First Kiss

Chapter III – Mom’s First Kiss

Ginny sighed but didn’t complain. The longer the story the longer until she’d have to turn off the lights and try to fall asleep. As long as neither of her parents caught on to the delay, she could be patient until they told her about their first kiss.

Kristina continued the narrative. “I was so embarrassed and sad, I just wanted to get out of there. I needed some time to think about everything that happened. I mean, I did date Carson for a few years so it was a big decision. Life altering at the time.”

“Your mom walked fast when she left,” Gus nodded his head. “She was almost to her car before I caught up with her. As I have learned, she may be tiny but she can move quick.” Kristina barely reached 5’3”. Even though Gus didn’t quite hit 6’, his wife’s petite size made him seem like a comparative giant.

“But you caught up with her, right?” Ginny asked a little concerned.

Kristina smiled at her daughter. “Yes, he did.” She looked up and thought about that night so long ago to refresh her memory. Then continued with the story.

“Kris, wait,” Gus said as I fumbled for the keys to my car.

“I just need to get home and do some homework. I was going to ask for your help but I see you are still on your date.” I looked at his house where Jen was waiting inside. But I was so upset that I couldn’t get the car door to open.

“Listen,” Gus said waving his hands. He still had Jen’s ring in his right hand.

I saw the ring and almost started to cry. “Oh no, did I interrupt…are you about to propose? Did I ruin your evening?” When I saw the ring, I thought I had ruined a marriage proposal. It was my idea to go on a double date. Maybe Gus was going on that date to propose and couldn’t because Carson and I were there. I wanted to find a cave and hide for, maybe, forever.

“No, no, no, no,” Gus said quickly looking at the ring. “This isn’t what you think. I mean, it is what you think it is, but it’s not what you think.”

“I don’t know what that means,” I replied slowly.

Just then a pair of bright headlights illuminated the street and a sports car pulled over to the curb. Out jumped the last person I expected to see.

“Carson,” Gus muttered softly. “Just like a bad penny.”

Carson ran over to me.

“Krissy,” he said, “please don’t do this.”

I could feel my brow furrow as I looked at him. “You know I hate that name.”

Carson stepped closer to me and tried to put his arm around my shoulders. “C’mon,” he said. “Let’s get out of here and talk.”

“Wait,” I said ducking away from his arm. “How did you even find me?”

He looked nervously at Gus and then said, “I figured you’d be here.”

I thought about it a moment. “But how did you know where Gus lives?”

He didn’t reply.

“Are you tracking me on Friend Finder?” I asked.

He shrugged his shoulders. “You shared your location with me that one time when you drove down for a visit.”

“And what?” I asked. “You’ve been tracking my location ever since?” I took out my phone and stopped sharing my location with him. “Well, that ends now.”

“C’mon,” he said again trying to get closer to me. “Can’t we go somewhere and talk in private? Think about what you are doing, here. You’re throwing away years of history.” His voice slipped into its smooth mode. It was a talent he possessed and I have seen him use it to charm his way to get what he wanted. But I was determined it wasn’t going to work on me ever again.

I sighed but felt calm and assured this was the right decision. “Years of history is not a good enough excuse to stay together. I think we are going in two different directions now. This just isn’t working anymore.”

“Wait,” Gus interrupted and stepped between Carson and me. “Are you saying you broke up?”

I nodded. “We broke up after dinner. That’s why I came over. But then I saw you with your fiancée and I didn’t want to interrupt.”

“This is great!” Gus said smiling and started to pace excitedly. He looked at Carson. “I mean, I’m sorry, dude.” He turned to me. “But this is great news!”

“I knew it!” Carson said stepping toward Gus. “You have a thing for Krissy, don’t you?” He stood nose to nose with Gus. “She always said you were just friends. Just friends, c’mon. You’ve been trying to break us up from the start.”

“No, I haven’t,” Gus did not back down. “I have been her friend while you have been taking her for granted. All I had to do was wait.”

I was a little confused by this confession. Was it a confession? “So,” I said slowly. “You only like me as a friend?” For some reason, that flooded me with disappointment.

“Oh no,” Gus said looking at me. “I’m crazy about you. I’ve pretty much been in love with you since the day we met.”

It took a moment for me to process his words. I smiled.

Carson did not take it so well. I guess. But since he was proven right, I think that took the sting out of the confession. “I knew it,” he said and smirked.

“Hey,” Jen joined the conversation. “I really need to get to my mom’s. Can I have my ring?”

