Insert 9: The One
Written by Jake Collins
Oscar was lying on his bed with a cordless phone extension pressed to his ear, grinning all over his face.
'That's wonderful!' he said into the phone. 'So Mike reckons he'll be finished by four? Okay, I'll come over and take a look – I can't wait to see it! And I can't wait to see you either.'
Dana put her head around the open bedroom door as Oscar pressed the button to end the phone call and let out a sigh of immense satisfaction.
'So,' said Dana, 'the apartment's almost ready?'
'Yup!' said Oscar, sitting up and beaming at his mother. 'Michael just has a few finishing touches to make tomorrow, then we're all set to move in!'
'Oscar,' said Dana, 'I'm going to say something to you now that'll probably make me seem like the most awful, clingy mother in the world, but are you absolutely sure you want to do this?'
'Yes, Mom,' Oscar replied, 'I'm absolutely sure I want to do this.'
'I just want to make sure you've considered all your options carefully,' said Dana. 'I don't mean to smother you.'
'It's fine, Mom,' said Oscar. 'I know you're only asking because you care.'
'In that case,' Dana said with a smile, 'let me make it crystal clear that you absolutely do not have to move out, now or ever if you don't want to. And even if you do want to someday, right now you're only nineteen and I'm worried you might be rushing into it. It's not that I'm doubting the strength of your relationship with Kevin; I just think you might find it easier to carry on living at home while you're a student, both practically and financially.'
'Mom,' said Oscar, 'I really do appreciate what you're saying and why you're saying it, but whatever the fiddly little details, I really want to move in with Kevin and I really am going to do it. You see, Mom, Kevin is – and I actually can't believe I'm gonna use this stupid expression – but Kevin is the One, and I want us to be together, now and forever. You don't need to worry about our financial situation – Kevin's parents aren't charging us very much rent, Mood Slime is starting to bring in a decent amount of money, and of course Kevin gets paid for being a part-time Ghostbuster.'
Dana's brow creased in thought for a moment, then she said, 'You never considered becoming a Ghostbuster yourself, did you?'
'No; it's not something I've ever been particularly interested in,' said Oscar. 'Anyway, moving into Eduardo's old apartment with Kevin just feels right for me, and I'm going to do it.'
'Oh, Oscar,' said Dana, fixing him with a loving look, 'you really are all grown up now, aren't you?'
She reached out to ruffle his hair; Oscar squirmed slightly, but did not object.
'I don't say this to try and make you change your mind,' said Dana, 'but we'll all miss you terribly.'
'I'll miss you all too, Mom,' said Oscar, 'but we'll still see lots of each other, I'm sure. The three of you must come to dinner one night, when we're settled in.'
'And you and Kevin can come here for dinner anytime you want,' said Dana, 'especially if you find yourselves in need of a nice home-cooked meal.'
'Mom,' Oscar said severely, 'just because we're a couple of young guys, doesn't mean we can't cook.'
'I'm sure it doesn't, sweetheart,' said Dana. 'Do you want me to drive you over to the apartment tomorrow?'
'No, thanks; I'll walk,' said Oscar. 'But if you could do two or three trips with me some other time this week, we can take all my stuff over... except the things that're going in the attic, of course.'
'No problem,' said Dana. 'We'll do it on Sunday, shall we?'
Oscar beamed and said, 'Thanks, Mom.'
'That's wonderful!' he said into the phone. 'So Mike reckons he'll be finished by four? Okay, I'll come over and take a look – I can't wait to see it! And I can't wait to see you either.'
Dana put her head around the open bedroom door as Oscar pressed the button to end the phone call and let out a sigh of immense satisfaction.
'So,' said Dana, 'the apartment's almost ready?'
'Yup!' said Oscar, sitting up and beaming at his mother. 'Michael just has a few finishing touches to make tomorrow, then we're all set to move in!'
'Oscar,' said Dana, 'I'm going to say something to you now that'll probably make me seem like the most awful, clingy mother in the world, but are you absolutely sure you want to do this?'
