The Sun in My Eyes

19 Kiss Me Once 'Cause You Know I Had a Long Night

Bobby wandered to the kitchen later that evening. Dinner hadn't filled him up and he was starved.

Gary must have felt the same. He was standing there looking forlornly at a loaf of uncut sourdough. Jagged pieces of bread littered the counter.

He didn't look up so Bobby gave him his space and grabbed a serrated knife from the drawer. "May I?" Gary nodded, so he took the loaf and cut several thick slices off, handing two of them to him.

Gary looked at them sadly and shook his head. "Mate, I have to say something," he said slowly.

The tomatoes glistened in the bowl by the cooker, so Bobby sat one down on the cutting board and sliced it up. "Go ahead."

"I'm sorry. Today. I uh...My heads a mess right now. Things aren't great with Marisol and Lottie's on my back and I guess..." He scooped a spoonful of mayonnaise on the bread slice and made a mess of it. He put far too much on and slopped it all over the place, ripping the bread trying to correct it. Bobby couldn't help but stare. How could this man operate cranes but couldn't put a condiment on a sandwich properly?

"Bobs?"

"Sorry, yeah, what were you saying?"

"I went a little too far during the challenge with Lili. I shouldn't have touched her like that."

"What?" He neatly laid slices of turkey and tomato on top of the bread.

"Didn't she talk to you about it?" Gary piled meat on the sandwich haphazardly. "Bruv, she told me off afterward. Said it was disrespectful to her and to you. She was right. That was too much."

Bobby's mind reeled. "Were you grafting on her? Earlier? At the gym?" He swept some mayo on his bread and put the sandwich together.

"What? No? I was asking her advice about Marisol. I can see how it might look that way, though. Gah, I've messed everything up." He squashed the horrible, lopsided sandwich down, making it look even worse. The sight of it offended Bobby's culinary sensibilities. It was a disaster of meat and oozing mayo. "Truth is, I do have a bit of a crush on her. But she told me she doesn't feel the same, so..." he shrugged.

Bobby stared at the counter. Part of him amazed and grateful that Lili had not wanted that attention. But all day he'd been worrying and seething for nothing. Just like his mum used to when his dad so much as breathed in the direction of another woman. It was always unjustified. It was an ugly part of himself that he'd avoided awakening and now that it was done sleeping, the roar was loud.

"Thank you for coming to me like this. I appreciate it."

Gary looked at Bobby's sandwich. "I still don't get how you make it balance like that."

Before he could reply, there was a stampede of clacking heels as Lottie came tearing into the kitchen, her mouth twisted in rage. "Leave me alone!" she shouted.

"Whoa! What's happening?" Gary said, dropping his sandwich on the counter.

"Priya, that's what."

Priya stormed over, in a gold dress slit to her hip. "There you go again! You straight up blame me and make me look like a baddie, but you're the one who can't go two minutes without getting salty."

Lili came rushing behind, along with Hope and Marisol. She was breathing heavily and worry shadowed her eyes.

Lottie threw her hand up and accidentally knocked the remainder of the bread loaf across the counter and into the grass. Gary groaned.

"Wait, so who should we be cheering for?" Bobby asked.

Lili shook her head. "Neither. They're both being ridiculous."