Something In Between: Sequel to On The Edge of Tomorrow

Chapter 14

"So, how do you peel a tomato?" Tim asked as he looked over the kitchen island.

"Honestly Tim, you've spent countless hours eating my mom's food and you never even learned how to peel a tomato?" Billy teased, causing me to laugh.

Tim gave a sheepish shrug.

"You bring a pot of water to boil, throw the tomatoes in for a couple of second, and then you put them in ice cold water. The skins just slip right off," Billy explained as though he had done it a million times.

"Really? How would I know that?" Tim grumbled.

"It's true," Tess shrugged.

"Wait, you knew that?" Tim said in shock.

"Tim, I've made chicken parm for you a million times," Tess complained.

"You make that sauce from scratch? It's so good. I... really?" Tim's face was a mix of awe and confusion.

"Really? You thought I just grab a jar of sauce?" Tess moaned.

"You made that sauce. Seriously? I... I just... It's just." Tim slipped to one knee. "Marry me. You can have anything you want; all my records. Just marry me and never leave me hungry."

"Get up, Tim," Tess groaned.

Tim stood. "You made the sauce," he said again in wonder.

"Are you two done?" Billy complained as we waited for the pot of water to boil.

"Almost. Hey guys, did you know that my girl knows how to make sauce? Like real sauce that you want to swim in and make a life around?" Tim continued.

"I think I heard something about that," I teased back.

"Okay, I can see that you two have a sense of what you are doing, so we are going to leave," Tess announced.

"Thank you," Billy confidently said.

"Leave? What? I want to watch them," Tim protested.

"Do you? Or do you want to come home with me and watch me make my sauce?" Tess enticed.

"Yes, please. That. I would like that very much," Tim murmured as though he were hypnotized by Tess.

"Say good-bye to your friends," Tess directed.

"Good-bye to my friend," Tim obeyed.

"Call me if you need me," Tess offered as they left.

As soon as the door shut behind her, Billy and I looked at each other and agreed that we shouldn't have let her leave.

"We can do this," Billy reassured.

After consulting the Googler multiple times, things started to progress. Billy particularly enjoyed smashing the tomatoes, which multiple sources said was most effectively done by hand. Hours later something that resembled eggplant parm was in the oven and Billy and I were exhausted.

"How does she do this everyday?" Billy lamented as he slumped to a stool at the island.

"And still have the energy to deal with everyone coming in and bothering her," I added.

"I've said it before and I'll say it again; the woman is a saint."

"Agreed," I said as I slid on the stool next to him. "So, I mean, this was a good effort, but..."

"Pizza. We order a backup pizza," Billy answered without pause.

"Perfect! I mean, I hope it turns out great and all, but..."

"Yeah, the likeliness of it being edible is slim to none," Billy agreed. After a moment of silence, Billy twisted my waist to my stool swung me to face him. "Hey, I had fun today."

"Me too. This is actually the most fun I've had... geez, I'm not even sure," I admitted.

"Well, I had a decent time last night," Billy noted.

"You know what I mean." I pushed at his shoulder in jest.

"This is a good life, Lil," Billy added as he flicked at my belt loop. "We could have this."

"Ten percent of the time," I reminded him.

"No, all the time. I like to create music. I can be a song writer, a studio musician. There are a ton of paths that don't include touring. Let me choose, Lil."

"No, Billy. I know you. I've seen you on stage. I've seen you in the moments before and I've seen you in the moments after."

"Yeah, Lil. You have seen me in all those moments. But I am me. I know what I am thinking, I know what I like and I know what I love. Let me choose."

"Can we not do this now? Can we just have one night?"

"Yeah, we can have a night," Billy agreed.

"So," Mary began as she looked over her plate.

"It's eggplant parm," Billy offered.

"Of course it is," Mary agreed.

"Do you know why it's so.... Soupy?" I asked.

"Well, did you salt the eggplant and let it rest?" Mary asked.

"No, Mom. We didn't. Did you put that in your recipe?" Billy grumbled before I kicked him beneath the table. "Sorry," he mournfully added.

"I think it was a very good first effort," Mary smiled. "You should have seen the mess I made the first time I tried to make it!" Mary laughed to herself.

Billy smiled and slung an arm around my shoulders. "Really?"

"Oh yeah, when your father and I were first married, your father would call me Fire Marshall Mary, because the fire department came so many times," she continued.

"No," I protested, as Billy let out a loud laugh.

"Oh yeah, my casseroles were soups and my soups were more like oatmeal. It was terrible. It's amazing we didn't starve to death. You father, bless his soul, worked so far to put food on the table and what I did with it..." Mary's eye gleamed with tears. "Well, he would eat every bit on the plate and tell me it was delicious. As though I didn't know."

Billy held out a hand to his mom, who clutched it.

"We had fun," I offered.

"That's the key," Mary smiled as she gave her son's hand a last squeeze before dropping it. "You can solve all your problems as long as you can laugh together."

"Agreed," Billy said as he kissed my temple.