Late Night Conversations

"Papa doesn't sing." Mrs. Ramos came to her husband's rescue when he didn't immediately respond. Well, sort of. "I love you dearly Roberto, but you're completely tone deaf."

"Am I now?" he smiled, taking her words as a challenge. Miranda's father started singing what was obviously an old favorite song in Spanish. It didn't help.

His wife was dead right about his singing ability, but it didn't matter in the end. The kids joined in and how good or bad he sang stopped mattering. Neither Gramsy nor I knew the song so we stayed quiet. It worked out better that way anyway because that meant Mrs. Ramos wasn't the only one not singing.

"I stand corrected," Miranda's mother said to her husband when they were done.

"More love talking." Gramsy's comment drew laughter from everyone, the loudest being Mr. Ramos himself. My grandmother then turned to the kids. "It's time to go wash up and get ready for bed. Say goodnight to your parents. You'll be seeing them soon enough."

Sophie and Matteo grumbled, but they're goodbyes went a lot easier tonight. Renzo added his to theirs and ushered his younger brother and sister to Gramsy's.

"Grandson, make sure the fire's out before you come in," Gramsy added before turning to the others. "Goodnight Roberto, Mercedes." My grandmother's smile deepened when she looked at Miranda. "Night, child."

"Goodnight, Gramsy." I loved the fact that two of most important women in my life were close, and growing closer. It would have been perfect if Lisa were part of it too, but that would have to wait until the pandemic ended.

"We should be going in too," Miranda's father said once Gramsy was gone.

"I don't want to go in yet," his wife smiled. "You sit and enjoy your stars while I enjoy the fire." He hesitated, but then nodded in acceptance. That's when Mrs. Romas turned to her daughter and added, "What are you waiting for? I don't need your protection any longer. Go sit next to David. You know you want to."

"You don't have to tell me twice," Miranda laughed as she got up and moved her chair closer to me. She took my hand as soon as she sat down.

"So, where exactly is this Miranda constellation?" Her father asked as soon as were all settled.

"Over there, Papa," my girlfriend answered, pointing it out to him.

The two started talking and it was obvious that their love of the night time sky was something they shared. They both knew far more constellations than I cared to know, but I enjoyed watching Miranda's face light up as he pointed out one she didn't know.

Eventually, I reluctantly looked away to make sure the fire was okay. That's when I noticed that Miranda's parents were holding hands as well. Not only that, but Mrs. Ramos was no longer watching the fire. She was watching her husband.

She must have felt me looking at her because Miranda's mother shifted her gaze to me. "You know. I guess I could learn to enjoy watching the stars after all."

"That's great!" her husband grinned, happy, but missing Mrs. Ramos's point entirely.

She and I exchanged a smile. In that moment, we weren't Miranda's mother and boyfriend, but two people deeply in love with stargazers that made our lives complete. It was the beginning of a bond between us that I hoped would grow to something special.

"Papa, is that another constellation over there?" Miranda asked. "It looks family, but I can't..."

The four of us sat out for another twenty minutes, enjoying each other's company and the night time sky in our own way. Mira and I didn't say much to each other in herr parents presence, but just being next to each other and holding hands was enough for me tonight.

"Roberto, it's time to go inside." Mrs. Ramos looked like she preferred to stay out longer, but it was obvious she was tired despite taking a nap just before joining us.

"Of course," Miranda's father said, standing and offering her a hand up. Miranda stood as well. Mr. Ramos turned to me and his daughter. "You two can stay out a little bit longer if you'd like."

"No, that's okay," my girlfriend replied. I knew a part of Miranda wanted to sit with me and talk, but she obviously wanted to make sure her mother settled into to bed okay. I smiled to myself, getting an inkling why her parents had kicked her out of the house the day before.

"Are you sure?" Mrs. Ramos asked.

"I need to clean up out here and go check to make sure the kids went to sleep without any problems, anyway." Sure, I wanted Miranda all to myself, but what kind of boyfriend would I be if I didn't back her up her desires, even when they didn't revolve around me? "They're still getting used to Gramsy's ways."

