Chapter four
Chrissy rose early morning ready for the day. She showered and dressed and began looking through the refrigerator. She wasn’t much of a great cook but she knew how to set up cereal. She pulled out a box and some milk. She grabbed two bowls and set them on the table. Smiling she walked down the hall to Lydia’s room. She knocked on the door a couple times and with no answer opened it. To her surprise Lydia wasn’t in her bed. Looking around the room she shrugged. She walked to the kitchen and reached for the phone. She dialed Lydia’s cell but no one answered.
She then did something she hated doing. She dialed Ahmet’s number. The phone rang and to her satisfaction Lydia’s voice answered. “Hey Lyd what are you doing over there?” Chrissy asked.
“Oh I came here last night. I wanted ice cream.” Chrissy walked over to their freezer and opened it and just as she had suspected there was ice cream there.
“We have ice cream” Chrissy said.
“I know but there is nothing worst then eating ice cream alone in our apartment at night.” Lydia replied. “It’s Chrissy” Lydia said to some one around her. More then likely Ahmet.
“So when do you plan on coming home?” Chrissy asked crossing her arms over her chest.
“Soon, I feel much better but I need a shower.” Lydia said.
“What made you feel so much better?” Chrissy asked.
“Called mom said dads doing better. What’s in plan for today?” Lydia asked.
It annoyed Chrissy that she had worried about Lydia for two seconds while she was actually at Ahmet’s house. Couldn’t she have left maybe a letter? A note or something? “Actually Jo invited us over for a barbeque. Us including Ahmet and Zhi.”
“ZHI?!” Lydia exclaimed excitedly.
“Yes, Zhi.” Chrissy said.
“That’s just great! It worked out well huh? You’ll see Chrissy he’s the one. That is one fine Asian.” Chrissy smiled into the receiver and completely agreed. “What?” Lydia said to a person. “No I would never cheat on you with an Asian.” There was a pause in conversation and Lydia said “I said I’d never cheat on you with an Asian I never said anything about never cheating on you period.” Lydia laughed and Chrissy smiled at Lydia’s witty ways.
“Well I’ll be there around twelve. It’s like ten right?” Chrissy looked at her watch and said “yes.”
“Ok, yeah I’ll be at her house around twelve to help prepare. You just make sure CHRISSY is prepared. You need to stun that man and make him fall in love with you!” Lydia laughed and hung up the phone. Chrissy shook her head at her friend. She was so sure that the man she’d met through vandalism was perfect for Christine. What a sick world.
Chrissy picked up the phone and dialed in on Jo. Danny answered the phone said hello sweetness and passed the phone to Jolene. “yeah?” Jolene asked in a frustrated tone.
“Uh oh…” Chrissy said. “If you would prefer to switch up the barbeque time we can do it some other day.”
“Why?” Jolene asked attitude in her voice.
“Because you’re sounding like you’re in one of those moods.” Chrissy said fearing Jolene’s response.
“Chrissy don’t be ridiculous I am not in any mood now DROP IT” Jolene said harshly. If only Chrissy had a recorder. Unfortunately she didn’t so she guessed her only option left was to drop it.
“So Lyd says she’ll be there around twelve.”
“Oh lemme speak to her!” Jo demanded.
“She’s not here.” Chrissy said her tone low.
“Then WHERE is she?” Jo asked no doubt Chrissy knew her eyes were narrowing.
“Ahmet’s… anyway look I got to go, just delivering a message. Talk to you later!” Chrissy hung up the phone pretending she hadn’t heard her sister call her name.
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It was one O’clock and Lydia sat in a lawn chair. Chrissy and Zhi had yet to show and Jolene refused to begin grilling until they were here. As a result Ahmet and Danny started a game of basketball. It was funny for Lydia to watch short little Danny play against tall Ahmet. Danny did have one thing on Ahmet… Speed. Danny was quick with it.
Suddenly they both stopped and Lydia was lost. Had one of them won the game? Why was it suddenly over? Then Lydia caught Ahmet’s eyes and he smiled at her and glanced to the back of her. Lydia turned back and caught Zhi walking in hand in hand with Chrissy. Laughing a bit she nodded her head at Ahmet.
“Every one! This is Zhi. Zhi this is everyone.” Chrissy said letting go of his hand.
“Every one?” Jolene said. “I am not every one I don’t know about these guys but I demand a personal introduction to the man my sister just might be dating.”
Lydia smiled and rose from her seat and walked over to Jolene. “This, Zhi, Is our very pregnant sister Jolene. Don’t mind her mood swings.” Lydia touched and rubbed Jolene’s stomach then walked over to Danny. “This is Danny Jolene’s husband and baby’s daddy.” She then pointed at Ahmet and said “That one there is Ahmet.”
