Dancing On Thin Ice // KTH

Chapter 95

Bus.

They sat in the bus, side by side.

The weight of Hosi's head on Carmela's shoulder was heavy, but she didn't want to disturb his sleep. Tonight was a long night. Too long. Carmela wondered how Aunt Kass's night was going. Hopefully her date with Roberto had gone okay, but it seemed to have since she hadn't called Carmela back home.

These were the moments when Carmela dreamed of having a big house. So that her and Aunt Kass's small bedrooms wouldn't be side by side, directly glued together. This was the reason why Aunt Kass wanted some privacy. And this was part of the reason why Carmela had never brought a boy she "liked" to her house before.

Well...

Except for one.

Ugh. Gross. BARF.

Carmela's shoulder began to throb but luckily, Hosi soon shifted up in his seat. He turned to her with squinted eyes and arched eyebrows.

"Why are we not there yet?" He groaned, stretching his arms over his head. Then one arm came down and rested behind Carmela's seat, draping over the top.

"Maybe 'cause we got the slowest driver in the city." Carmela yawned. "Guy's too busy hitting on the girls up there, his foot ain't hitting the acceleration right."

"Chill, we'll get there. We'll be home soon." Hosi gazed at her, excitement in his eyes.

But then it vanished and he shook his head. He exhaled. "Dad's not home. He left a couple of weeks ago. Gone back for a meeting or some shit."

"Gone back?" She turned to him.

"To Korea, I mean. He loves going. Know why? 'Cause he's the richest guy there." Hosi chuckled. "Matters a lot to him, all that fame, status and goddamn money."

Carmela put a gentle hand on his leg.

"I don't miss him, it's too late for that, I just... I wish it could've been different, like from the beginning. You know?"

"I know. As the daughter of Luis Martinez Kass, trust me babe, I know." Carmela nodded with a smile.

"Babe?" Hosi raised his eyebrows, smirking.

"W-- you know what I mean. Not that type of babe, just like--"

"I know, I know. Just kidding." But his smile was sad.

"Hosi--"

He slightly shifted his leg, making Carmela's hand fall off of it.

"So. You excited to see Heather?" He said after a moment.

"I'm... yeah, I'm excited to see her." Her throat felt raw, as she smiled at Hosi. "She kept Jules's room the way it was? Right?"

"No." He replied, and gazed out the window.

******************

They stepped off the noisy bus out into the cool night air. With stiff muscles, they walked up the path to a large, sand-coloured house on a street full of rich old folks.

"Been one hell of a long time." Carmela muttered, peering up at the house. "You don't think Heather's mad at me for not visiting, do you?"

"No, I think she'll understand. She knows how much you were... sad. And you know what, she almost sold the house."

"What, really?"

"Yep, just couldn't live here anymore. With... Jules's room empty and everything."

"Oh. But she didn't?"

"No."

"Why?"

"I don't know." Hosi turned to her. "Let's go in?"