'Yes, Mom,' Oscar replied, 'I'm absolutely sure I want to do this.'
'I just want to make sure you've considered all your options carefully,' said Dana. 'I don't mean to smother you.'
'It's fine, Mom,' said Oscar. 'I know you're only asking because you care.'
'In that case,' Dana said with a smile, 'let me make it crystal clear that you absolutely do not have to move out, now or ever if you don't want to. And even if you do want to someday, right now you're only nineteen and I'm worried you might be rushing into it. It's not that I'm doubting the strength of your relationship with Kevin; I just think you might find it easier to carry on living at home while you're a student, both practically and financially.'
'Mom,' said Oscar, 'I really do appreciate what you're saying and why you're saying it, but whatever the fiddly little details, I really want to move in with Kevin and I really am going to do it. You see, Mom, Kevin is – and I actually can't believe I'm gonna use this stupid expression – but Kevin is the One, and I want us to be together, now and forever. You don't need to worry about our financial situation – Kevin's parents aren't charging us very much rent, Mood Slime is starting to bring in a decent amount of money, and of course Kevin gets paid for being a part-time Ghostbuster.'
Dana's brow creased in thought for a moment, then she said, 'You never considered becoming a Ghostbuster yourself, did you?'
'No; it's not something I've ever been particularly interested in,' said Oscar. 'Anyway, moving into Eduardo's old apartment with Kevin just feels right for me, and I'm going to do it.'
'Oh, Oscar,' said Dana, fixing him with a loving look, 'you really are all grown up now, aren't you?'
She reached out to ruffle his hair; Oscar squirmed slightly, but did not object.
'I don't say this to try and make you change your mind,' said Dana, 'but we'll all miss you terribly.'
'I'll miss you all too, Mom,' said Oscar, 'but we'll still see lots of each other, I'm sure. The three of you must come to dinner one night, when we're settled in.'
'And you and Kevin can come here for dinner anytime you want,' said Dana, 'especially if you find yourselves in need of a nice home-cooked meal.'
'Mom,' Oscar said severely, 'just because we're a couple of young guys, doesn't mean we can't cook.'
'I'm sure it doesn't, sweetheart,' said Dana. 'Do you want me to drive you over to the apartment tomorrow?'
'No, thanks; I'll walk,' said Oscar. 'But if you could do two or three trips with me some other time this week, we can take all my stuff over... except the things that're going in the attic, of course.'
'No problem,' said Dana. 'We'll do it on Sunday, shall we?'
Oscar beamed and said, 'Thanks, Mom.'
The following afternoon, Kevin and Beth were staring at the empty space that until very recently had been Kevin's bedroom.
'Okay,' said Kevin, 'so that last cardboard box contained the final load of stuff for the attic, so that's all in place and it's going to stay there for the next God knows how long, and all the stuff I'm taking to the apartment is in the dining room, ready and waiting.'
'Which is why there hasn't been any actual dining going on in there recently,' Beth added.
'Yeah,' Kevin laughed. 'Okay, so that means this room is now officially Jimmy's bedroom, and we can move his bed in!'
Kevin and Beth left the room and walked across the hallway to the master bedroom. They emerged a few seconds later carrying a small wooden bed between them, and took it into the bedroom that had been Kevin's and was now James's.
'Oh my God,' said Beth, wiping tears from her eyes, 'Jamie's first real bed.'
'I know, Mom,' said Kevin, his voice cracking slightly, 'he's growing up so fast.'
'Still, it's high time we did this,' Beth sighed. 'He's already too big for that crib of his.'
'I wonder if he'll be an early developer, like me,' said Kevin. 'We don't have the same nose, so maybe he won't.'
'I wonder if he's finished his nap yet,' said Beth.
'I'll go check,' said Kevin.
Kevin left the room again and went into the smallest of the three bedrooms on the middle storey. He emerged a short time later with James in his arms, and went back to join Beth.
'Hello there, sweetheart,' Beth cooed at James. 'It looks like you're awake, huh? You're awake.'
