Page 201 of Undressed In The Crease

“Our little Niko has a girlfriend.” Cat sings out.

“Oh, what’s her name?”

I go to take a cookie so I don’t have to talk, but mom expectantly pulls the plate away from me.

“I think there’s trouble in paradise,” Janika adds while taking a cookie for herself. “He’s been checking his phone all day today.”

I have.And yet there hasn’t been one call or text from Lenny. Not since last night, when I ignored each one. I need to call her. I need to see her.

“Yup!” Cat announces. “He screwed up.”

All three women surround me to examine and watch me intently.

“I didn’t screw up.” I run my hands over my face.

“It was probably all thathockey comes firsttalk.” Janika mocks me as she deepens her voice.

“All of you just stop!” I point to each one of them. “We left off on thin ice. Something happened and I blamed her. Which probably wasn’t even her fault, but I still don’t know the whole story. I want to believe her. But I don’t know what’s real anymore. Lenny, she, well she was just perfect. Is. Is perfect. She loves hockey and knows everything about it. And she just gets it.” I sigh, missing her already. “She’s so smart and ambitious and just passionate about everything. She’s just so real and honest and doesn’t act like normal girls.” I’m babbling. I have no idea what I’m trying to say anymore. “God, I sound just like her right now.” Mom puts her hand on my knee to stop it from bouncing. “I screwed up. I doubted her.”

Mom hands me the full plate of cookies and puts her hand to her chest. Her eyes well up with tears as she looks over me, adoringly. “My son is in love.”

I take a cookie and shove the entire thing in my mouth.

We’re interrupted by “Santa”, also known as my brother-in-law, Drew.

The kids all jump and scream and any issues I’m having are completely forgotten.

I know I need to get up the nerve to call Lenny. I need to apologize and tell her I believe her, but it’ll have to wait until later. Before I go to bed.

I’ll do it.

Lenny

As soon as I walked in the door, I found my mom in the kitchen and cried my heart out into her embrace.

I haven’t stopped crying since.

Ok, I have when my family has successfully distracted me, but any small moment of quiet and I’m sobbing all over again.

My onion tears mix with the real ones as I help my mom chop all the vegetables for all our holiday meals.

It’s all about food for the holidays.

Last night there was fish. All types of fish that I don’t eat. This morning was Dulce de Leche French toast followed by Pasteles, and a Pernil for dinner. In between we have every Puerto Rican or Irish type snacks you can imagine. Mom likes to mix hers and my dad’s traditions so there are always tons of minced pies and potatoes mixed in somehow, plus cookies and cakes.

Neighbors had to stop in to help us eat everything, just like they always do.

“Have some coquito, Lenora.” Mom passes me a fancy glass filled with eggnog. She calls it coquito, but really, it’s plain old eggnog from the store that Dad spiked with whiskey and rum.

“Want me to kill him?” Alex asks while taking a sip of his own eggnog.

“Alex!” Mom shouts, taking the full glass away from him. “Shoo! Out of my kitchen, go find your girlfriend or something!”

The house is filled with friends and family, but I’m hiding out in the kitchen, pretending to clean up the mess my mother already took care of.

“Why not call him?” She suggests as she takes a seat opposite from me.

“He doesn’t want to talk to me.” I frown, feeling like it’s all my fault.

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