New Life Ch. 06

"Ty says he's the hardest working guy on the crew," Gianni said, shaking his head as he lit up a smoke and I followed suit. "I don't believe it."

"I work smart not hard," was Colin's quick reply, earning him a round of high fives from Brion and I. "Come on babes you know I love it when you sweat," he added with a wink and Gianni rolled his eyes, but still there was a little bit of color under his light beard.

"Awwww," came from me and Breeze, who made matters worse giving Gianni's cheeks a quick pinch. A mild shoving match ensued and Colin and I stepped back to give them room, but it didn't last long.

"Umm is this a bad time," came from behind us, stealing our attention.

"Not at all," I said as Tarin edged her way closer, hands raised in mock defense. A wide smile on her face as her eyes scanned the scene on my lawn.

"Just a little good natured roughhousing," Brion added with an extra shove to push Gianni out of arm's reach. "Tarin, this is my good buddy Colin...and some asshole he picked up along the way."

"Yeah I'll be an asshole when you don't eat today," Gianni said with a raised eyebrow, then extended his hand to her. She took it and he kissed her knuckles, introducing himself to her. "You must be a friend of Nev's because I can't imagine someone as beautiful as you tolerating him."

"Both of them actually," she admitted and Gianni fixed her with a sad smile that brought her to giggles. "Anyway I didn't mean to interrupt you guys broing out. I forgot to give you guys my number so we could make good on the whole catching up thing." She handed her phone to me, and I called both our phones so all numbers were exchanged. "Great we should set something up soon."

"Why don't you come back when you finish your run," I said after a glance at Brion. "I think we could use a little estrogen around here."

"You sure. I don't want to impose." The hesitation was obvious but she didn't want to be rude.

"Please," Gianni said with that stupid syrupy smile of his and Colin let out a snort. It was good to see he didn't mind his overt flirting. "We're just hanging out..."

"Bring your roommate if you don't wanna be the only girl around," Brion added and that seemed to win her over. But Colin sealed the deal.

"Don't worry sweetheart he's harmless," he said of Gianni and she burst out laughing. "It'd be nice to know somebody who knew them before."

"No pressure," I added and she gave my chest a playful slap.

"Well I wasn't doing anything today anyway. Should I bring anything?"

"Our personal chef has it covered," Brion said with a nod at Gianni. "Just your sweet self."

"So I guess I'll see you guys in a couple hours then." She gave us all a little wave and trotted off, and of course Brion and Gianni watched her go.

"Shall we leave them to their ogling," Colin whispered to me and they both snapped out of it with the same sheepish grin on their faces.

We got busy after that. Colin and I made quick work of creating a construction zone in the backyard to keep Bruiser at a safe distance from all the sharp and pointies. Breeze turned on the outdoor speakers and stay inside to give Gianni a hand until he was given the boot. But he made himself useful bringing the chairs from the porch out to the back deck so when Tarin and her roommate arrived, they'd have some place to sit. He also kept Colin and I well hydrated with cold beers and Bruiser occupied with the new tug rope

By the time we got the frame up, the aroma of delicious was wafting out of the house. The smell of charred meat was in the air, stirring Bruiser out of his nap in the grass. He trotted into the house, trailing Gianni on his from the kitchen to the grill in the hopes that he may drop something on the way. That all stopped when he returned with the new rawhide bone and settled down a few feet away from Red and I to supervise. At some point Gianni put Breeze to work, the sounds of their playful bickering occasionally made it out to us over the music and thwack of nail guns.

"I find it funny that they speak so highly of each other when they're apart but put 'em together and it's like world war 3," Colin said as he leveled the last length of wood on the backside of the doghouse. "I don't know if I should be jealous or sad for you," he added with a chuckle and I furrowed my brows. "Outside looking in, it's classic new best friend vs. old best friend..."

"Come on man," I said with sucked teeth as I finished up the front.

"You must be blind cause I know you're not stupid," he said with a chuckle. "I mean I know it's not because Gianni has feelings for you. We talked pretty extensively about that."

"Oh did you now?"

"Don't sound so shocked. It's not that odd of an assumption, regardless of how solid you think your friendship is. I thought it was kind of weird you guys didn't mess around before the other night. I get the whole living together thing but still."

