Gazelle (28 page)

“
Julian
,
” Anthony says, grabbing his hand in a confident, firm shake
,“
thank you for coming.  It means a lot to my mom, to all of us
.
”
“
I
t’
s my pleasure.  Thanks for inviting me
.
”
 
He glances down at Alice who releases Anthon
y’
s arm instantaneously, having confirmed the reception went as she hoped.

“
Yo
u’
re a good friend of Alic
e’
s.  I
t’
s nice that you can be a part of this
,
” Anthony says.

“
Antonio is my oldest
,
” Angie quickly says, wrapping her arms around Anthony and kissing his cheek.
 “
H
e’
s a godsend, a complete godsend
.
”

“
I love you too, mama
,
” Anthony says, hugging her back.
 “
No more sangria, okay?  I do
n’
t want you to get sick
.
”
“I’
m fiiine.  I
t’
s my birthday!  Le
t’
s party
!
”

              His brothers, casually, but poignantly, gather around them, laugh and relax.  The women chase after the children, couples continue to dance on the grass.

“
These are my friends, Trina, Will and Chris
,
” Alice says, casually introducing them to Julian.

“
Hi! Trina
,
” Trina says, shoving her hand into his.
 “
Oh my god, w
e’
ve heard so much about you
!
”
“
Not that much.  Just your basic stuf
f…
you know, social security number, underwear preferences, deodorantchoices.  Not more than is usual for one to hear about their frien
d’
s employer. 
I’
m Will
,
” Will says quickly.
 “
This is Chris.  We are big fans
.
”
“
Thanks.  Yeah, uh, Alice has told me about you guys, too.  Yo
u’
re th
e‘
movie night
,
’ right
?
”

“
Is that how she describes us?
 ‘
Movie Night
?
’
 
A bunch of losers, eating pizza and drinking beer, sitting around watching movies
?
” Trina frowns.

“
That
is
what we do
,
” Will sighs, as if disappointed to realize it for the first time. 

“
No
,
” Julian says
,“
It sounds fun.  I tell her to invite me all the time but sh
e’
s kind of stuck up.  Thinks
I’
ll embarrass her
.
”
“
I
t’
s true
,
” Alice nods.
 “
I do
n’
t want to risk exposing you guys to him.  His favorite movie i
s‘
Showgirls
.
’”

“
It was a poignant story and a real eye opener into the trials and tribulations women face on a day to day basis
,
” Julian smiles.

“
H
e’
s funn
y…
you ca
n’
t be funny, too.  Tha
t’
s just not right
,
” Trina whispers dreamily.

“
And on that note,
I’
m going to introduce Julian around before Trina strokes out, okay
?
” Alice says rolling her eyes.  As Alice grabs Julia
n’
s arm and moves him through the crowd, she glances at Anthony, who stares back at her completely humorless.

              They sit on the lawn furniture behind couples dancing underneath Christmas lights, weaving in and out of decorations. Trina and Alice lean against one another, watching the crowd sway before them. Julian picks at the car
né
, tearing at it with his teeth. The meat melts in his jaw, he sighs and rolls his eyes back.

“
Fuck, this is delicious
,
” he says.

“
I told you
,
” Alice chuckles.
 “
You ca
n’
t beat real Mexican food
.
”
“
You realize you added another hour to my routine tomorrow
?
”
“
No, i
t’
s all protein.  I
t’
s good
.
”
“
Beefis not good.  It weighs you down, clogs you up.  Sits in your colon for years
.
”
“
With everything else you have packed up there, i
t’
ll be New Yea
r’
s by the time you take a shit
.
”

              He swats her arm as she giggles.
 “
Yo
u’
re wasted
.
”
“I’
m not wasted. 
I’
m slightly buzzed.  It takes a lot more than a few Coronas to get me wasted
.
”
“
A few?  How man
y’
sa few
?
”
“
Less than
6…
more than
4
…” Trina laughs.
“
Yo
u’
re gonnahave to add an hour to your routine tomorrow, too
.
”
“
If, b
y‘
routine
,
’ you mean trekking to some snotty grocery store for a disgusting wheatgrass and ginger tonic for you, then yes, I will
.
”
“
Kombucha.  I like to drink kombuchaafter
I’
ve been drinking.  It cleans the poison right out
,
” he says, tearing at a hunk of meat.

