Chapter 10: Norfolk, Virginia - February 2014
x
x
Teylor fingered the bright red ribbon on the box in front of him. He hadn't wrapped it himself, but rather been suckered into paying the extra nine dollars to have it gift-wrapped at the store, an expenditure that now felt rather ridiculous. Caro wouldn't care. Hell, she probably wouldn't care about the present at all. One thing you could definitely say about Caro was that she wasn't materialistic. In fact, given the number of rants that Teylor had listened to over the past six months regarding the problem of consumerism in the United States, usually followed by another rant about "the man," there was a decent chance that Caro's reaction to the gift would be distinct displeasure. Flat-out refusal wasn't off the table or, even worse, a refusal followed by a sarcastic quip regarding the day.
Valentine's Day? What exactly are we celebrating? The Hallmark invention? Or the decapitation of some third century martyr?
Maybe he should just throw the thing in the closet and save it for a safer occasion.
Before Teylor could decide, the doorbell rang. Resolving to throw himself to the wolves - or rather wolf in this case - Teylor dropped the colorful box back onto the table, opening the door to find Caro grinning at him, a deck of playing cards in one hand, bottle of vodka in the other.
"How good are you at poker?" She asked without preamble.
"Depends, what are the stakes?" Teylor drawled, leaning against the door jamb.
Caro pretended to consider the question. "Well, we could play for money or ..."
"Or works for me," Teylor replied, moving to the side so that she could step past him into the apartment, leaning down to gather her bag. When he turned, Caro's back was to him, the cards and booze sitting on the table, the package that Teylor now definitely regretted purchasing in her hands.
"Is this for me?" she asked, voice quiet, an awkward tension filling the room.
Teylor busied himself tossing her duffel into the bedroom. "It was for my other girlfriend but since you've seen it, I guess you might as well have it."
"Can I open it?"
"Of course. It's your gift." Teylor leaned against the back of the couch, twisting his Diet Pepsi between his hands, strangely nervous. It wasn't as if the gift was particularly personal. But it was the first time that he had given Caro a real gift. Something that he chose for her. Something with meaning. Something that he hoped would remind her of him when she was somewhere else.
Caro slid her pinky finger under the tape at one end of the package, carefully unwrapping the paper and setting it to the side. She lifted the top off the box, and Teylor caught a glimpse of surprise before her face lit up. Dropping the box to the table, she lifted the forest green jacket to her chest. "Pandora? I've wanted one of these!"
Teylor released a breath that he didn't realize he was holding, moving to the kitchen to gather two shot glasses. Grabbing the vodka, he filled both, leaving Caro's on the table as he moved to the couch.
"I remembered you saying what you wanted one." Teylor replied, shrugging, as though locating the thing hadn't meant combing through three stores, finally ending up at one of those hole-in-the-wall places filled with incense that made him sneeze for the next hour, putting up with a salesperson who kept referring to his "chakra" as though Teylor should know what the hell he was talking about, and fielding dark looks from the other patrons as Jones loudly expressed his disbelief over the fact that the restaurant next door thought that mushrooms could be substituted for a real burger. Obviously the guy did not get out enough. "They seemed nice. Warm anyway."
Folding the jacket neatly and returning it to the box, Caro grabbed her shot, downing it without hesitation. Waiting until he took his, Caro dropped into his lap, wrapping her arms around his neck.
"You, Teylor Cruz, are a really great guy." Leaning forward, she pressed a soft kiss against his lips. "Thank you for the jacket."
The warmth he felt spreading through him was definitely from the vodka, just the vodka. "You're welcome."
Retrieving the bottle and cards from the table, Caro refilled their glasses as Teylor dealt. Caro smiled as she took her second shot. "Although you should know that today did traditionally involve the sacrificing of goats."