"I think we both just needed a friend. I mean think about it, a guy that charming and we're his only real friends ...and Ty don't count. That's a pretty lonely existence up until now, don't you think?"

"Well when you put it like that, we're a pretty sad bunch aren't we," he said with a smirk and I laughed.

"Funny I couldn't be happier."

"Indeed." Just a word but the look on his face told the rest of his story. There was something lighter about him these days. Those bright green eyes seemed to sparkle a little more, his smile was quicker. Colin was nothing of the soft spoken little guy I'd met almost two years ago. Finally it was beginning to look like he'd come through the other end of coming out.

Just like on the jobsite, Colin and I worked well together. Aside from the easy conversation, we had similar work ethic and complementary skills. Carpentry wasn't my specialty and he showed me a few things that I didn't even know he could do. When I asked why he didn't show Tyler, he shrugged and said, "I like working with everybody I guess. Learn more that way."

By then I was laying down roofing tiles while Colin put down the first coat of paint, the same shade of slate as the big house. It was his idea to made put a little fence around it, not to keep Bruiser in but so he learned to do his business in a confined area and not all over the grass Breeze was so proud of. The lattice that used to be on the side of the old breezeway was still in the garage and still in good enough shape to be repurposed. While Red marking off enough space to accommodate the big guy, I went out to the garage with Bruiser on my heels. It was just like old times and I found myself talking to him like I used to when we were alone.

"I hope you don't think just because I'm building you that fly ass crib that you're gonna be stuck outside. That's only for when we need some alone time," I told him as I climbed up on a step ladder to get into the rafters. Bruiser watched me intently, sitting back on his hind legs. "I know you're a good guy. You won't be chewing on any shoes or end of furniture right," I asked and he let out a yelp. "That's what I thought so you can chill on that fluffy new bed I got you and no sharing either. How you like that boss?" That got a round of barks. I didn't realize they weren't for me until I got down and saw Tarin and a curvy olive skinned girl coming up the driveway. "Be cool Bruise they're friends," I said and he immediately quieted and followed me out to greet them.

"Well aren't you handsome," Tarin said as she held out her hand. Bruiser gave it a quick sniff and lay down to show her his belly. She laughed at that as she got down and gave him a good scratch. "Awww, you're just a big teddy bear aren't you," she cooed, forgetting about me and her friend for a moment.

"She is a sucker for fur," her friend said with sucked teeth as she extended her hand to me and introduced herself. "Evita Alvarado and you are Neville Sinclair," she said with a wide smile. I noticed tears in her almond eyes and felt my brow furrow a little. She must have noticed and let out a little giggle. "I'm the faculty advisor for the Equality Alliance. Some of the kids held vigil outside the hospital until you woke up. I'm sorry, it's just nice to see you've recovered well."

"Yeah I heard about that," I said with a glance down at Tarin who was avoiding my gaze. Her running past my place wasn't a coincidence and there was no way she didn't know that me and Breeze were together. "Thank..."

"Oh stop it," Evita said, bringing my attention back to her and that hundred watt smile of hers. She pushed her long raven hair back but it seemed more of a nervous reaction than to get it out of her face. "I didn't mean to make it awkward but I couldn't help myself."

"If this is the only awkward conversation we have tonight I'll consider it a success," I said with another glance at Tarin but she kept her eyes on Bruiser who was loving the attention. "Well come on and meet the guys."

Thankfully Gianni was bringing out food by the time we made it back around the house. More introductions were made and we all sat down to eat. It was a tight squeeze but Evita and Tarin fit in well. Listening to them I could tell why they were friends, she was just as boisterous and silly as Tarin. They'd met on Tarin's semester abroad in Spain where Evita was working on her Master's Degree in Romance languages and somehow the bubbly American girl convinced the equally bubbly Salvadorian girl to come to America to finish her studies. It just so happened the university was looking for a few new language professors and Evita was already over qualified, if she changed her focus to Latin the university offered to pay her to complete her Master's and a job when she was done. It was a no brainer and as soon as her visa was approved she uprooted her life to chase the American dream. And it turned out she knew Colin's parents as well. Apparently the O'Keefes, both tenured professors of English Literature, threw the best faculty holiday parties, parties that he himself never attended. Tarin unfortunately had never had the privilege either but looked forward to her first invitation which she hoped would be this Christmas.