“Ring?” Carson asked.

When Gus confessed his love to me, I forgot about Jen and the ring for the moment. But now I remembered. “I think Jen and Gus just got engaged,” I whispered.

Carson smiled a devilish grin.

“Ew,” Jen said and looked at Gus. “No offense.”

“None taken, the feeling is mutual,” Gus said.

“I am engaged to my fiancée, who is not Gus,” she explained, “and I am here to work out some wedding details with my mom. Gus is like my brother.”

Gus looked at me and could tell by my face I was having a little trouble following. “Right, I should probably explain this quickly. Jen and I are old friends. She came to town to work out some wedding details with her fiancée,” he enunciated the next part clearly, “who is not me. We went to dinner to catch up before she went to her mom’s to work on her wedding.” He said it all quickly without taking a breath.

“It was my idea to let you believe we were more than friends,” Jen continued. “I just wanted to see the woman my friend was so crazy about he took math classes in college.” She glanced at Carson, “And to size up the boyfriend competition.”

“Technically,” Gus said continuing to look at me. “It was my mom’s idea. The date part. Not the math class part.”

“That probably isn’t helping,” Jen whispered.

Carson scoffed. “You took college classes with her? What? Just to be close? That’s creepy.” He was trying to sway my judgment back to his favor. But his desperate accusations weren’t helping. All I could hear was the panic in his voice. The panic of losing.

Gus took a deep breath. “Look, I’m sorry for the lie. It was done because I didn’t know how to tell you I am crazy about you. I pretty much have loved you since the day you rang up my order that first time.”

Carson cleared his throat. “I knew it.” He looked around to see if anyone would high five him for being right but there was no one in this crowd that cared.

“I haven’t told you because you were dating,” Gus couldn’t say his name, “your boyfriend. And I just want you to be happy. If you were happy with him, I’d leave you alone. But he just seemed to take you for granted. I always thought you deserved more.”

“Hey!” Carson said now that the confession focused back on his shortcomings. “We had a good thing going here until you stepped in.”

I continued to look at Gus and took a deep breath. “No, we didn’t.”

“What?” Carson asked.

I looked at him. “We didn’t have a good thing. We had a comfortable thing because you were my first boyfriend and that’s all I knew. I think my expectations were just so low.” I looked back at Gus. “But I think I want more. I think I deserve more.”

“You do!” Jen said. “And Gus here, is a great guy. If it makes you feel any better, he couldn’t look or talk to you at dinner because he was afraid he’d tell you the truth about me. He hated lying to you even a little bit.”

Carson looked at me then at Gus then back at me. “If I leave here without you, we are through. I won’t take you back.”

No one moved. I was still trying to process all this new information. It was a bit overwhelming.

“I’m serious,” Carson said without moving. “I’m leaving and this is your last chance.”

No one moved. Gus waited patiently and hopefully for my response.

“I think that’s your cue,” Jen said quietly to Carson.

“Fine!” Carson said. “I’m leaving.” But he still didn’t move.

Jen said, “Well, unlike our friend Carter…”

“Carson,” he corrected.

She nodded. “Unlike him, I really do need to leave. Ring please?”

Gus handed her the ring.

“Thank you,” she started to back away to her car. “Oh, the ice cream is on your counter. Sorry, I guess I should have put that in the freezer for you,” she laughed. “But I really thought you’d be right back in.” She looked at me. “It is so nice to meet you. I am hoping this will be the first of many dinners we have together. “ She nodded toward Carson, “But maybe less drama next time.” She looked at Gus. “Later, bro.”

“Thank you,” he said. He walked to her and gave her a bear hug. “Say hi to your mom for me. I’m sure my mom is over there so let her know how her plan turned out.”

“As if she would let me not say anything,” she got in her car and drove off.

Gus walked over to me quickly.

“Final chance,” Carson said meekly.

“Right, when opportunity knocks, you open the door,” Gus said.

Kristina paused in the memory.

“Well?” Ginny asked.

“Your dad kissed me.”

Ginny smiled. “I knew it. Was it a good kiss?”

“The ice cream melted,” Gus said.

“It made a mess on your counter,” Kristina said. “We talked all night retracing our time together but with new perspectives.”

“It was refreshing to tell your mom everything” Gus nodded his head slowly.

“And what’s-his-name?” Ginny asked and Gus was proud of his daughter’s sarcastic tone directed at Carson.