Don't Think Twice

Ch 30: Lace, Love, Lift Off

                “But it feels so good.” My reward, a kiss that lasted ten minutes.

******

                “That will be 137.93 dollars.” We were clothed and at the cashier purchasing the dress Loraine got from the storage room. It was still the same dress but a size smaller so at the party it wouldn’t act as a broom for the floor.

                I took out the emergency credit card from my wallet with shaky fingers, though I tried very hard not to make it obvious. From the corner of my eye, I saw Liam hand his card to the clerk.

                “No Liam, take it back.”

                “Airi. it’s my parents’ party. You wouldn’t have had to buy the dress it weren’t for me, hence why I pay for it.”

                “Put the card away.”

                “Just swipe it,” Liam told the cashier, ignoring me.

                “Liam, stop. I can’t let you spend that much on me."

                “Yeah, well you’re worth it.” He blushed, I blushed, and then I squeezed his hand with gratitude and defeat.

                Next stop was L’homme, a store for men’s tuxes. He opened the door for me as we walked in while a man took our coats and bags, placing them in a rental cubby. We were introduced to Lenny, our consultant.  Liam wanted a calm black tux but I believed in spicing it up with different styles. The appointment took longer than I thought, not because Liam didn’t look good in anything, but he looked good in everything. 

                We finally decided on a black tux that looked so good on Liam that I wanted to take a go at it a second time right there and then. As I fastened a bow tie around his neck,  Liam asked,

                “Like what you see?”

                “I’m biting my lip like it’s a Twizzler. That can mean only one thing,” I replied, giving him a smirk.

.             "Want to go again?" His persuasive look almost had me going, but--

              "No Liam." I rolled my eyes, when his eyes drooped with dissapointment.

******

                The next morning it was just Eliyza and me, shopping together. We were back in Manhattan to do some major wardrobe improvement and to secretly buy the boys some Christmas presents.

                “He spent one-hundred plus bucks on me. How do I compete with that?”

                “What does he love?”

                “Soccer.”

                “I’ve made my point.”

                “A soccer ball isn’t good enough.”

                “Think harder.” It took me an hour to figure out what the present would be. Our arms weighed down with bags from H&M and Victoria’s Secret, we headed for the black market. After a few conversations with Owen about authenticity and approval of originality with the access of internet on my phone, I got the most personality fitting gifts for Liam.  Well, I hope of course.

******

                We were on the plane, my head in my hands, while Liam leaned his against the cushion of my seat.

                “Airi, the plane won’t crash. It’s just some turbulence.”

                “This sucks. I am ridiculously pathetic.” He gave in, giggling. I looked up with a glare, forcing him to compose himself. He rubbed my back gently like Owen used to when he sat next to me in the plane rides to England. Majority of the plane ride, I slept, trying to rid of the nauseous feeling. Liam, studying to be a future pilot, described the feeling of being somewhat airborne to be incredibly awesome,

                “We will be arriving shortly. Please buckle your seatbelts and readjust your seats to an upright position.” I woke up to the sound of an air hostess making an announcement.

                “Liam, wake up. The plane’s going to land in a few minutes.”  I looked out the window for the first time to get a good look of Brazil.That's when the nerves broke loose.

                                                                                  ******

                The plane ride was over and we were already at the door to Liam’s house.

                Damn, the place is huge.

                Damn, this kid is loaded.

                “You could have at least warned me,” I accused him of his wrong doings, causing him to have an expression of confusion.

                “Of what, exactly?”

                “Your rich-ness.”

                “Okay, my parents got bills. There, you happy?” I gave him a sneer, dragging my small carry-on behind Liam.

                The door was opened by a short woman with short wavy brown hair the matching shade of Liam’s. A little on the plump side, the cute woman could be none other than Liam’s mother.

                “Oimãe.Como vai?”

                I should have known.

The boy speaks Portugese too.