By the time the sun was setting, it had gotten a little chilly so the party got moved inside. Colin volunteered to put the last coat on the dog house while me, Tarin, and Breeze cleaned up the dishes. Evita and Gianni had bonded, mostly in Italian, over their shared love of Pop art and obscure EDM. What started out as a simple get together had turned into our first dinner party and I couldn't help but think it was a success. Well mostly, I still wasn't quite sure of Tarin's intentions but I didn't want to ruin the mood interrogating her in front of everyone so when Breeze went to take a leak I took the opportunity to ask her outright of her intentions.

"Yeah I figured this was coming," she said as she loaded the dishwasher. I sat on the counter behind her so I could see Brion coming and steer the conversation elsewhere if it turned out I didn't like her answer. "I saw that look when Evita started about the vigil. So yeah I knew what happened and of course I knew you were together but I thought it'd be kind of odd if I just showed up at your place. I do run though," she said with a chuckle as she hopped up on the counter next to me and took a sip of my beer. "And I'm not here to break you guys up if that's what you're thinking. We were friends once, weren't we?"

"Little more than that," I said and she laughed, put her head on my shoulder.

"I'm back here with nobody but Evita and I just figured we could get the old band back together." I laughed at that and took my beer back. "You never wrote me back."

"Ehh you ain't special," I said and slipped my arm around her neck. "I never wrote anybody back. What the fuck was I supposed to say? To be honest I didn't start reading my letters until the last year or so but by then you'd stopped writing so I figured you gave up."

"I thought you were dead until my Dad reminded me that there's a database so I checked on you until you got released..."

"Well isn't that sweet," Brion said, and Tarin sat up with a guilty look on her face, but he waved his hand and she settled back against me. He leaned against the sink and looked at us a moment, his lips curled up slightly at the ends, I didn't need to live in his head to know what he was thinking. But just when I thought he might voice it, Breeze leaned and gave me a quick kiss. "You don't mind taking over this whole entertaining thing for a while right Nev," he said and I rolled my eyes. But he called Red inside anyway and in a matter of minutes the two sat cross legged on the floor in front of the television, headsets on and controllers in hand, discussing battle plans for their fictitious war.

"We're the same age right," Tarin asked with a giggle but all I could do was shake my head. "You guys are cute though...I'm glad you finally told him," she added with a laugh and I gave her a little push as I hopped off the counter and grabbed another beer, nodded for her to come back outside with me.

"Funny his ex-wife said the same thing," I said and stole Gianni's cigarette for a few drags as I sat across from him and Evita. I went to hand it back but he gave me the finger and lit up another.

"Ughhhh I hated her," Tarin muttered as she slid in beside me. Some silent communication passed between her and her friend, Gianni noticed it as well and called them on it.

"Wait, wait, wait, the fuck was what?"

"I know right...what's that you used to say to me Tarin...secrets don't make friends?"

"Well then I guess we can't be friends," Evita teased and blew Gianni a kiss. He said something to her in Italian that made her blush but she didn't give, undeterred by his charm or his hand on her thigh. "Girl code, right," she said to Tarin with her head cocked a little and reached across for a fist bump.

"Exactly."

"Well you guys are no fun," Gianni pouted and made to go inside but I stopped him with a shake of my head.

"It's a 7th grade sleepover in there..."

"Aww come on, I can't win," he exclaimed as he flopped back down into his chair, put his head in his hands. I reached across and rubbed his neck, much to the amusement of the girls, which didn't make his mood any better. "So is this something I need to get used to," he asked me and I shrugged.

"I don't know, Breeze is pretty easily distracted when they're on live. I'm not sure how that would go with the two of them in there together..."

"See they have the same issues as I do," Evita said just as exasperated as Gianni and Tarin shook her head.

"Because all three of you are dating children, sexuality has nothing to do with it," she explained, shifting in her seat to put her bare feet in my lap, her arms folded across her chest, hugging herself. I gave her leg a tug and she moved into my lap easily to soak up some of my warmth. That got a look from Evita and Gianni but Tarin explained.

"What, we dated..."

"Meet the last woman I ever slept with," I added with a smirk and Gianni raised his beer to her.