“Nice job with the introductions Lydia” Ahmet said his tone sarcastic.
Lydia nodded and returned to her lawn chair. “Let the barbeque began!” Danny said moving to the grill and Ahmet following. Chrissy choose a seat near Lydia and Zhi sat next to her. Across from them was Jolene.
“So what do you do Zhi?” Jolene asked.
“I’m studying medicine. Right now I work as a licensed nurse till I can put M.D. at the end of my name.” he said.
Laughter busted from Ahmet. Lydia raised an eye brow and he said “Male nurse… that’s manly.” Lydia shook her head and gave him a death glare. He shrugged his shoulder and turned back to the grill he was standing in front of. Lydia watched as Danny mumbled something she was sure had to do with Ahmet being an asshole.
“That’s good” Lydia said. Zhi nodded his head and Chrissy added something. Before she knew it there was a conversation rolling and yet she wasn’t apart of it. Her mind wasn’t focused and she’d like to blame it on her father but she now knew that he was ok so there was no reason for him to be lingering in her mind. Lydia felt there was something wrong but she couldn’t quite put her finger on it. Maybe it was just that time of the month or maybe she was just feeling after effects of the day before.
Suddenly a plate with a burger was in front of her face. Lydia grabbed the plate and looked up at Ahmet. “Thanks” she said to him. He nodded his head and patted her head with his hand. She made a face and he was gone. Away talking to Danny about what ever it was they felt they needed to talk about.
“You’re a Yankee fan!” Chrissy exclaimed her hand on Zhi’s knee her expression shocked.
Zhi smiled at her and nodded his head. “I’m a very strong Yankee fan actually. Have been all my life.”
“Wow! Just when I thought you couldn’t get better.” Chrissy said smiling at him before she leaned in and kissed his cheek.
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Zhi liked the feel of Chrissy’s lips on his cheek. Even better he loved the feel of his own lips on hers. He longed to experience that feeling again but he decided against it in honor of her sister’s presence. Chrissy leaned back in her chair her hand still on his knee. Zhi grabbed her hand and held it in his. She looked at him and he smiled at her.
“Look Jo they’re having a moment!” Lydia exclaimed causing them to rip their attention away from each other.
“Aw man I missed it!” Jo said.
“Well Chirssy had her hand on his knee and he took it and held it and he looked at her and she smiled! It was so sweet. I never had a moment with Ahmet… I’m envious.” Lydia said a smile on her face and a burger in her hand.
“Will you guys shut up?!” Chrissy said her cheeks a dark shade of pink.
Zhi smiled at how cute Chrissy was and how funny the whole clan was. It seemed each one of them had found a guy but Chrissy and now that she had everybody was having a field day. Glancing at his watch he noted that there was fifteen minutes till the early after noon Yankee game came on.
“Yankee game?” Chrissy questioned him. He nodded his head.
“Why don’t we all go inside and watch the game?” Jolene suggested.
“Sounds good” Chrissy said.
“I think I’ll bail on that one. Baseball is the worst sport ever.” Ahmet said.
“I believe you’ve made how you feel about baseball clear to all of us.” Jolene said her jaw set seeming as though she was clenching her teeth.
“The new guy didn’t know. Now he does.” He said with a smile on his face. He waved to the group sitting all together and began walking away. Lydia sat her hand on her lap twirling her thumbs looking quite disappointed. Just then Ahmet came walking back and grabbed Lydia’s face pulling her lips to his. Jolene made an “ew” sound and he raised a hand to their faces covering the kissing that occurred between the two. He pulled away and exited the backyard again. Lydia sat there smiling while Jolene rolled her eyes.
“Lets go inside” Chrissy said. The group agreed and they all rose. Jolene took a minute to get up and they all waited on her. Holding her husband’s hand she walked into the home first. Lydia followed and Chrissy began to walk in after when Zhi grabbed her elbow and pulled her away from the marching parade inside Jolene’s home.
Chrissy looked up at him and he wrapped his arms around her waist. He pulled her in closer and inhaled her scent. “This was really nice.” He said to her.
“Is this your way of saying you’re leaving?” She questioned a glint of disappointment flashing in her eyes.
“No, I’m not going anywhere I just thought I would hold you close like this when your sister wasn’t around and pregnant.” He said.
“Oh yeah, she’s a bit moody. One more month!” she said smiling.
He laughed a bit and hugged her closer. “How about we go to a real Yankee game? I know some people so I can get us good seats.”
“Oh, that sounds great!” she said real enthusiasm in her voice.
“Ok, it’s a date. On Friday, seven O’clock game.” He said to her kissing her cheek and letting her go.
“Yeah, it’s a date.” Chrissy said a bit flustered.
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