What The Fork?

Chapter 6

*6/7/20 I made some minor grammatical corrections*

After Nikki left the kitchen, Roz started to get the things she needed to make grits. While the water was starting to boil, she put some sausages in the oven to cook. When the water was boiling, Roz put salt, butter, and the dry grits into the water and stirred it. Then she put the temperature to medium-low, put the lid on, and then set a timer for twenty minutes. She then stirred the black-eye peas and replaced the lid.

Roz started humming ‘I think I’m OKAY' (a Machine Gun Kelly song from 2019), as she started to clean up the utensils and wipe down the counter tops. After a little bit she started to sing the song. “Watch me, take a good thing and fuck it all up in one night
Catch me, I'm the one on the run away from the headlights
No sleep, up all week wasting time with people I don't like
I think something's fucking wrong with me”

Just as she sang the word “me", Tommy wrapped his arms around her and said, “Rozzy, there ain’t nothing wrong with you.”

Roz let out a short laugh and said, “Of course there isn’t Tommy. I was just singing a song that came out in 2019.” She then gently removed Tommy’s arms from around her.

Tommy pouted when she took his arms off of her. He tried to play it off as a pout about the song she was singing. “Why would you want to sing anything besides our songs?”

Roz rolled her eyes and stirred both the grits and the black-eye peas.  “What exactly makes you think it’s not one of your songs?” Roz chuckled as she teased Tommy.

He crossed his arms and truly pouted at her, “That isn’t even our genre of music. He’s probably some stupid young kid.”

Roz turned to Tommy and rolled her eyes. “He's 30 years old T. Well he is that age starting April 22, 2020. Also, if he’s stupid then so are you.” Roz grabbed some garbage bags and walked out of the kitchen and into the empty living room. She started to pick up all of the trash.

Tommy decided to follow her around like a puppy. After about 10 minutes of him bumping into every time she stopped, Roz handed him a bag and instructed him to help her. Tommy decided to start asking he a bunch of random questions. “Hey Rozzy, what’s your favorite movie from our time?”
Roz laughed, “I actually don’t have to think about that. My favorite movie that came out before 1981 is Star Wars: A New Hope.”

“Haha you are such a geek.”

Roz laughed and said, “Tell me something that I don’t know. Any other questions from the Spanish Inquisition?”

Tommy thought for a moment and then asked, “If you were stuck on a desert island, what 3 things would bring?”

“Well, that’s a tough one. I would want a satellite phone so I can call for rescue. I would also want a Swiss Army knife, and a cross bow that already has bolts. I gotta be able to fend for myself while I wait for extraction.” Roz tied off the full garbage bag and got another.

Tommy chuckled, “You answered that really quickly and really boringly.”

“Well I’ve had many discussions over the years with my friends about what is best to bring to a desert island. What would you bring?”

Tommy laughed and said, “A hot chick, lots of whiskey, and pizza.”

Roz looked at him in shock, “Dude that is soooooo impractical!” She rounded on Nikki who just came back out of his room, “What 3 things would YOU bring to a desert island?”

Nikki quickly said, “Booze, drugs, and hot chicks”

Roz face-palmed, “OH my god! You two are so impractical!”

Nikki looked between Tommy and Roz and Tommy shook his head. Nikki then asked, “Okay, what would you bring?”

Roz looked at him and said, “Well I'd be smart about it. I'd take a satellite phone, a Swiss Army knife, and a cross bow with bolts. Instead of some random chick, you guys should bring me. I’ll rescue you or at least provide for you. You can just sit there and look pretty.”

Nikki looked Roz up and down as she tied off another garbage bag and he smirked. Before he could say anything, Tommy said, “I’ll be the prettiest island buddy ever!” At this, Nikki started to glare at Tommy. Nikki scoffed and said, “T-bone you would never even survive on a desert island.” Nikki then kicked Tommy’s bag out of the way and sat propped up on the arm of the couch with his legs bent and his feet on the couch. He got his notebook out and started to pretend to work in it while he glared at Tommy and Roz.

Tommy pouted and Roz decided to just ignore Nikki and his mood. Roz looked around the living room and decided that it was clean enough for today. *The deep clean will have to wait until my hand has healed some. I wonder what time it is* Roz tied off her garbage bag and asked Tommy, “Can you please take the garbage bags out to the dumpster? I have an injury and I have to check on the grits.”

Tommy dropped his garbage bag in the middle of tying it off, and rushed over to Roz. “Rozlyn! You shouldn’t be cleaning if you’re hurt! What happened?” He started looking over her body  for an injury.

Roz smiled and was about to answer before Nikki growled and interrupted from his place on the couch, “I scared her while she was cutting onions and she cut her finger pretty badly.”

Tommy’s eyes went wide and he started pacing in front of the couch while yelling at Nikki. “What the fuck Nikki! Why would you do that? We’re supposed to be taking care of her, not hurting her!”