'He sure is,' said Kevin. 'Look, Jimmy; do you like your new bed?'
Kevin lowered James to the floor and he tottered over to the bed. He examined it closely for a few seconds, then he looked over his shoulder with a very unimpressed expression on his face.
'Are you looking forward to sleeping in your big boy's bed tonight, Jamie?' said Beth.
'No!' said James.
'I think you are, Jamie,' Beth said coaxingly.
'No!' James said again.
'Big boys don't sleep in cribs, you know, Jimmy,' said Kevin. 'They sleep in real beds, just like their brothers and their moms and dads.'
'No they don't!' James said obstinately.
'Oh dear,' said Beth. 'I guess we'll have to break out the Thomas and the Magic Railroad pillow and quilt cover set.'
She went to the linen closet and returned with the colourful bedclothes. James watched with interest as his mother and brother shook the duvet and pillow covers onto the new bedding, and then laid them out carefully on the bed.
'James the Red Engine's on there?' James asked, suspiciously yet hopefully.
'Of course, Jimmy,' said Kevin. 'He's on the quilt and the pillow, look.'
When James had ascertained that Kevin was telling the truth, he smiled contentedly then immediately got under the duvet and closed his eyes.
'We'll never get him out of there now,' Beth remarked.
'Okay,' said Kevin, 'so that last cardboard box contained the final load of stuff for the attic, so that's all in place and it's going to stay there for the next God knows how long, and all the stuff I'm taking to the apartment is in the dining room, ready and waiting.'
'Which is why there hasn't been any actual dining going on in there recently,' Beth added.
'Yeah,' Kevin laughed. 'Okay, so that means this room is now officially Jimmy's bedroom, and we can move his bed in!'
Kevin and Beth left the room and walked across the hallway to the master bedroom. They emerged a few seconds later carrying a small wooden bed between them, and took it into the bedroom that had been Kevin's and was now James's.
'Oh my God,' said Beth, wiping tears from her eyes, 'Jamie's first real bed.'
'I know, Mom,' said Kevin, his voice cracking slightly, 'he's growing up so fast.'
'Still, it's high time we did this,' Beth sighed. 'He's already too big for that crib of his.'
'I wonder if he'll be an early developer, like me,' said Kevin. 'We don't have the same nose, so maybe he won't.'
'I wonder if he's finished his nap yet,' said Beth.
'I'll go check,' said Kevin.
Kevin left the room again and went into the smallest of the three bedrooms on the middle storey. He emerged a short time later with James in his arms, and went back to join Beth.
'Hello there, sweetheart,' Beth cooed at James. 'It looks like you're awake, huh? You're awake.'
'He sure is,' said Kevin. 'Look, Jimmy; do you like your new bed?'
Kevin lowered James to the floor and he tottered over to the bed. He examined it closely for a few seconds, then he looked over his shoulder with a very unimpressed expression on his face.
'Are you looking forward to sleeping in your big boy's bed tonight, Jamie?' said Beth.
'No!' said James.
'I think you are, Jamie,' Beth said coaxingly.
'No!' James said again.
'Big boys don't sleep in cribs, you know, Jimmy,' said Kevin. 'They sleep in real beds, just like their brothers and their moms and dads.'
'No they don't!' James said obstinately.
'Oh dear,' said Beth. 'I guess we'll have to break out the Thomas and the Magic Railroad pillow and quilt cover set.'
She went to the linen closet and returned with the colourful bedclothes. James watched with interest as his mother and brother shook the duvet and pillow covers onto the new bedding, and then laid them out carefully on the bed.
'James the Red Engine's on there?' James asked, suspiciously yet hopefully.
'Of course, Jimmy,' said Kevin. 'He's on the quilt and the pillow, look.'
When James had ascertained that Kevin was telling the truth, he smiled contentedly then immediately got under the duvet and closed his eyes.
'We'll never get him out of there now,' Beth remarked.
Kevin approached the apartment stairs and met Michael coming down them with a stepladder over his shoulder.
