Layover (8 page)

“Come on Allen. Let’s spank them one time”.

He looked at me and reluctantly walked over to the card table. I felt like I had kidnapped him or something. I knew he didn’t want to and I hated that I made him. As the game got underway, I could see that Allen was deliberate in his attempt not to make eye contact. Even when he called for my bid, he would look down at the table. The magic was gone and everyone could see it.

“The Dynamic Duo is getting beat. What’s going on? Is the magic gone?” Denise asked.

Allen restated for the record that he was just tired.

“Ny, what happened?” She quizzed me, “You two usually can’t be beat together”.

“In order to succeed, two people have to share a common goal,” I reminded her.

For the first time all night, Allen looked at me. He sensed there was more in that statement than a reference to a card game. He graciously completed the next hand and as we were soundly defeated, he got up. It was at that moment that I realized that this was no fun. I enjoyed Allen a lot more when I didn’t know he was in love with me. I hated feeling like this. He was making me feel like a home wrecker and I guess in a sense, I was. I went to my room without a word to any of them. I was hurt and I didn’t care who knew it.

The next morning I was up at my usual 5:00 a.m. Despite the disaster the night before, I was still hoping that Allen would be up and we could at least look at each other, if nothing else. I washed my face, brushed my teeth and headed for the living room. Kenny was still sleep, as he had just gotten in two hours before. I went into the living room to find it empty. I walked outside to get the newspaper and brought it back in. I sat in the chair where Allen usually sits and I waited for him. Thirty minutes had passed and I had read the entire paper for the small town. I drank a cup of hot tea and continued to wait. After an hour, I began to feel that he was purposely avoiding me. Was this the same man who professed his undying love for me not so long ago? Maybe he was caught up in the moment and being home brought him back to reality. Another 15 minutes passed and he walks in.

“Up and at ‘em, huh?” he asked me.

“You know me, the early bird gets the worm”.

“Look, I’m sorry about last night. I guess I wasn’t ready to deal with my feelings. I didn’t realize I would be overwhelmed with emotions when I saw you.”  

“You thought it was just a phase? Infatuation? That you would get over me and the feeling would pass?”

“Something like that.”

“And now, how do you feel now?”

“Stronger than ever”.

“It’s cool, Allen. I’m just saying, people can sense changes in behavior. You keep being cold to me and everyone is going to sense something is up. I’m saying, just act normally. We haven’t done anything wrong. Just remember that.”

“You’re right. I’m sorry. I guess I know what I feel in my heart is wrong.”

That and the fact that we lied about seeing each other, but I wasn’t going to perpetuate the feelings Allen was having. I wanted him to feel at ease. I mean, if you can’t be comfortable at home, where can you be comfortable?

Kenny walked into the kitchen, stumbling.

“Boy, do you have any BC headache powder?” he asked Allen.

“No.”

It was apparent that Kenny had too much to drink several hours ago and now he was paying for it. He seemed out of it until he focused his vision on Allen’s tee shirt. He stared for a few seconds and then he returned to bed. At first, I didn’t know why he had found such an interest in Allen’s clothing, until I looked for myself:

AeroKinisis.

Kenny had apparently noticed the logo on Allen’s tee shirt and at that point, I felt obligated to tell Allen that Kenny saw his coat in the car.

“We haven’t done anything wrong, huh? Isn’t that what you said?”

“I’m sorry, Allen.”

“Ny, just go get my coat before he puts two and two together.”

I went into the room. Kenny appeared to have gone back to sleep so I tried to get Allen’s coat out of my bag without waking him. Just as I had retrieved the coat and was making my way to the door, Kenny turned over. I stopped in my tracks. He didn’t appear to be awake so I continued out the door. I made it to the living room and as soon as I handed the coat to Allen, I could hear Kenny stomping down the hall.

“What the fuck is going on?” he insisted on knowing.

“What are you talking about?” Allen asked.

“Why y’all sneaking around and shit, with coats and shit?”

“What are you talking about, man? I was just asking Nya for my coat.”

“Oh, that’s your coat? How did Nya get it?”

“I gave it to her in Denver.”

Allen had sold me out. I couldn’t believe what he just said. I didn’t know what to say so I waited for someone to ask me a question.

“Nya told me she didn’t see you in Denver,” Kenny told him.

“I don’t know why she told you that. She called me because she had a layover and I came to the airport and sat with her until the airline found them hotel accommodations. She was cold so I let her wear my jacket.”

“Nya, why did you lie?” Kenny asked me.

This would have to be good.

“I didn’t want you to know I bothered Allen and Lisa,” was the best I could come up with, “After I lied about that, I couldn’t tell you who’s coat it was because I wasn’t supposed to have it”

”It sounds like some bullshit to me. Where was Lisa?”

“I don’t know. Allen just showed up without her. I assumed she was at home.”

That ought to get Allen back for selling me out. Kenny wasn’t really buying any of it but he was too hung over to really do any investigating. As he went back to bed he left us with one thought,

“Y’all motherfuckers are up to something, but I’m going to find out what it is.”

It was no longer safe to talk in the house anymore. Kenny was on to us in a big way. I felt badly for Allen because I feel that I somehow got him into this mess. It just reminded me that we could not continue the way we were going. We had to make some decisions. Either we were going to be together or we were going to leave it alone. One thing was for sure, we couldn’t keep lying because we were terrible at it. I wish we could come up with a really good explanation as to why we lied about seeing each other in Colorado. If we could explain our behavior in a satisfactory way, then we would be back to square one, being straight with everyone - being straight about everything except how we feel about one another.