"I wouldn't worry about cleaning up everything tonight. It's late. Just make sure the fire is out like your grandmother said. We've already cleaned up the food from dinner and the rest can wait until the morning." Mr. Ramos suggested. "It's not supposed to start raining before lunch time. Besides, I know for a fact that the tent is waterproof. A little rain won't hurt it."

"Mostly rainproof," Mrs. Ramos said pointedly to her husband before turning to me. "David, thank you. I hate not being with the kids, but knowing you and Gramsy are there for them means a lot to me." I was a little embarrassed because her appreciation was obviously heartfelt.

"To both of us," her husband corrected, making sure to make eye contact with me. He surprised me by holding out his hand. I shook it as he added, "Miranda will always be my little girl, but if I have to let go of her eventually, I'm glad it will be to someone like you."

"Oh Papa, I will always be your little girl," Miranda interjected. "Marrying Davey won't change that."

"You two are already talking marriage?" her father asked in surprise, releasing my hand.

"It could be worse," I shrugged, falling back on humor. "According to Renzo, I'm better a better option than Anthony."

"There is that," Mrs. Ramos put in, taking Miranda's use of the 'M' word much better than her husband.

"Hey, Anthony was a good guy."

"Please," her father snorted, finally getting past his surprise. "He called you Mandy. What was he thinking?"

"That's what I said!" I laughed. "Did he not know her at all?" Her father joined me. Miranda looked back and forth between us for a moment.

"You know, I think I liked it better when they weren't getting along."

"Nonsense," her mother interjected. "Your father and David have always gotten along, even when you were a fourteen-year-old tomboy with a crush. It just took your father a little bit to accept you've grown up without him noticing."

"Just remember," her father added. "You don't have to jump into marriage any time soon. You're still so young."

I watched my girlfriend expression and frowned when I saw that it didn't bode well for her father. She really didn't like that he still wanted to treat her like a child, and that was definitely a large part of what she was doing, but I think subconsciously, she was still mad at him for making me promise to behave while he was away.

"Davey insists we have to wait for him to save-up for a ring first, but I'm not convinced."

"Miranda, now your just being mean," her mother sighed. "Give your poor father time to adjust to everything that's happened while we were gone. I know you, and I know your mind is made up, but there really isn't a need to rush. What about school?"

Miranda bit her bottom lip. I knew she was contemplating telling her parents her decision about school, but was relieved when she decided to hold off. She really was dropping a lot on them at one.

"Davey's fine with waiting if I decide to go." It was the truth, just not the full truth. On the other hand, the rest really should wait until her mother was feeling better. Miranda took hold of her mother's arm and changed the subject. "It's late. Let's get you inside."

"Good night, David," Mrs. Ramos smiled, but it didn't reach her eyes. I knew it was because of her daughter and not me. Miranda's mother was no dummy. She knew she was missing something important.

"Good night, Mrs. Romas. You too, Mr. Romas."

"David." Miranda's father nodded and actually smiled at me. There was something about his expression that made him seem more like the man who convinced me to give him my word to behave while he was gone. It suddenly hit me that Miranda's father was probably a lot cooler than she believed.

"Davey, I love you," my girlfriend said boldly, which at this point wasn't remotely surprising. "Good night."

"Good night beautiful," I replied. "I love you too."

I noticed that despite bold words tonight, Miranda hadn't tried to kiss me goodnight in front of her parents. I thought it was the right choice. Of course, that didn't mean I didn't miss the feel of her lips against mine. I decided Mira would need to make up for it the next time we were alone together.

**********

"What's wrong Grandson? Can't sleep?"

I was surprised to see my grandmother awake and sitting at the kitchen table with a cup of what I was guessing was tea in front of her. It was way too late for coffee, but with Gramsy, you never knew. It was after midnight, but only just. I'd been lying in bed for some time before finally giving up and coming out here.

"Nope." My frustration was obvious. "Renzo is snoring on and off." He and I were sharing one room with the younger two Ramos kids sharing the other. "Not that it matters because my mind won't shut off no matter how hard I try. Honestly, it was so bad I thought about trying tequila again, but didn't for two reason."

"The first one being that I took it from your room after you asked if the Ramos kids could sleep here. I didn't want one of them finding it. What's the other reason?"

"Ah, that makes sense." I guessed that it might have been Gramsy who took the bottle when I couldn't find it, but was afraid that Renzo had and that's why he was snoring tonight. I nodded to myself in relief before answering my grandmother.