'Here, Mike,' said Kevin, 'let me put that away for you.'
'Okay,' said Michael. 'Thanks, Kev.'
Kevin carried the ladder through the open door of the garage and carefully hooked it onto its wall bracket.
'It's ninety-nine point nine percent done now,' said Michael. 'We'll have you moved in by six.'
Kevin turned and beamed at him. Michael smiled back, then averted his eyes in a slightly embarrassed way.
'You're absolutely sure you don't want any more money, right?' said Kevin.
'I'm certain,' said Michael. 'All the materials are paid for, and like I've told you about eight times, the labour is completely free; it's my house-warming gift to you and Oscar.'
Kevin had tears in his eyes as he came over to Michael and enveloped him in a tight hug.
'Come on, Kev,' said Michael, laughing and patting him on the back, 'it's really not that big of a deal.'
'Yes it is,' Kevin mumbled onto Michael's shoulder. 'It's one of the nicest things anyone's ever done for me.'
'You haven't seen it yet,' Michael pointed out. 'You might absolutely hate it and want to punch my lights out.'
'I've never wanted to punch your lights out, Mike, and I can't believe that's gonna change today.'
'You know, Kev, I'm aware that you once gave yourself the opportunity to punch my lights out, and I only didn't end up on the restroom floor in a pool of my own blood thanks to your mercy.'
'That's a weird thing to remember right now,' said Kevin, wiping his eyes and laughing slightly.
'I was just thinking how different that situation was to the one we're in today,' said Michael.
'I like this one much better.'
'Do you also like it better than when we used to pummel the hell out of each other's abs for fun?'
'Um... I like it about the same, I guess,' Kevin laughed. 'Come on, then – show me the results of your genius.'
Michael led the way up the stairs and into the newly renovated apartment. Ella was kneeling on the floor, painting very carefully around a pair of power outlets.
'Oh, Mike,' Kevin breathed, 'it's wonderful!'
'It's not really anything,' Michael shrugged, smiling bashfully nevertheless.
'I can't believe how much work you've put in,' said Kevin. 'Eduardo wouldn't recognise the place!'
'Hey,' said Ella, 'I helped too! Well, I did today, anyway.'
'I'll love you both forever,' said Kevin, beaming. 'This is the happiest day of my life!'
'Let's just hope it's not all downhill from here, huh?' Michael grinned. 'Imagine that – peaking on your twentieth birthday!'
'I'm sure it's only gonna get better from here on out,' said Kevin.
'There,' said Ella, placing her paintbrush on a nearby sheet of newspaper and rising to her feet. 'Now we just need to get the furniture in and we're all set!'
Kevin had started crying again, so Ella came over and wrapped her arms around him. Michael pressed himself against Ella's back half and wrapped his arms around both her and Kevin.
'Mm,' Ella purred, 'now this is nice – I just love being the meat in my favourite kind of sandwich!'
Kevin laughed, but Michael frowned slightly. Oscar chose that moment to saunter through the open door of the apartment. He drank in his surroundings for a few moments, then he remarked, 'Oh my God,' and ran to attach himself to the group hug.
'Okay,' Michael said at length, pulling out of the huddle, 'let's see about getting that furniture up here, shall we?'
'Oh, yes!' said Oscar. 'Then this really will be our home at last.'
'Hey, guys,' a familiar male voice suddenly met their ears. 'So, I guess the apartment's ready, huh?'
Everyone looked over to the door and gasped. Jandro and Lucy were both standing there, grinning all over their faces. Kevin and Ella both screamed rapturously, Oscar and Michael both grinned, and then all six of them flung themselves on each other in the middle of the apartment. By the time they drew apart, it seemed impossible that everyone had not been both hugged and kissed by everyone else.
'What are you guys doing here?' Kevin laughed, giving Jandro and Lucy an extra squeeze each.