I sat there quietly in the living room with Allen not really knowing what to say, if anything. He asked me for the newspaper and I handed it to him. I wanted to just touch him in some way. It just seemed so unfair that we couldn’t be together. I wanted him so badly that if I had three wishes, I would wish for him three times. There was nothing I wanted more than to wake up in the morning and look at his face. I sat there and stared at him as he read the newspaper. He looked so studious and intense. It made me wonder if he was intense about everything, like making love. He looked like the kind of person who took his sexual performance very seriously. I wondered if he approached it like it was a job or something. If he was packing what I thought he was, then he wouldn’t have to do much work. He could probably make me reach my climax upon insertion. I felt like just going in that room and telling Kenny I loved his brother and there was nothing he could do about it because we were going to be together. I thought about it many times. I just don’t want to do anything to hurt Allen. I only want to make him happy.

My mother-in-law walked into the living room and seated herself on the sofa. She looked at Allen and then at me. She gave an approving smile as she spoke,

“My two early birds are up, I see.”

It was clear to see that she liked the idea of Allen and me, for whatever reason. If and when anything ever became of our relationship, she would be the least of our worries.

“I was thinking this morning. Have you all given any thought to what we are going to do for Kenny’s birthday? Every year we do the same thing - we sneak around and try to plan a surprise for him and every year he catches us and finds out what we are up to.”

I looked at Allen and he looked at me with a devilish smile. It was like we were playing cards again and I knew exactly what he was thinking.

“Actually, mom, that’s what Allen and I were just talking about. We have been trying to plan a surprise for Kenny ever since I went to Denver a few weeks ago. But I think Kenny is on to us now. I told him I didn’t see Allen and Lisa when I was there, but he found out I lied about that.”

“So does he suspect anything?”

“Yeh, he suspects that Allen and I are fooling around on him,” I told her.

“Oh, but he doesn’t suspect anything about a birthday surprise, right?”

“Mom! Which one is worse?” I asked her.

“Oh, Ny. Don’t be silly. Let him think what he wants to right now, I’ll straighten everything out later. Just don’t give away the surprise. I’ll tell him it was my idea for you all not to tell him you saw each other. Besides, Kenny is always going to think something is between the two of you because deep down, he thinks you two make a good couple. So what was the surprise?”

“Well, Allen’s company has these leather coats. We were going to buy one for Kenny but he doesn’t like them because they don’t have a name brand on them.”

“Does he need a leather coat?” she asked me.

“Yes.”

“Well, why don’t you go to the city today and buy him a brand name coat. I’ll put some money with yours. I’ll go buy a cake and we will have a little party or something.”

“But his birthday is not for another couple of days ,” I reminded her.

“Yeh, but we are going to be so consumed with Thanksgiving that we aren’t going to be able to think about a party. Allen, you go with Nya and help her pick out something nice.”

Allen looked at her with a twisted face.

“Go on. I’ll take care of Kenny.”

Allen and I went to our respective rooms and got ready to go to the city. The city was a good hour and a half away and it would give us plenty of time to talk and share our thoughts with each other. I was ready in 20 minutes and I went back into the living room to wait for Allen. When I walked into the living room, I was greeted by Lisa.

“Where are you all going?” She asked.

“Allen and I are going to find a gift for Kenny’s birthday”.

I wanted to invite her but I just couldn’t bring myself to do it. I wanted to be alone with her man and there was no room for her. If she wanted to come, she was going to have to invite herself.

“Oh. Well, I guess I’ll take the baby around town today and let everyone see him. I’ll go by Aunt Minnie first.”

Good, take your ass over Aunt Minnie’s.

And the nerve of her, bragging about her baby. She thinks she’s the shit because she has Allen’s baby. If I ever get my hands on him, we are going to have five babies. That’s right, get married, have five children, and name them all Allen. I mean it! Even the girl’s name’s will be Allen: Allena, Allenetta, Allenine, all that! Fuck it! I’m going for mine.

Allen emerged shortly after I did and he was ready to go.

“Allen, why don’t you ride with Nya in the Jeep? Leave the Tahoe so I can take the baby around town to visit.”

The nerve of this bitch.

 Yeh, you better enjoy the Tahoe while you can, because you may not get it in the divorce settlement.

“That’s cool,” he told her.

Allen and I made our way to the Jeep and pull out of the driveway, headed for the city. I breathed a sigh of relief as we reached the road. It was like a smoker getting that first puff of smoke in the morning. Allen was my drug and I just got my fix. When we finally turned onto the highway from the road, Allen began to talk.

“That was pretty quick thinking back there.”

“Thank you, but I hate lying,” I told him.

“I know. Me too. Just imagine how I felt with my big brother confronting me about his wife. I didn’t know what to say. I’m sorry for saying that I didn’t know why you lied about seeing me in Denver. I didn’t think you were ready for me to tell the truth so I said the first thing that came to mind.”

“It’s ok. I can handle Kenny. I would rather him think I would lie to him than for him to think that
you
would lie to him. He is your brother and he will be for the rest of your life.”

“Nya, I need to know something. Do you still love Kenny? I mean, if you and I were to get together, would you honestly be over him?”

“Allen, that ship has sailed long ago. I don’t have the capacity in my heart to love someone who does not believe in me. I’m more than just an arm piece. I need to be respected and revered. Kenny doesn’t know how to do that.”

“Have you thought about how he would react if you told him you were leaving him?”

 “Yeh, I’ve thought about it. I know it will hurt him, especially when I tell him I’m leaving him for you.”

“Could you live with him being hurt? I mean, being married to me and having to see him on holidays and other occasions?” He quizzed.