Nikki wasn’t having it. He stood up and threw his notebook to the ground before yelling back, “Seriously Tommy?! Do you honestly think I would hurt her on purpose? If I realized she had a knife in her hand I wouldn’t have tried to scare her!”

Tommy looked like he was about to start yelling back when Roz interrupted him by gently lying her hand on his arm. He turned to her and his face softened. Roz showed her left hand to Tommy. She pointed to the duct tape on her left ring finger and said, “I accidentally cut my ring finger when Nikki spooked me earlier. He already apologized and he even helped by getting me the things I needed to clean my cut. It was kind of deep so I had to super glue it closed and do a makeshift band aid from duct tape and paper towel. He even helped cut the rest of the onion and the ham. I am fine. I have had worse accidents in the kitchen.”

Tommy looked over her hand as she spoke. He looked up and said, “Still he shouldn’t have tried to scare you.”

Roz ruffled his hair with her free hand. She smiled and said, “Tommy, you guys all are going to be crazy to be around. I don’t want you guys to change just because I’m here. Please, just be yourselves.”

Tommy chuckled and pulled her into a hug and kissed her forehead. Neither Tommy nor Roz noticed Nikki watching them. Nikki was scowling at them, and he stormed out of the living room. He stomped off to his room and slammed his door. Just as Nikki slammed his door, Vince walked into the living room and cooed at Roz and Tommy embracing. “Aww, look at the lovebirds being all snuggly. What’s up with Nikki? His bitching woke me up.” Vince said as he plopped down on the couch.

Roz blushed and ducked out of Tommy’s arms, “I gotta check on breakfast.”

Tommy smiled after her and Vince asked him, “So man, what was up with Nikki?”

Tommy frowned and looked towards the kitchen where Roz was checking on the food. He sat next to Vince and shoved his hands in his hair. He looked to his left at Vince and said in a low voice, “That fucker snuck up on Roz while she had a fucking knife in her hand. Nikki was trying to scare her while she was cutting onions or something. He was fucking careless. She could have ended up in a hospital.”

Vince chuckled at how mad Tommy was. “Tommy, Roz seemed fine to me. I think you’re just being overprotective because you wanna fuck her.”

At this Tommy went to start punching Vince in the arm, “Shut up dude! She’s gonna hear you!”

Vince shoved him away and continued, “And Nik's probably pissy because he wants to fuck her too and is jealous of you.”

Tommy punched Vince once more and whined, “Dude c'mon! Shut up! It’d be worse if Nikki heard you. I don’t want to put up with a worse mood during practice.”

As Tommy spoke, Mick walked into the apartment. Mick sighed, “What did you do to make him mad now teenager?”

Tommy rolled his eyes but Vince responded, “He yelled at Nikki for accidentally hurting Roz. So of course, Nikki’s jealous and pissed that Tommy yelled at him.”

Mick’s face scrunched up in annoyance, “So where's Roz?”

Vince pointed towards the kitchen, “I’m guessing she is the cause of the amazing smells.”

Mick shook his head at Vince and Tommy and then went to the kitchen. He kept silent as she took the sausages out of the oven. As soon as she set them down, he spoke up, “Hey there ‘lil witch. I hear that Nikki hurt you earlier. Are you okay?”

Roz sighed, “Tommy’s exaggerating. It was an accident. Nikki spooked me and I accidentally cut my finger.”

Mick saw the makeshift bandage and questioned her further, “How badly did the dick hurt you?”

Roz growled, “Again, it was an accident! Nikki even helped me bandage my cut and finished cutting the last of the onions and the ham. It’s nice that Tommy feels so protective of me but there is nothing to defend against.”

Mick hummed and grabbed the vodka. He took a swig of the vodka and said, “Just wanted to get your take on what happened.”

Roz sighed and then set up bowls next to the pot of grits and the plate of sausages. She looked at Mick as she left the kitchen, “Feel free to have some grits and sausage. Pepper and salt are next to the plates. I’m going to get the guys. Hopefully Nikki will come out of his room.”

Mick put his hand on her shoulder to stop Roz. He looked at her and said, “I can tell that Nikki and Tommy both are at least intrigued by you. They probably already like you in their way. You should think on things.”

Roz looked down at the floor and blushed. “I don’t know what I feel right now. It’s too soon. But thanks Mick, you’re a good fake cousin.”

She left the kitchen and went to the living room. Vince and Tommy were chatting away. Roz cleared her throat to get their attention. “Hey guys, the grits and sausage are ready in the kitchen."

Vince got up and said, “Thanks Roz.” Before heading to the kitchen.

Tommy sprung up and enveloped Roz in a big hug. “Thank you so much Rozzy!” he exclaimed before kissing her on the forehead and bounding to the kitchen.

Roz watched Tommy with a smile on her face. *Well, I guess it’s time to check on Nikki. I he’ll have calmed down.* Roz raised a fist to knock on Nikki’s door and she heard some shuffling beyond  the door. As she waited, she shifted her posture before leaning back against the wall.