“
H
e’
s right.  It works for me, too
,
” Trina says.

“
Ug, you and your pinc
h
é kombucha. 
I’
m not drinking moldy anything, i
t’
s disgusting
.
”
“
No, it works,
I’
m telling you.  I
t’
s loaded with probiotics
.
”

“
So is probiotic vitamins.  Kombuchatastes like burnt, yogurt poop from a dinosau
r’
s ass.  I ca
n’
t believe I ever let you talk me into trying it, I almost threw up
.
”

“
You drank it?  I ca
n’
t believe you drank it!! You said yo
u’
d never touch it
!
” Trina says.
              He laughs and nods.
 “
I remember that!  Your face got all red and you could
n’
t talk for like, five minutes
.
”
“
You made me chug the whole thing, too
!
”
“
It does
n’
t work unless you do
.
”
“
It
did
n’
t
work.  It made me want to puke even worse
.
”
“
Wha
t’
s up, guys
?
” Will dances in front them with Chris, both of them drunk and leaning against one another.
 “
You gonnadance or what
?
”
“
H
e’
s eating.  And he does
n’
t dance
,
” Alice calls.

“
I dance
.
”
“
You do?  Since when
?
”
“
Since always.  I love dancing.  I
t’
s my second favorite thing to do
.
”
“
Wha
t’
s your first
?
” Will asks, grinning mischievously as he sits next to him.

“
Eating car
né,
” Alice laughs.

“
Drinking kombucha
,
” Julian grins through a mouth full of meat.

“
Hey, seriously, wha
t’
s it like working for this guy, Alice?  Is he a ballbuster
?
” Chris asks as he plops down on Wil
l’
s lap.

“
Totally.  Makes me get his laundry.  Buy him socks
-
”

“
You buy me socks
?
”
“
Where do you think they come from?  The sock fairy
?
”
“
I do
n’
t kno
w…
I thought maybe CeCejust got them with the rest of my mail clothes
.
”
“
See?  Does
n’
t even appreciate.  Run his errands, get his travel arrangements all done, make his doctor appointments, make sure his bills get paid, cook for him
-
”

“
You cook for him
?
” Will laughs in disbelief.
 “
You ca
n’
t cook
!
”
“
I can, too!  Shut up
!
”
“
No, honey, you ca
n’
t
,
” Chris laughs.
 “
Remember when she made that bowl of mash potatoes for Domini
c’
s Halloween party
?
”
“
Oh, Jesus, we had to soak the bow
l‘
til the next day to get them to unstick
,
” Trina adds.

“
We used some of it to plug the leak on our bathroom sink!   Who brings mash potatoes to a Halloween party!
?
”

“
You guys shut up!  You said bring something to go with the roast!  Mashed potatoes go with a roast
.
”
“
Yeah, when the
y’
re actually mashed and not hard, little pigeon nuggets.  Was it instant
?
”
“
…
I made them righ
t
…”
“
It was, was
n’
t it!? Alice and her instants.  Do you even
know
how to boil a potato
?
” Will laughs.

“
Screw you both
.
”

“
So you cook, you pick up his laundry and you buy his socks
?
” Trina asks.

“
Yeah, and a million other things.  H
e’
s pretty high maintenance.  Big shotmovie star
,
” Alice grins.

              Julian shakes his head, smiling down into his empty plate.

“
Shit, I do all that for Will!  You sound like his fucking
wife
!  Tell me you have a pre-nup, lady
,
” Chris laughs.