Chapter 24- Arizona

Alex and I were out back messing around, like we often did, when time permitted. I was worried when Callie moved in that Alex would feel neglected but turns out we still had time to do the things we used to, like this. "dude watch out" Alex laughed as his arrow blew past my head, sticking into the tree about 300 yards in front of me. "that was close"

"dumbass, you clearly saw I was standing there"

"I know" he laughed, and sat down on a log. I joined him, we sat in silence for a moment "so you're happy?" he asked, I turned to look at him "you know with Callie, you're happy?" at the mention of her name, a smile graces my face "I am"

"I can tell" he smiles back at me. "she's good for you"

"oh?"

"yeah" he laughs "it's like the old Zo is back, you know how you were before" he didn't have to elaborate on that, I knew he was saying before Joann. "yeah, I don't know man, she just"

"I get it" he smiles

"someday, maybe, I hope to find someone" he says his voice trailing off, when I look over at him he's looking off into the distance. "you will" my voice is quiet, like I almost didn't believe it myself. If I'm being honest, the fact that I found Callie is still a shock to my system. I hear Alex scoff, and throw a stick "yeah maybe I can save her from a tornado"

"yeah let's hope there is no more tornados this year" I laugh. We were at the north end of the property, where there was still some trees down in the distance.

"yeah" he laughs, and we're quiet again "has Pop talked to you about your birthday?"

"no" I turn to look at him "why?"

"I don't know?" he shrugs "just wondering if you had plans"

"nope" I sigh and stand "no plans for nothing" sometimes I laugh at how we word things, Alex and I are both high school graduates, but the way we talk you'd think we were some hillbilly hicks from the mountains with no proper education. He commented on that once, but neither one of us cared, we talked normal, or as normal as a person can when dealing with other people. "is she the one?" Alex breaks through my thoughts.

"what do you mean?" I turn around and look at him, I see him shrug, "you know, like are you thinking maybe" he trials off. I chuckle to myself "are you asking me if I want to marry Callie?"

"guess so" he shrugs. My thoughts went back to earlier in the bathroom, after Callie had left me alone. I take a deep breath "well"

"you are aren't you" he smiles

"I don't know, I mean, we've only known each other a few months"

"have you said it yet?" I didn't have to ask what, he of all people knows how hard it was for me after the disaster of my last relationship, if you can even call it that. "today"

"what?" he laughs "she's been living here for a month, and you've been fucking, yet you haven't said it until today?"

"yeah" I shrug

"you're hopeless"

"I know" I laugh

"I love her" he says in a completely serious tone "Pop does too"

"that's good, cuz I don't think she's going anywhere" I laugh

"unless her mom kidnaps her" I whip around and look at him. I hadn't even thought about that. "I mean there's a good chance that Mrs. Torres" he says the name in a way that almost makes me cringe "could've had ulterior motives for coming here today"

"shit" I completely deflate at the realization. I was just happy Callie had at least one parent by her side. I look up at Alex, meeting his eyes, I'm sure he could see the terror in them "relax, Zo" he stands "I'm sure they really are just out shopping, Pop is good at reading people and he didn't get any bad vibes off her"

"I hope so" I sigh and turn to look in the direction of the house

"you want to go back?" I nod, he smiles "ok" as he goes about grabbing the bow and arrow set he brought with us. Hopping on the four-wheeler I look at him "race ya" I start mine up, and speed off, before he even had a chance to get on his "bitch" I hear him call after me. Alex is my ride or die, he's got my back no questions asked, and I the same for him. The last 20 years, it's been him and I against the world. In high school we had a pretty good-sized group, but we all went our separate ways. I still talk to April from time to time, and Teddy is just across the road, but they have families and careers of their own. We try every few months or so to get together, but a lot of the time something comes up, and it doesn't happen. It's ok, Alex and Dad are all I need. I'm now speeding down the trail, I can hear Alex behind me, he's too far back to catch up. Laughing I make the turn that will lead me to the barn where we keep the machines. Parking I turn off the engine and wait. It took Alex another 5 minutes to get there, and I hear him grumbling as he pulled in. "beat cha"

"fuck off" he grumbles, he hates to lose at anything, I'm the same way. That's why we don't play board games anymore. One time we decided it would be a good idea to play monopoly. That didn't end well, on my part. He still gives me shit about that. We are now in the house, I catch a look at the clock, it was almost 5. I'm not sure when Callie will be home, but someone needed to start dinner. "are you cooking or am I?" Alex asks coming back from the bathroom.

"you really want me to cook?" I look at him

"no" he shakes his head "I'd like to be able to eat" we share a laugh and he goes about looking for something, the screen door slams as dad comes in. "what's for supper kids?" no matter how old we get he will always refer to us as kids. Shaking my head "we were trying to figure that out"

"oh" he says sitting down in his chair at the table

"how about pizza, Zo can manage that" Alex says joining my dad

"not if you want it homemade" I laugh

"we got some in the big freezer out in the garage" dad says, I nod and head out to see what we got. I really wasn't in the mood for pizza but it's quick and easy. I pull out two, hoping it was enough, still not sure when my girlfriend will be home, honestly I was starting to get worried. Especially after the comment Alex made about Lucia, although I didn't get that vibe from her. "she'll be home" I mutter to myself and make my way back to the kitchen. Letting out a sigh, as I set the frozen pizzas on the counter, I look at the clock again. "have you heard from her?" dad asks. I turn to look at him, and shake my head "no"

"she'll be back" he smiles that was his way of reassuring me.

"I was fine until this asshole" I nod towards Alex "decided to get it in my head that Lucia had ulterior motives for coming out here today"

"dammit Alex" dad mumbles shaking his head "you know how she is"

"I know" Alex smiles "but if you're that worried why don't you call her"

"call her?" I repeat to myself, wouldn't that make me seem clingy? Like the kind of girlfriend who always needs to know where the other is. I look up at him, he nods and I hear dad say "it's ok to call her, you are just wondering when she'll be home"

"but" I don't even know what I was going to say, but I didn't have to say anymore "you're nothing like Joann" she used to always be calling and finding out when and where I'd be, and who I was with. I let out a sigh, as the oven beeps telling me it's hot enough. I go about putting the pizza's in, the oven was big and old, we could fit two in on the same rack. The house phone rings, I have a cell, but I don't use it much, Callie keeps trying to get me to at least text, she says it's a nice way to communicate during the day. I hear dad answer "it's for you" he holds the phone in my direction.

"hello" I say cautiously

"hi beautiful" my heart about leaped out of my chest "I was just calling to say I'm on my way, did you guys need anything?"

"do we need anything?" I ask, when I got two head shakes "no we're good"

"ok, I'll be home shortly"

"ok"

"Arizona" she says my name softly

"hmm"

"I love you" it was almost a whisper, I feel my insides get warm, I turn my back to Alex and dad and softly say "I love you too" and hang up the phone.

"I love you too" Alex says mocking me, rolling my eyes I join them at the table. "she's on her way"

"good, now you can relax" dad says standing, and making his way to the bathroom.