'Well, Kev,' said Lucy, grinning widely at him, 'we arrived home from Hong Kong about an hour ago, then John gave us a ride to Jandro's house, where Jandro dumped his stuff and gave his sister a hug, then we went on to my house, where we dumped my stuff, then we decided we wanted to come straight over to see you, and John offered to drive us but we both felt like walking, so we walked to your house and your mom told us you were here, so we came on up and then... well, you know the rest. And we bought you something from one of the outlet stores at the airport.'
Lucy reached into the back pocket of her jeans and withdrew an envelope, which she handed to Kevin. Kevin smiled and started to open it.
'Do you have any idea how difficult it is to find a twentieth birthday card?' said Jandro. 'If you want anything from one to nineteen, you're covered. Twenty-one, no problem. All the other multiples of ten up to one hundred and ten, you're spoilt for choice. But no twenty!'
Kevin found himself looking at a card with a picture of an elephant in a party hat on the front, which was adorned with a large number two that had clearly come with the card, followed by a biro-written zero that had clearly not come with the card.
'It was the best we could do in the time,' Lucy explained.
Kevin opened the card and read out, 'Happy twentieth birthday to the best friend in the world, love Lucy and Jandro.'
Kevin's voice cracked as he read the final few words, then he grabbed Jandro and Lucy and started sobbing all over them.
'I don't think he minded the last-minute addition, guys,' Ella grinned.
'Okay, well I'm going to make a start on that furniture now,' said Michael. 'I don't know about anyone else.'
'Oh, yes,' said Kevin, letting his friends go and wiping his eyes. 'Let's all go down to the garage and bring up the essential furniture: the sofa-bed and the fridge and all the kitchen stuff.'
'And the table,' said Oscar. 'I want to set up the computer.'
'I'm going to bring the kettle,' said Jandro, 'so we can all have a hot drink when we're done. Unless you don't have a kettle yet?'
'It's okay,' said Kevin, 'we have a kettle.'
They started trooping towards the door.
'We must all remember to watch out for the power outlets when we're arranging the furniture,' said Ella. 'There's wet paint around them.'
'Here, Mike,' said Kevin, 'let me put that away for you.'
'Okay,' said Michael. 'Thanks, Kev.'
Kevin carried the ladder through the open door of the garage and carefully hooked it onto its wall bracket.
'It's ninety-nine point nine percent done now,' said Michael. 'We'll have you moved in by six.'
Kevin turned and beamed at him. Michael smiled back, then averted his eyes in a slightly embarrassed way.
'You're absolutely sure you don't want any more money, right?' said Kevin.
'I'm certain,' said Michael. 'All the materials are paid for, and like I've told you about eight times, the labour is completely free; it's my house-warming gift to you and Oscar.'
Kevin had tears in his eyes as he came over to Michael and enveloped him in a tight hug.
'Come on, Kev,' said Michael, laughing and patting him on the back, 'it's really not that big of a deal.'
'Yes it is,' Kevin mumbled onto Michael's shoulder. 'It's one of the nicest things anyone's ever done for me.'
'You haven't seen it yet,' Michael pointed out. 'You might absolutely hate it and want to punch my lights out.'
'I've never wanted to punch your lights out, Mike, and I can't believe that's gonna change today.'
'You know, Kev, I'm aware that you once gave yourself the opportunity to punch my lights out, and I only didn't end up on the restroom floor in a pool of my own blood thanks to your mercy.'
'That's a weird thing to remember right now,' said Kevin, wiping his eyes and laughing slightly.
'I was just thinking how different that situation was to the one we're in today,' said Michael.
'I like this one much better.'
'Do you also like it better than when we used to pummel the hell out of each other's abs for fun?'
'Um... I like it about the same, I guess,' Kevin laughed. 'Come on, then – show me the results of your genius.'
Michael led the way up the stairs and into the newly renovated apartment. Ella was kneeling on the floor, painting very carefully around a pair of power outlets.
'Oh, Mike,' Kevin breathed, 'it's wonderful!'
'It's not really anything,' Michael shrugged, smiling bashfully nevertheless.
'I can't believe how much work you've put in,' said Kevin. 'Eduardo wouldn't recognise the place!'
