Chapter 31: Multiplexed

A day later, Abel and Val were resting in their piney retreat.

“You’re still calling me your girlfriend, right?”

“Absolutely.”

“So, we need to do something besides wearing out our shoes together.”

“I’m not sure what you mean.”

“You know, going to places, doing other things as a couple. Not just you staring at my ass while you run behind me. Fernanda and Ted are going to the movies tonight. We could go with them. I thought it would be better to wait and see. But you need some prompting, apparently.

“I’m waiting, Abel.

“Good grief! I’m still waiting.

“(Sigh.) I guess this isn’t working out. Such a simple thing. Again, I’m leaving you here.”

“No. Don’t go,” croaked Abel.

“Will you tell me what’s going on? Why can’t we go to the movies? You don’t want to be out in public with me? Am I that embarrassing to you?”

“No, none of that. It’s my mother.”

“Your mother? Carolina doesn’t like me?”

“No, the opposite. It’s the same reason that Fernanda is living with you. Because Beatriz Soares is sick, her boys are staying in my house. Diego and Danilo are too young to stay by themselves, so I have to stay home and watch them until Mom comes home from work at 11.”

“That makes sense. So, why is that so hard for you to explain?”

“It’s just that, well, I don’t want to be seen as a babysitter instead of a boyfriend. I feel stupid. Also, I can’t take you out on dates because I don’t have a driver’s license. You should have an older boyfriend who can take you out for a good time. Not a skinny guy like me.”

“I swear, Abel, sometimes you just wear me out. Things whirl around inside that head of yours like a blender and then pour out of your mouth unfiltered. Did anything I said in the last ten minutes indicate that I wanted some other guy to go out with? Anything?”

“Well, no, but—”

“Yeah, now you’re catching on. There’s a small bulb over your head, glowing very dimly. Now, switch your brain off from ‘purée’ and ask me.”

“Ask you what?”

Woefully, tiredly, “Please, Abel. Just try. You can do it.”

Brightly, “Oh, yeah! Wanna go to a movie, Val?”

“Praise the Lord! It’s a miracle! Yes, foolish boy, I will go to the movies with you. Leah will help organize things; we’ll go with Nan and Ted. Nan and I will pick the movie, though. No topless women.”

“Why would I want to look at topless movie women instead of you?”

“That is the stupidest, sweetest, and smoothiest thing to come out of your blender yet. Mnph!”

She crawled onto him and planted a fierce and sloppy kiss on Abel’s surprised face.

“For that remark, you’ve earned a treat!”

Val stood up and pulled her tank top and sports bra up and over her head.

“Feast your eyes!”

He couldn’t speak; he just gaped at her. She took an internal ten-count and then leaned over and picked up her clothing.

“Why did you say blender, Val?”

“The way you express yourself sometimes, it’s like your words go through being chopped and swirled between your brain and your mouth. Today, it was charming.”

An evening when Carolina was off work had been chosen.

Conveniently, the nearby shopping mall included a multiple-screen movie theater and a nice Italian-themed restaurant. Leah dropped the four of them there at 5:00, Nan and Ted, Val and Abel.

“I’ll be back at 8:30 to pick you guys up at that bus shelter over there. That will give you time to visit the Jared and Zales jewelry stores and check out their rings. Then we can go downtown for some bar-hopping. Got it?”

“I’ll be sure and tell Carolina what you proposed, Leah,” snarked Val.

“So? Carolina made those suggestions. She’s a party girl, isn’t that right, Abel?”

Abel was too busy coughing to answer.