New York City Love *Completed*

Chapter 29 A Needed Lazy Day

     I sat on the step with Mush to my left and Margaret to my right. As I laid the left side of my head on Mush's shoulder, Race started talking.

     "Wese should jus have a lazy day. Ise think youse both need one," he said to Margaret and I.

     "I think so too, but you guys have to sell. You shouldn't take the day off to spend time with us. Spot didn't..." I said with that last part as a whisper. Everyone knows that I see Spot as my older brother, and I miss him. We had gotten to know each other well back when I stayed in Brooklyn for a couple of days. I miss talking to him.

     "Ise takin' one," Mush said as he wrapped his arm around my waist and laid his right cheek on my head.

     Margaret smiled and squealed at us. That earned her a smile and loving gaze from Race which she didn't see.

     "You two are too cute! I wish myself and whoever my future boyfriend might be were as cute as you," she said smiling.

     "Ey, Margaret?" Race asked.

     "Hm?" Margaret hummed in response and looked at him meeting his eyes.

     What Race did at that moment was unexpected. I couldn't believe what I saw and neither could Mush or Margaret. Yet, it also was expected just not very much.

     Race leaned in and kissed her cheek as he wrapped his arm around her waist and said, "If ya wanna lay ya head on my shoulda ya can. Ise wouldn' mind."

     "Are-Are you sure?" Margaret asked blushing crimson red and looking down. She wouldn't meet Race's eyes but another kiss on her cheek was his way of saying yes. She then laid the right side of her head on his shoulder, and he laid his left cheek on her head.

     "Maybe a lazy day would be nice," I said and the boys smiled widely.

     After we left the lodge, us four headed back to Margaret's house. Race and Mush were talking as Margaret and I had our own conversation in front while walking to her house.

     At one point during the walk, Race ran up behind Margaret when we were waiting to cross the street and wrapped his arms around her, scaring her to death. She started crying she was so scared. Race apologized and gave her a regular hug to which she hugged back.

     When we arrived at Margaret's house, Margaret and I ran upstairs laughing as the boys chased us. We ran out to the balcony just outside our room. Laughing, the boys got us. They held us from behind as Margaret and I tried to catch our breath from running so fast.

     We went back into our room and sat in a square on the floor. Race saw Margaret's journal, grabbed it, and started to open it.

     "What's dis?" Race asked as Margaret quickly took it from him. I have never seen her reflexes so quick before.

     "It's my journal. Only Ella is allowed to read it," Margaret stated as she started to put it back. Race grabbed it again and looked over the cover.

     "Ise know a guy who could make dis cova even betta den just black all around."

     "Thank you Racetrack, but it has more meaning to it than just my journal. I-I want to k-keep it th-this way," she said as she started to tear up and take the book back.

     Race wiped her tears and set the journal back on her bed. They then resumed the position they were in back at the lodge. The reason that journal is so special to Margaret is because it belonged to her grandmother who she had lost last year due to health issues. Margaret and her grandmother were extremely close and just before she died, she had given Margaret the journal for her to continue writing in it. Only a fifth of the journal was her grandmother's, but she still reads them.

     I stood up and scurried down to the kitchen to get some snacks. Mush had followed me apparently when he wrapped his arms around my waist from behind and rested his chin on my right shoulder. He switched off between kissing my cheek and saying 'I love ya' as I was making snacks. Wherever I went he was right there with me. Finally, after the snacks were made, I turned around and kissed him.  It was one of our magical kisses.

     After we pulled away, Mush whined, "Ise jus wanna lay wit ya an play wit ya hair, but Ise don' wanna do dat in front of em."

     I couldn't help but smile and giggle. After pecking his lips, I said, "Mush, it's a lazy day. Who cares?" A smile had managed to appear on his lips.

     I kissed his cheek then headed upstairs with him carrying the snacks. When we came into the room, my heart melted. Race was sitting Indian style with Margaret in his lap. He had his arms wrapped around her, holding her, and she was formed in a little ball, snuggled into him sleeping. His forehead rested on the top of her head. Race was sleeping too.

     Mush set the snacks on Margaret's desk and sat on my bed, Indian style, leaning against the headboard. I climbed into his lap and snuggled into him like Margaret. He started stroking my hair and whispered, "Ise don' eva wanna stop lovin ya..."

     "Me either Baby... Me either..." and with that we both fell asleep.