'Hey,' said Ella, 'I helped too! Well, I did today, anyway.'
'I'll love you both forever,' said Kevin, beaming. 'This is the happiest day of my life!'
'Let's just hope it's not all downhill from here, huh?' Michael grinned. 'Imagine that – peaking on your twentieth birthday!'
'I'm sure it's only gonna get better from here on out,' said Kevin.
'There,' said Ella, placing her paintbrush on a nearby sheet of newspaper and rising to her feet. 'Now we just need to get the furniture in and we're all set!'
Kevin had started crying again, so Ella came over and wrapped her arms around him. Michael pressed himself against Ella's back half and wrapped his arms around both her and Kevin.
'Mm,' Ella purred, 'now this is nice – I just love being the meat in my favourite kind of sandwich!'
Kevin laughed, but Michael frowned slightly. Oscar chose that moment to saunter through the open door of the apartment. He drank in his surroundings for a few moments, then he remarked, 'Oh my God,' and ran to attach himself to the group hug.
'Okay,' Michael said at length, pulling out of the huddle, 'let's see about getting that furniture up here, shall we?'
'Oh, yes!' said Oscar. 'Then this really will be our home at last.'
'Hey, guys,' a familiar male voice suddenly met their ears. 'So, I guess the apartment's ready, huh?'
Everyone looked over to the door and gasped. Jandro and Lucy were both standing there, grinning all over their faces. Kevin and Ella both screamed rapturously, Oscar and Michael both grinned, and then all six of them flung themselves on each other in the middle of the apartment. By the time they drew apart, it seemed impossible that everyone had not been both hugged and kissed by everyone else.
'What are you guys doing here?' Kevin laughed, giving Jandro and Lucy an extra squeeze each.
'Well, Kev,' said Lucy, grinning widely at him, 'we arrived home from Hong Kong about an hour ago, then John gave us a ride to Jandro's house, where Jandro dumped his stuff and gave his sister a hug, then we went on to my house, where we dumped my stuff, then we decided we wanted to come straight over to see you, and John offered to drive us but we both felt like walking, so we walked to your house and your mom told us you were here, so we came on up and then... well, you know the rest. And we bought you something from one of the outlet stores at the airport.'
Lucy reached into the back pocket of her jeans and withdrew an envelope, which she handed to Kevin. Kevin smiled and started to open it.
'Do you have any idea how difficult it is to find a twentieth birthday card?' said Jandro. 'If you want anything from one to nineteen, you're covered. Twenty-one, no problem. All the other multiples of ten up to one hundred and ten, you're spoilt for choice. But no twenty!'
Kevin found himself looking at a card with a picture of an elephant in a party hat on the front, which was adorned with a large number two that had clearly come with the card, followed by a biro-written zero that had clearly not come with the card.
'It was the best we could do in the time,' Lucy explained.
Kevin opened the card and read out, 'Happy twentieth birthday to the best friend in the world, love Lucy and Jandro.'
Kevin's voice cracked as he read the final few words, then he grabbed Jandro and Lucy and started sobbing all over them.
'I don't think he minded the last-minute addition, guys,' Ella grinned.
'Okay, well I'm going to make a start on that furniture now,' said Michael. 'I don't know about anyone else.'
'Oh, yes,' said Kevin, letting his friends go and wiping his eyes. 'Let's all go down to the garage and bring up the essential furniture: the sofa-bed and the fridge and all the kitchen stuff.'
'And the table,' said Oscar. 'I want to set up the computer.'
'I'm going to bring the kettle,' said Jandro, 'so we can all have a hot drink when we're done. Unless you don't have a kettle yet?'
'It's okay,' said Kevin, 'we have a kettle.'
They started trooping towards the door.
'We must all remember to watch out for the power outlets when we're arranging the furniture,' said Ella. 'There's wet paint around them.'
Kevin slid between the sheets of the brand new sofa-bed and cuddled up to Oscar's back. Oscar smiled and reached up to grasp Kevin's hand.
'I haven't felt this good since we were in Tampico,' Kevin remarked.