"But wait I thought you said you dated the other one," came from Evita as she snagged one of Gianni's cigarettes. "This just got more interesting."

"Well somebody got around..."

"It's complicated," she said with a giggle and Gianni narrowed his eyes at me.

"It's not actually that complicated," I said and Tarin pinched my side but I kept talking anyway. "She lived across from us freshman year. They dated for a little while..."

"Casually," she interjected and I shrugged my shoulders.

"Whatever you want to call it, we hung out all the time but when Soliel came along Breeze started following her around like a puppy dog and left me and Tarin with a lot of alone time..."

"Neville was my first college boyfriend..."

"You have to be the first beard I've ever met who was proud of it," Gianni teased and Tarin flicked a stray bottle cap at him. "What? I'm saying, most women would be kind of upset about that kind of thing."

"I had an idea but he never had any issues getting inside me," she clarified with a snap and Gianni's mouth fell open before his eyes fell on me. I didn't plan on being so honest but I should have known that this conversation would run this course, so I shrugged my shoulders and gave in. I chose not to tell that I got a little help in that department from the poster of a shirtless Tyrese that hung over her bed.

"We had some fun," I said, my eyes shifting to Tarin in my lap, then to Gianni. We had our own bit of silent communication but we were a little better about discretion than the girls. "Granted it didn't last long but still I took it seriously."

"And kept it a secret," Tarin added with a snot, and I shrugged.

"Breeze can be kinda possessive and I ain't want to get into it with him over you..."

"Or was it that you didn't want him to be happy about it and want to go on double dates?" Evita accused and I snorted.

"Not at all. Soliel hated her just as much."

"I knew it...Naw T, it ain't even like that. She just shy that's all," she said, the last in a mock of Brion's gruff voice, complete with hand flourishes and exaggerated facial expressions. "Her and them high siddity bitches she used to chill with..."

"Yeah well she's like a whole different person now," I told her before she went completely off on the tirade I heard often enough when we were in school. "She was in town when it all happened and she held Breeze down for a couple weeks until she had to go back to Paris. Even apologized for breaking us up the first time. Invited us to come visit and everything."

"I guess old hoes can learn new tricks," she said and Evita mumbled something in Spanish that only Gianni laughed at before she translated.

"Better late than never," she said with a yawn and did a little stretch that raised her crop top enough that her lacy black bra pecked out. Gianni took full advantage, tipping his head to the side to get a better look. "Speaking of it's getting late..."

There was another eye conversation, and some pouting before Tarin finally gave in and called it a night. It actually wasn't that late, a little before nine, but Evita had an early start to a long Monday and Tarin couldn't argue with that. After they said their goodbyes to the gamers I leashed Bruiser so we could go for a stroll after I walked them out to their car. But there wasn't one. Being a gentleman, I couldn't allow two slightly inebriated women to walk home alone no matter how adamantly they declined. It wasn't that far and it seemed Bruiser was enjoying the new neighborhood, stopping every few feet to give lamp posts and fire hydrants a sniff. He left a few messages of his own along the way. When we got to their building, Evita gave me a tight hug and a kiss on the cheek before she headed upstairs.

"She had a great time tonight," Tarin said once Evita was gone and Bruiser laid down on the ground between us, like he knew this goodbye might take a while. She looked up at me, a coy smile on her face, twirling the end of her ponytail. "And so did I."

I should have been angry at her deception but I couldn't hold it against her. Once I called her on it, Tarin had been nothing but sincere. As she had always been and that's what drew me to her all those years ago. She was unapologetically herself and never allowed societal norms to dampen her good time. This was the girl that dragged me to a skate park before it was cool for Black people to do it. Introduced me to rim jobs, Monty Python and the works of Chuck Palahniuk and Steven Erikson. We spent many a night watching old Doctor Who, listening to The Strokes and eating Korean barbeque. My relationship with Tarin opened my world to the possibility that everything I knew wasn't the end all be all, that there was more to life than football and the slanted religious "truths" I had been fed all my life. She expanded my horizons and when our sexual relationship ended, I assumed she would be rid of me like all the other girls I'd been with but it wasn't like that. Even after I left school she managed to remain a presence in my life. But most importantly, she never called me Magilla and for that I would be forever grateful.