We sat, ate, and talked a little, finishing just as Sam texted me to say that she’d made it in from the salon. After the short drive home, I pulled back into the driveway to drop the twins off.
Reina climbed out after mumbling a dry ‘goodbye’. Kira shot her a look and shook her head at Reina’s incessant immaturity.
Kira put one foot out of the car and onto the driveway. “Thanks for taking us out. And don’t worry about Reina.”
I’d already forgotten about her. “No problem.”
Kira smiled a little, looking as if she might say something else, and then followed after her sister, disappearing inside the house. Just as I was preparing to pull off, my mother descended the front steps and approached my car.
I watched as she checked to make sure that my father wasn’t at the window. She clasped my hand and slid money into it. I wasn’t sure how much, but it was a decent sized wad.
“You mentioned that it’s Samantha’s birthday and I know that you’re low on money,” she said sympathetically. I looked at the cash in my hand and then back at her. “I know this hasn’t been easy for you being away from her, and the security issues that we’ve been facing make it nearly impossible for you to work and earn your own money to visit her right now, so I hope that this makes up for some of that. Go out and show her a good time tonight,” she concluded.
“Thanks, Mom…I really appreciate it,” I replied, knowing how much she hated going behind my father’s back.
“Go on, now. Have fun,” she smiled.
I watched until she disappeared inside the house and then made my way down the street feeling a sense of relief. Now that I had a little money to work with, there was not only a birthday to celebrate, but an anniversary to make up for as well. Just because I didn’t have the funds before, didn’t mean that I hadn’t already imagined what I’d do for Sam if I did. The plans I’d put to the back of my mind until an undecided later date were now about to come to pass thanks to my mother and a very well-timed bail out. Sam would love it and I couldn’t wait to see the look on her face. However, I couldn’t pull it off on my own on such a short notice. I’d have to call in the reinforcements.
“Karl? I need you and Dee to help me out.”
*****
Sam
“Maybe he just remembers that it’s your birthday. That’d make sense.”
Even with Angel’s rationalization, I wasn’t about to pick up for Antonio. He could have whatever conversation he wanted to have with me with my voicemail. His call came in about fifteen minutes ago and Angel was still talking about it.
“I’m not saying start picking up for the guy all the time, I’m just –“
“You’re just nosey,” I interjected with a smile. “You’ve been wanting to know what he’d say since I told you he called a couple months ago.”
Angel shrugged, not caring that I’d called her out. “Can’t blame me for wanting a little entertainment; it’s boring around here.”
I shot her a look. “Gee…thanks.”
She waved me off. “Not you, but it’s just much quieter here than I’m used to at school.”
I smirked at her reflection while finishing my makeup.
When AJ called a few hours ago to say that we’d have to get started later than we planned, I didn’t let on that I was disappointed, but I was. Knowing that he’d be leaving to go back to Westwood in the morning, I figured he had a few last minute loose ends to tie up first. No big deal. Despite the fact that we’d just seen one another the night before, I still couldn’t wait until he got here; we had two whole months of time apart to make up for.