"The second reason is harder to explain." I pushed both hands threw my hair as I sat next to Gramsy and tried to gather my thoughts. "I'm a little on edge tonight. Miranda said a lot of things about us and our future together to her parents tonight."

"Are you having second thoughts?" My reaction to her question was immediate and came from the gut.

"No way!" I snapped. "Just the opposite. I'm so impatient for what comes next that I'm damn near vibrating."

"And by 'what comes next', I'm assuming you don't just mean the physical part of your relationship."

"No," I said a little too quickly. I followed that with a deep breath to calm myself before clarifying. I'd never lied to my grandmother before and wasn't about to start now despite not being comfortable with of her question. "Well, not just, anyway." I shook my head and sighed.

"Gramsy, I know it sounds crazy, but when Miranda's not with me, like tonight, it's like part of me is missing. Just being near her sooths something deep inside that I can't explain." I knew I wasn't doing justice to what I was feeling, but there weren't enough words, or maybe enough of the right words to do that.

My grandmother nodded to herself, as if that was the answer she expected. "That feeling never goes away. Trust me, I know. I've been living with it for nearly sixty years." The thought of having to live that way as long as she had stunned me into silence.

Gramsy took a sip from her cup before continuing. "I decided long ago that it was a good thing. It reminds me that one day your grandfather and I will be back together again. That's kept me going through the hard days."

"I had no idea." I wanted to say so much more, but what words could I offer that would comfort that kind of longing and pain?

"Like I'd said before, love it's easy," Gramsy smiled sadly. "But in the end, it's worth it. It worth all the pain and confusion it brings."

"But what am I supposed to do when we're apart?" I guess my tone was a little too forlorn for my grandmother's taste. She was never one to feel bad for herself, nor did she accept it from those she loved.

"Thank God for being lucky enough to find your other half. Most people don't even know they're missing what you have." She finished her tea and stood, carrying the cup to the sink. "And focus on the fact that you'll be seeing your Miranda in a few hours. I doubt you two will ever be more than that from being together. Your grandfather and I weren't when he was alive." I knew she didn't mean literally a few hours, but that didn't make her point any less poignant. In fact, it made it more so.

"There is that," I smiled slowly. "Although, I'm not sure that's going to help me fall asleep tonight, especially with Renzo snoring up a storm."

"You're welcome to sleep on the couch," Gramsy shrugged. "Or even in that tent I see you left up in the yard. The night air might do you some good. I sometimes feel closer to your grandfather when I'm under the stars."

"I may just do that." I like the idea of sleeping outside again. It reminded me of how I felt when I woke up the last time with Miranda in my arms.

Plus, if I was being honest, I could use a night to myself. I loved the Ramos kids, but I could use a night without worrying about them waking up and needing something.

"Don't worry about the kids," my grandmother said, reading my mind once more. "I'm here for them. Besides, you'll be right outside if we need you. Bring your cell phone, if that makes you feel better."

"Gramsy, it's awfully late and your still awake. Are you sure..."

"Please," she interjected. "I'm up at this time more nights than you realize. Old people don't need as much sleep as the young."

"Thanks, Gramsy." I didn't know if she was being honest or just kind, but I decided to take her up on her offer in either case.

"Good night, Grandson."

"Night Gramsy," I said to my grandmother's back as she made her way to her bedroom.

**********

"Maybe this wasn't such a good idea." I was talking to myself, but so be it. It had been that kind of a night.

I'd gone outside after my talk with Gramsy and taken a walk around the yard to clear my head. Clouds had rolled in since we were outside earlier. The night sky was overcast now so I couldn't make out anything other than the moon, and even it kept disappearing behind clouds, but I didn't mind. Looking up at the stars wasn't the same without Miranda anyway.

Still, the fresh air felt good and after taking a few laps around the yard I did feel more relaxed, so I decided to give sleep a shot. I made my way to the tent and opened it, happy to see the sleeping bags sitting there waiting for me. I'd been afraid Miranda had just given Renzo the tent when he stopped by to get it earlier in the day. If that had been the case I would have gone back inside and tried the couch.

