Wait for It

by Mariana Zapata

My mom had always said you could tell a lot about a person by their eyes. A mouth could be formed into a million different shapes, but eyes were the windows to a person’s soul and shit.

sometimes you met people who fit so perfectly into your life, you couldn’t imagine them ever not being a part of it.

Some days, all a girl needed was to talk to her best friend to make a day that hadn’t been great better.

“I can help, if you tell me what you need.”

“I’ll close the door. Go lay down. I’ll take care of dinner,”

“You don’t have to do that.” “I want to,”

I’m here. You’re not feeling well. Let me help.”

“I know you got it, but I’ll help.” There was another pause. “I’m offering.”

“You want more?” he asked me just as I set the plate in front of his grandmother. “Yes, please,” I said before telling him when to stop. No one, besides my mom, had ever served me food before. No one.

“You’re better than my real mom, better than Mandy—” “Jesus, Josh. Don’t say stuff like that.” “Why? You always tell me not to lie,”

“I’m gonna hug you as long as you promise not to grab my ass, okay?” I almost laughed, but it sounded more like a broken croak.

“You’ll tell me if you’re not happy?” “You of all people can tell when I’m not happy, J.” “Yeah,”

“I know you can do it by yourself, but I’m here. Let’s do it.”

“I’m ready to move on with my life with someone who doesn’t want to be with anyone else but me.”

“I always figured I’d grow old with someone, so I need to make the next one count since it’s for keeps.” My heart started acting weird next. And he kept going, signing her death warrant without even knowing it. “She wouldn’t be my first, but she’d be the only one who ever mattered. I think she could wait for the time to be right. I’d make sure she never regretted it.”

“He hit you?” His question was pulled out like each word was its own sentence. “Yeah—” Those big hands fisted at his sides, and his neck went pink. “Which one is he?” “Dallas, stop, it isn’t him,” I said, reaching for his shirt and grabbing a handful of it. “It was a long time ago.” “A lifetime wouldn’t be long enough,” he ground out. “Which one is he, Diana?”

“Tell me what his name is, and I’ll put him six feet in the ground.” I sucked in a breath and couldn’t help but smile at him, even with my eyes all teary. “It’s like you’re purposely trying to get me to love you, Dallas. I swear to God. You don’t even want me to stick my hand down your pants. You want me to want it all,” I laughed, trying to make a joke but failing awfully.

“If something happened to you, I wouldn’t be okay. I would never be okay,”

“I’ve seen you in your underwear and combed nits out of your hair, baby. I think we’re past that.”

“You really—” “Let me do it,”

“Dallas,” I whispered. “You really don’t owe me anything. How many times do I have to tell you that?” “None. Stop wasting your breath.”

this. “Thank you,” I said to Dallas. His blink was the second most innocent thing I’d ever seen after Louie’s. The corners of his mouth went up just a little as he said, “Anything for you.”

I was crazy in love with this motherfucker. I really, really was.

I know she”—he tipped his head toward me—“only bites when she has to, and I will always take her side. Are we clear on that?” He would?

“I’m still here, Peach.”

give me a quote on redoing the floors in my house, but that isn’t going to be any time soon,” I told him. “All you have to do is ask, Diana.”

“Whatever you think looks good.” Grabbing a cape, I slipped it over his shoulders and made the Velcro parts meet together. “You sure?” “Sure,” he answered back, all raspy and hoarse. “I trust you.”

“You’re the one looking at me more than anyone, do what you want.”

“I like having an excuse to come see you,”

“Good. Make me your six o’clock from now on. Any day you want, I’ll make it work.” My index finger hovered over the mouse for a moment and I held my breath. There was something about this that felt different. Heavy. “For how long?” I asked slowly. “For as long as that calendar will let you.”

I'm in love with him

“Because you worried me! You think I want something to happen to you? I can’t read your mind. I don’t know what the hell you’re planning on doing,”

“Maybe you can take care of yourself, but have you thought for one single fucking second that maybe somebody else might want to take care of you too?”

“You told me you were a little in love with me, do you remember?” How could I forget? “But I wouldn’t use ‘little’ to describe what I feel for you, Diana. I think you know that already.” It was my turn to blink. I squeezed our palms together. “So I’m not imagining it?” I pretty much whispered. “No, baby, you’re not.” Dallas squeezed my fingers between his.

“I want you. I want your smile. Your hugs. Your love. I want your happiness.” He paused. “Every single thing.”

I know you, and I know that you’re it. I just had to wait to get divorced so I could do this right for you. Life is so fucking short, Peach, and I’m too old to not know and go for what I want. And you know what I want. What I’ve wanted. For a long, long time.” He paused. “You.”

“Go find your own girl to dance with,”

“There’s my one and only.”

“I do, baby. Trust me. I know exactly what I’m doing. You three feel like my family. It isn’t every day you look at your friend and two kids and know this is where you were supposed to be.

“Lou, I would adopt you a thousand times over, bud. Nothing would make me happier.”