to be true.
On the right of the picture was Mia, as beautiful as Bill had ever known her. He realized with a jolt she was standing with who he also presumed to be Aaron, her ex. Bill knew he was looking at Aaron with a prejudiced lens, and therefore everything about the guy seemed smarmy and egotistic. He was tall yet broad, square jawed, his dirty blond hair thick and feathered in the front. All in all, as much as Bill loathed to admit it, the guy was good looking. And certainly nothing like how Bill looked…
"Our wedding, about two years ago now," Tom told him when he noticed Bill looking at the picture.
"Their dad looks like Phil Hartman," commented Raul.
"Dude, he does!" Tom agreed.
Trying to sound casual, Bill asked, "Is this Aaron?"
"Yep."
"You should cut him out of that picture," Raul suggested.
"Well… that is why Jackie had him stand on the end like that."
"Jackie didn't like him, then?" wondered Bill.
Tom chuckled nervously, and Raul bluntly replied, "No one liked him."
"He would call me "Boot Boy" because I'm in the military," grumbled Tom.
"He sounds like a piece of work," Bill remarked.
With a shake of his head, Tom said, "You don't know the half of it."
"But you seem cool, Bill. And with the way Mia talks about you I can tell you're treating her well. She never talked about Aaron like that."
Bill very much appreciated Raul's expressed approval. "I like Mia a lot. I'm happy we're together."
Jackie and Mia were returning back down the hall, chatting enthusiastically as they approached.
"Mom is going to be so happy," Mia said to her.
"I know. We're going up there tomorrow to tell her!"
Mia sat down next to Bill again. He could feel her excited energy radiating next to him.
"I feel like I'm more excited for your baby than I was for my own sister's," Raul commented.
Jackie shrugged. "She's had a few babies already. The novelty probably wore off."
"They're cute though," Raul chuckled, "Last time I saw them they colored on my tattoos with markers."
"Last time I saw them, they put a newt in my glass of water," grumbled Mia.
"They put peanut butter under my car door handle!"
Raul laughed. "Sorry, Jackie, I told them to do that."
Jackie playfully reached over to smack his arm, and he swiped it down in defense.
"Careful, you can't hit a pregnant lady!"
"Girl, your FACE ain't pregnant."
Bill couldn't help but laugh at their playful bickering. It was nice sitting with Mia's family, who were all funny and nice, and close with each other. He felt at ease sitting with them, no longer nervous like he was when he first arrived. They all talked for longer, drinking wine or beer except for Jackie, having a great time together as the night grew darker. Eventually Raul made to leave to go home. He hugged everyone, even Bill, and clapped him on the back before departing.
"We're probably going to head out, too," Mia yawned.
"I'm so glad you guys came! Tonight was so fun. And it was so nice meeting you, Bill." Jackie said happily.
Jackie and Tom both hugged him as they left. He could tell that they were all a family of huggers, which he liked. Bill and Mia then drove home through the night while the stars twinkled overhead.
"I can't believe they're having a baby," Mia said in wonderment, more to herself than to Bill.
"That's very exciting."
Mia couldn't help but realize Jackie's baby and Aaron and Carly's baby would be around the same age. Maybe they'd even be in the same class someday.
"I hope you had a good time," Mia said.
"I did. Your family is great. They're so funny!"
"You should see them all when Sammy is home from Nevada. It gets wild."
Bill grinned. "I can't wait."
Mia smiled over at him. She knew they would all like him, and he would like them. Thinking back on how things were when she brought Aaron around them made her cringe. He was always so rude and stupid about everything, and her family put up with it for her sake. How was she worth that to them? How did they still want to have her around, to have her in their lives?
They returned to Bill's house where Mia stayed the night. She was finding herself staying at his house more often, even during the week. It was becoming too lonely without him, and harder to fall asleep without him next to her. Their lives were dovetailing more and more as their time together went on. They told each other about their days, shared stories of their past, talked about their opinions and ideas. They spent their weekends together, and most of their weeknights after work.
Bill knew he didn't deserve her, and that she could find so much better than what he was. But with the way she looks into his eyes and tells him that he makes her so happy...he could start to believe it.
