Hello August, Please Be Good To Me

Chapter 23: Moore is More

I must say, we all make interesting company. My dad grabs two hard taco shells, Danté is sullen for whatever reason, and Justin looks between all of us expectantly. I say a quick grace, and pass the hard shells and corn tortillas to Justin, not sure what he wants to eat. I don't want to start a conversation myself, but neither of the males in my family look like they'll be of any help so I shrug, and turn towards Justin, knowing that at least he will talk. "I still didn't go into Lucy and Leo's," I tell him. He raves about that place every chance he gets. While Publix will always have a place in my southern heart, nothing can top The Cake Shop and their multitude of flavors. Justin jokingly shakes his head, passing me the shredded cheese that I point to. "You're doing it on purpose. I told you they're the best," he says, and roll my eyes, unconvinced.

"Well why am I gonna waste my money on something that could easily not meet my expectations?

"Expectations? Says the girl who could eat macaroni and cheese every day!"

"It's not my fault you're lactose intolerant," I whisper.

It hits me at the last moment that maybe that's something I shouldn't say so loudly. The chair scraps against the floor, and Danté leaves the table and heads to his room, slamming the door shut. My dad looks up from his phone to look at me. I shrug, and even Justin questions me silently with his eyes. "I don't know?" I shrug, and my elbow knocks the near empty bowl of chopped lettuce off the table. The plastic bowl rattles on the floor as I rush to pick it up before it stops. "Happy it's not the glass," my dad says, and though he sounds stern his mouth is twitched up in a smile. "Man I feel sorry for your family, how many things you broken?" Justin asks, and before I can be the one to get mad, my dad burst out laughing, and I watch in amazement how easily the formalities between the two is broken. "I can leave too," I say, taking a bite out of my taco.

The ice is definitely broken, and I can tell that my dad likes Justin, and the feeling is mutual. I sigh wistfully, thinking of Mr. Bluett. I can't put my finger on it, and I'm very jealous of Justin right now. "I see you picked a boy who rivals your appetite Lyric," my dad jokes, and I watch as Justin grabs he's I-don't-know-how-many taco shell, and proceeds to fill it with toppings. "Are you calling me a pig?" I turn to face my dad. "Oink oink," Justin squeaks out before his voice cracks and leans over laughing. I fake a scowl, then crack my knuckles, and bring all the bowls of lettuce, cheese, ground beef, sour cream, and pinto beans to my side of the table challenging Justin with my eyes. "I'd say we're pretty even," I heap a spoon full of ground beef into my tortilla, knowing that even if I can eat a lot I really shouldn't. If I'm not careful I will be up just about all night with a queasy feeling in my stomach that no saltine crackers and ginger ale will be able to fix. Still, I'm feeling very competitive, and thankfully my stomach holds it together.

My brother stays in his room, even when I put on Toy Story, both our favorite movies, for me and Justin to watch. "It's getting pretty late son," my dad says as a caution, but I shoo him away before Justin can say anything. "Just this movie and then he'll be gone. Dad, it's summertime!" He grumbles, but I know we're okay when my dad shuffles to his room calling out, "Make sure you and your brother put the food away and wash the dishes." I find some cookie dough ice cream – yuck – and two spoons, and Justin and I share the carton as we watch the movie. I keep looking back towards my brother's room, but my head turns become less and less as we finish the ice cream, and Justin puts his arm around my shoulder, slowly, hesitantly. Determined not to ruin anything for the both of us, I assure Justin by leaning into his side and pulling my legs up on the couch. The next thing I know, I hear the sound of music coming from my brother's room, and I wait for my dad to yell at Danté to turn it down. Nothing. Annoyed, I get up from my spot and knock on his room door. Hard. "Turn that mess down, it's late!" I call through the door, and the music gets louder. I bang on the door, which causes my dad to come from his room. "Hey, HEY! What's going on?"

My dad hears the music and starts banging on the door himself. "Danté! Not while people are trying to sleep!" I'm used to my brother being annoying, unfortunately that's what little brother's do. But when he gets all moody and his actions end up disturbing the peace, so to speak, I can tell that something is wrong and he may or may not want to talk to me about it later. Most times it's not, but sometimes he surprises me. I walk back to the couch, and take Justin's hand. Maybe it was something in the tacos, but I feel pretty great tonight. So great that I kiss Justin on the cheek when he offers to help me clean up when the movie ends. I search for the old Reynold and Glad containers with the red tops, and we get to work condensing the food and wiping off the table. Then we move to washing dishes,which consists of my splashing bubbles at Justin's face, and him flicking me with water after washing off the suds on the dishes. I start humming the Pixar theme as I finish drying bowls, and when I look up Justin is looking at me. I give a sly grin and hand him the plastic bowl, and he take it but instead of putting it up in the cabinet he places it on the counter. I reach for the bowl at the same time he reaches for me, and the next thing I know he leans, lifts my chin just slightly and kisses me. And I don't fall to pieces.