Breathe Easy

Chapter 7

We decided to skip South Beach and just stay where we were at in Boca, because of yet another change in plans. Scott, a friend of my dad's called and said that some of his family whom had just moved to the area from Louisiana were interested in family portraits at their new house, in their new, pristine courtyard. It was short notice, but I got on the phone with a lady who was Scott's sister and she was willing to pay extra if I could do them today since everyone in the family would be unavailable on any other day.

So I gave the lady a big kiss on the ass by scheduling for 5:00. Technically we were both kissing each others ass, but enough of this ass kissing nonsense. As for now, I was going to enjoy the remainder of my Saturday leisurely with my best friend and my new dynamic, five-year-old responsibility.

Freya insisted on getting some ice cream, which didn't sound too bad at the time, so we made a stop at some quaint little parlor only a street away from the beach. The breeze of the ocean tousled my hair and blew it all from side to side as we stood in line for ice cream. I'd say the weather was perfect. Windy, as always. Humidity wasn't too high. In the 70's, clouds hovering over our heads in the sky. Typical weather for October.

"Alright, so what's your favorite flavor?" I asked Freya, having to stoop down to her height because she was acting too inattentive to notice I was acknowledging her.

"Chocolate, girl, you know that," said Dinah.

My eyebrows knitted as I looked up at her. "I'm talking to the kid, dude."

Dinah briefly appeared offended.

"I like the plain kind," Freya said, gazing up at me with eager, sparkling eyes.

She had her arms wrapped around my wrist tightly, because for some reason she thought that I was going to leave her no matter how many times I said I wouldn't. That bothered me. Not the fact that she was clinging to me, but the fact that she'd harbor such a wild fear.

"Vanilla?"

"Yes, but with chocolate syrup and pink sprinkles!"

I smiled at her and stood straight again. Upon looking up, I met the eyes of a beautiful stranger standing behind the counter and I just froze altogether. Whoa.

The girl's mouth scrunched up on one side and gradually formed a brief, surly side-smile that looked forced. She blinked her dull, hazel eyes at me curiously like I'd just slapped her in the face and flatly said, "Hi, order when you're ready."

That was when I averted my gaze to the ground and began coughing and clearing my throat over and over like a deranged person. I must have seriously looked deranged staring at her with my wide ass eyes and pupils the size of quarters.

"You can go on and...order, Dinah. There's a little..." cough, cough "itch in my throat."

Shit. I was so embarrassed. I wasn't even sure why I felt the need to cough like that. Holy shit, Jauregui, you're insane.

Freya was watching me worriedly, but Dinah knew exactly what was up and nonchalantly ordered a dipped vanilla cone. I ended the coughing fit that the breathtaking employee seemed utterly oblivious to. She looked detached from the world around her, almost robotic even. Maybe she just hated her job, or maybe she ignored creepy customers like me.

I practically hid behind Dinah and pretended to look at the menu above her head when really I was looking at the girl standing behind the counter. Her dark brown locks were in a long, messy fishtail braid. She was wearing an apron over the work attire and looked like she should be a model rather than working at some lousy ice cream parlor. Her jawline was really defined, and it seemed that everything was arranged perfectly on her face - all so symmetrical - and I imagined God was high on Adderall when he put her together. I envisioned that momentarily and laughed, then shook away the blasphemous thought.