Oscar leaned back over his own shoulder, kissed Kevin and said, 'Happy birthday, gorgeous.'
'I couldn't have asked for a happier one,' said Kevin. 'God, I love you.'
'Yeah,' said Oscar, 'and I think you're okay too.'
They both laughed, then Kevin gave Oscar's neck a nibble.
'I guess we made it through our first day living together,' said Oscar. 'Yay us!'
'Wow... living together,' said Kevin. 'Yeah, that's what we're doing now, isn't it?'
'It sure is!' Oscar grinned.
'We even managed to make dinner without blowing up the kitchen,' said Kevin, smiling to himself.
'My mom will bring us a home-cooked meal if we get sick of the microwavable stuff,' said Oscar.
'So will mine,' said Kevin. 'She has about ten dishes in the freezer that she's gonna give us to eat once our oven's been delivered. But I thought I'd make us chicken and chorizo the first night we have the oven, to celebrate.'
'Wonderful,' said Oscar. 'I meant to tell you earlier, my mom's gonna help me bring over the rest of my stuff tomorrow. I hope there won't be too much to fit in the apartment.'
'You're not finding it too small, are you?' said Kevin.
'Not at all,' said Oscar. 'I'm finding it exactly right... but I'm thinking about my speakers and my amplifier and my –'
'Don't worry about it,' said Kevin. 'We can store stuff at the back of the garage if necessary – there'll still be plenty of room for my mom's car.'
'Are you sure your parents won't mind?'
'Perfectly sure. That is, my dad probably won't notice and my mom won't say anything about it.'
'I don't want to take advantage of her good nature,' Oscar demurred.
'You won't be – she really won't mind,' said Kevin. 'We'll work it all out tomorrow.'
'Okay,' said Oscar. 'So, er... do you feel like going to sleep yet?'
Kevin adjusted his position slightly, planted a series of kisses across Oscar's shoulders and whispered, 'No.'
'Good,' Oscar whispered back.
'I haven't felt this good since we were in Tampico,' Kevin remarked.
Oscar leaned back over his own shoulder, kissed Kevin and said, 'Happy birthday, gorgeous.'
'I couldn't have asked for a happier one,' said Kevin. 'God, I love you.'
'Yeah,' said Oscar, 'and I think you're okay too.'
They both laughed, then Kevin gave Oscar's neck a nibble.
'I guess we made it through our first day living together,' said Oscar. 'Yay us!'
'Wow... living together,' said Kevin. 'Yeah, that's what we're doing now, isn't it?'
'It sure is!' Oscar grinned.
'We even managed to make dinner without blowing up the kitchen,' said Kevin, smiling to himself.
'My mom will bring us a home-cooked meal if we get sick of the microwavable stuff,' said Oscar.
'So will mine,' said Kevin. 'She has about ten dishes in the freezer that she's gonna give us to eat once our oven's been delivered. But I thought I'd make us chicken and chorizo the first night we have the oven, to celebrate.'
'Wonderful,' said Oscar. 'I meant to tell you earlier, my mom's gonna help me bring over the rest of my stuff tomorrow. I hope there won't be too much to fit in the apartment.'
'You're not finding it too small, are you?' said Kevin.
'Not at all,' said Oscar. 'I'm finding it exactly right... but I'm thinking about my speakers and my amplifier and my –'
'Don't worry about it,' said Kevin. 'We can store stuff at the back of the garage if necessary – there'll still be plenty of room for my mom's car.'
'Are you sure your parents won't mind?'
'Perfectly sure. That is, my dad probably won't notice and my mom won't say anything about it.'
'I don't want to take advantage of her good nature,' Oscar demurred.
'You won't be – she really won't mind,' said Kevin. 'We'll work it all out tomorrow.'
'Okay,' said Oscar. 'So, er... do you feel like going to sleep yet?'
Kevin adjusted his position slightly, planted a series of kisses across Oscar's shoulders and whispered, 'No.'
'Good,' Oscar whispered back.
