Page 69 of Keep It Together

“Only if you have another pair of these sweats I can borrow. They look really comfortable.” She ran her hands over the planes of my chest and up over my shoulders, admiring the Walmart fleece. I’d have to wear sweats more often. Move aside chocolate lava cake. Apparently, all it took was comfort wear to get her attention.

My phone chimed in my pocket.

“That you?” Carmen asked before wrapping her arms up around my neck. I held her close and breathed in the scent of her shampoo. Apple blossoms. I wasn’t sure how many hugs were required for our repayment plan, but I was willing to work off this debt for the rest of my life. The word forever kept bouncing around in my mind, this happy secret of exactly how much she meant to me, and how much I looked forward to spoiling her until she knew it without an ounce of doubt. But I didn’t say any of that. I just held her.

When my phone chimed again, I reluctantly pulled it out and checked, keeping my free arm around Carmen and resting my face against hers. It made me feel calm, even while reading the frantic text from my sister and knowing tomorrow would be every bit as challenging as today.

“What is it?” Carmen asked, easing away from me so she could read my face.

“Come inside, and I’ll show you.” I took her hand and led her into my house and over to my couch, where she immediately climbed into my lap so we could read the message together.

Grace: I need you to come with me to dinner tomorrow night. Ex is in town and wants to see Piper, and you know how that goes. Bring Carmen, too. I’m dying to meet her, and what better way to test things out than with the most awkward double date of all time? Not that I’m dating my ex. I’m not. I’m really not. This is for Piper. And my own sanity.

Grace: Please :)

Carmen took my hand and laced my fingers with hers. “It sounds like we have plans tomorrow night.”

I buried my face in her hair, knowing I needed to explain, but not sure where to start. Grace’s ex was a standup comedian who traveled a lot without a ton to show for it. His apartment was a dump, and Grace didn’t love having him over to her house until late. He had a tendency of getting a little too comfortable and trying to stay the night, no matter how many times she turned him down. So, for now, they met up whenever it worked with his schedule. “It’s a mess, Carmen.”

“Messy doesn’t scare me.”

I stared her down when she turned to look at me. “Using my own words against me?”

“It sounded better when you said it to me about bingo, because we both know messy actually scares me a lot. But I’m on board the Isaac train now.” She smiled. “Choo-choo.”

I took her face in my hands and kissed her softly. “You sure you want on this crazy train?”

She nodded, taking in every one of my features before tilting her head and kissing my right cheek, and then my left. “Assuming Eddie doesn’t kill you tomorrow, I’m looking forward to meeting your sister.”

Chapter 35 - Carmen

Isaac sent me home at a decent hour, and after smiling at the ceiling for what felt like forever, I fell into a deep and dreamless sleep and woke up recharged and ready to go.

True to his word, when I finished dressing in jeans and sweaters in two different shades of lime green layered over a pink tank top, Eddie was in our parents’ kitchen eating eggs covered in hot sauce and frowning over a list in our mother’s scrawly handwriting.

“How bad is it?” I asked.

“Tree trimming we can do. And changing out lightbulbs would be a piece of cake if she actually had them, but…” He held up a grocery sack next to him and the contents made a clanking sound. “They’re all weird sizes, and she’s out.”

“Isaac and I can run to the hardware store.”

Eddie shook his head. “You’d like that, wouldn’t you? Skipping along the aisles and holding hands? I’m thinking Isaac can stay here with me, and you can go. That way the two of us will have plenty of time to get to know each other, just like you want.”

“Ed. I promised him he wouldn’t end up stuffed in a vent somewhere if he came over today.”

“And he won’t be. I’ll be nice.” He gave me a smile that was anything but reassuring. “As long as he answers all my questions.”

“I take it back. You’re not forgiven for last night, and there will be revenge if anything happens to him.”

“Oh yeah? Like what?”

I thought long and hard. Eddie didn’t embarrass easily, but I had quite a catalog to flip through in my mind. Once upon a time, he’d dreamt of being a popstar. “I’ll find that video of you lip-syncing to Shakira and post it on social media.”

Eddie tilted his head, looking unimpressed. “I’llpost it on social media. I’ll even tag Shakira. Oh wait, I don’t have any accounts, and I don’t care.”

My jaw dropped in offense. “Okay, well then… I’ll tell Papá you were the one who put that big scratch on his Cadillac.”

Eddie’s eyes widened. He’d been twelve, and a little too exuberant with the shopping cart. I’d been jogging alongside him when he accidentally rammed it into the side of Papa’s beloved car. “Fine, Carmen. Not a hair on Isaac’s head will be lost. I won’t even offend his precious feelings. Are you happy now?”

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