The first thing I did was take two of the sleeping bags and zip them together. One was fine, but two would be a little less claustrophobic in my opinion. I took the others and laid them out underneath for cushioning.

I guess I was a little too smug with my set up by the time I was done because I'd just settled in when it started raining, hard. There were even some rumblings of thunder, but they were off in the distance.

"I should go inside." It sounded like a good idea since it was raining, but I'd have to run through the downpour to get there. That was something I'd preferred to avoid.

The temperate had dropped significantly and the wind was picking up as well. Not only didn't I want to get cold and wet, but I doubt I could get a set of dry clothes from my room without waking Renzo. All those things combined to make the decision easy. "Here's hoping the tent holds."

I was surprised a few minutes later when I felt myself beginning to slip off into sleep. The tent was doing a good job keeping me dry and the sound of the wind and rain was oddly soothing. It was lulling me to sleep. Maybe sleeping outside was going to end up a good idea after all.

That's when I heard the tent zipper opening. I was worried that it was Gramsy, come to get me out of the rain, but that really wasn't like her. She'd expect me to deal with the situation myself. Still, she was the only one who knew I was out here. The first thing I saw was a mop of dark, soaked hair. I recognized the head it belonged to immediately.

"Miranda, what are you doing out here?"

The rest of my girlfriend slipped into the tent before she responded. Mira had obviously run here through the rain from her house without an umbrella or a coat, or shoes for that matter. She was soaked through.

"I couldn't sleep," she shrugged. "I looked out the window to see if the stars were still out because seeing them sometimes helps. Instead, I noticed you up and walking around Gramsy's yard. I was thinking about joining you when you disappeared into the tent."

"Miranda, you look cold," I interjected, climbing out of my sleeping bag. I grabbed one of the ones underneath and handed it too her. "Use this to dry yourself."

Instead of listening to me, she continued her story. "I decided to come out anyway. I was regretting not kissing you goodnight despite my parents being there."

"It was the right thing to do, but I missed the kiss as well," I admitted with a slow smile.

"I checked to make sure my parents were asleep and didn't need anything one last time before leaving, but by the time I was done it had started raining." I could hear the disappointment in her voice. "I was sure you'd be running out of the tent any second to go inside, but you didn't."

"Um, it was raining pretty hard and getting a chance of clothes once I was inside would have been problematic."

"Tell me about it," Miranda laughed, glancing down at herself. My eyes followed hers and I had a flashback to how she felt lying on top of me during our water fight when we were washing the cars the day before. Mira had been pressing herself against me to get me as wet as possible, but I couldn't really appreciate it as much as I wanted to with her little brothers and sister there.

"Miranda, why aren't you drying yourself?" I reached for the sleeping bag I gave her to use to do exactly that, but she pulled it out of my reach.

"I stood by the window watching the tent and the rain for a few minutes," she added, once again ignoring my attempt to help her. I didn't like seeing Miranda shiver, but apparently it was important to her that I listen to the rest of her story.

"I had just convinced myself that I should just go to bed because there was no way I'd make it all the way out here without getting soaked, even if I used an umbrella. The wind is pretty nasty out there. It's a good thing we used those spikes to secure the tent."

"So then, how did you end up out here?" I frowned in confusion. "With no umbrella, coat or shoes?"

"Davey, I couldn't sleep because I missed you. I guess I've gotten used to us sleeping under the same roof."

"Yeah, I get that." My thoughts drifted back to my conversation with Gramsy. Was it possible Miranda felt that same pull that I did? That same need to be together to feel complete?

"I told myself to turn away from the window and go to bed. Instead, I slipped out of the house and ran here despite the rain."

"I'm not sure how smart that was, but I can't deny that I'm glad you did," I admitted with a worried smile. "Now would you please let me dry you?"

"It won't help. I'm soaked through. All you'll end up doing is ruining the sleeping bag." Mira dropped the sleeping bag off to the side to emphasize her point.

"Well, you're going to get sick if you stay like that!" I was starting to get seriously worried about her. So much so, that I guess I wasn't thinking straight. Miranda looked at me, smiled and tilted her head.

"Seems like we have two choices here," my girlfriend said into the silence that followed. "I can either leave you here and run back to my house to get changed into something warmer. Or, you can help me out of my clothes and warm me up."