First Kiss

Chapter IV – Dad’s First Kiss

Gus made himself as comfortable as he could be on the small bed and stretched his arm above Ginny’s head on the headboard. “Before I tell you about my first kiss with your mom, I have to start at the beginning. And that all starts with your grandma.”

Ginny cocked an eyebrow and looked at her dad. “What?”

“I owe all this,” Gus waved his arm around the room, “to your grandma.”

Kristina snorted and then caught herself. By doing so, she knocked her balance off and she rolled off the ball. She sat back on it. “Sorry, I just find that kind of funny.” She looked at her daughter. “For no apparent reason.”

Gus winked at her. “As I was saying, there wouldn’t be a first kiss and there certainly wouldn’t be a Ginny without your grandma.”

Kristina shook her head and rubbed her forehead.

“You see,” Gus continued, “you can already tell my story is going to be good.” Ginny smiled at him oblivious to her mom’s reactions.

The summer between my freshman and sophomore years in college, I managed to get a job working for the city park department. It was not an easy position to get. I had tried to get in for the past two summers and didn’t get picked. Your grandpa had to ask a favor from an old friend, something he didn’t want to do but I begged him for help. See, working for the city for the summer was not only lucrative for a young college student but also had the best hours. The shift was from 7:00 AM to 4:00 PM, Mondays through Fridays which left evenings and weekends open for fun stuff. Hanging out with my friends and such activities.

With a scholarship I had received from band, I was able to leave home and move in with roommates right after graduation. But I was still a poor college kid. Once I received my very first paycheck from that city job, your grandma kindly informed me that I could no longer do my grocery shopping in their pantry. Like any poor college kid, I used to raid my parent’s pantry for food. Once I was making some money though, grandma thought that should end.

So, I went to the grocery store to do some shopping and that’s when I saw her. Your mom. An angel at checkout 9. I was actually at checkout 10 but moved over when I saw her.

Unfortunately, there was this old, albeit large, cranky man in front of me. He was making your mom miserable by questioning prices on every single item she scanned. And I think, I can’t prove it though, I think he bought one of everything in the store.

It took forever to ring up his order. The clerk in checkout 10 kept beckoning me to come over but I didn’t want to. Your mom was worth the wait.

Since this was really my first time buying actual groceries, I didn’t know about the black bar to separate orders. The guy in front of me was so busy harassing your mom he didn’t notice the extra items. He must have forgotten what he actually picked out for himself. I certainly was so bored waiting I studied the candy rack instead of watching the stuff on the counter. She scanned my stuff with his and in his bags it all went. None of us realized it.

When he finally finished, she started to grab the stuff for the person behind me – who had properly separated their stuff with a bar. “That’s not mine,” I said. It was at that moment that I started to look around and noticed my whole order had disappeared.

“Oh,” she said. “Where are your items?”

“That’s a good question,” I said still looking even though there wasn’t a lot of options for items to just disappear on a checkout counter.

“I’m sorry, I didn’t see your separation divider.” Her words sounded apologetic but I assure you, her tone said otherwise. After the previous customer, her defenses were still up.

I looked at the black bars slowly understanding their purpose. “I didn’t use one.”

She nodded because she knew it was my fault. We both realized at the same moment what had happened and looked at the doors just as the previous customer walked out.

“Should I chase after him?” I asked.

“Do you really want to do that?” she asked.

“No,” I looked at her. “I’ll just go and get more stuff.”

She nodded her head. “I would.”

I went shopping again. But this time I paid a little more attention to what I was getting now that I knew I was going to go through her line. Instead of canned raviolis I got some boxed pasta. You know, food for possible dates. To show my sophistication.

This time when I stood in line, I waved two bars so that she could see and placed one in front and one behind my order.

“Good job,” she said smiling in a tone similar to congratulating a young child. “You’ve learned so much.”

I smiled back. “Thanks,” I said a little embarrassed. We made small talk.

After that, I found a reason to go to that store almost every day. If your mom wasn’t working the check-out I would wander around until I bumped into her. Then played it off as an accident. I’m pretty sure she bought my act because I am so smooth.

We got to know each other that summer. I was disappointed to discover your mom had a long-term boyfriend. They had dated since high school graduation. So, I resolved to just being a friend. A good friend. An available friend.

That fall when my job with the city ended for the season, I got a job at the store. I always tried to get work assignments with your mom. So much so, that one of our co-workers referred to her as my work-wife. His name was Ted and I’m pretty sure he also had a crush on your mom. He always teased me that I followed her around like a puppy dog. Even though he kind of did the same thing.

When I needed to take some math classes for my degree requirements, I took a couple of classes with your mom. Even though they were advanced and way out of my ability and interest. But my plan was to have her tutor me. That was not a good plan, though. I don’t recommend ever doing that.

The more time I spent with your mom the more in love with her I fell. And the more I could see her boyfriend was not the right guy for her. But, as a friend who happened to be a guy, I couldn’t share any of that with her.

So, I waited.

But your mom is loyal and she did not break up with the dud…I mean, guy. And really, Carson started to make it easy because he was away at school and stopped coming home as often. When he was absent, I made sure to make myself available.

At college, there always seems to be a party to go to. One big party was held during the end of junior year. Your mom and I had known each other for a couple of years by this point. What is astounding to me is Carson was still in the picture. Barely though, I think.

The theme of the party was superheroes. Carson was supposed to come to town to take your mom so that they could celebrate the end of the semester together. But of course, something came up and he didn’t make it. So, your mom and I went together. She went as Black Widow and I went as Spider-Man. I borrowed a mask that was way too big for me. I mean, the guy I borrowed it from must have had a massive head. The eye slots were never where I needed them to see. I fought it for only a little bit and then I slid the mask up so it was on top of my head. But it kept sliding down all night.

The party was at some guy’s house off-campus and it was in full-swing by the time we arrived. The music was loud and it was crowded. Some friends of your mom’s immediately pulled her to dance and left me standing by myself. I looked around the room for any of my friends.

“Figures you two would come together,” I heard someone yell at me. I looked over and saw Ted. “More than just a work-wife tonight, eh?” he poked me in the ribs to emphasize his joke. It only made me irritated.

“We’re just friends,” I gave my standard reply to his unfunny, old joke.

“Right,” he nodded. “Hey listen, just a word of warning, that punch has been spiked with some pretty strong stuff.” He knew I didn’t like to drink. “So, unless you want to lose control after one drink, you better stay away from it.”

I nodded. That was uncharacteristically nice of him. Why was he being so nice?

He nodded toward the punch.

I looked over and saw your mom gulping a red Solo cup full.

“Oh,” I said slowly. I walked over to the punchbowl and took her empty glass. “Hey,” I yelled at her so that she could hear me. “You know this was spiked, right?”

“After the week I had, I hope so! Finals are done. And once again, Carson is not here.” She smiled to hide the pain. “Let’s dance!” she pulled me to the dance floor. At this point, who was I to argue?

“What do you mean the punch was spiked?” Ginny interrupted the story.

“Uh,” Kristina said. “It means someone put something in it to make me sleepy.”

Gus looked at her and cocked an eyebrow.

Kristina continued. “I had stayed up the last few nights studying for finals so I was already pretty tired. Then I drank a few glasses of that punch and I just became so tired. I couldn’t keep my eyes open.”

“Why would someone put something like that in punch?” Ginny scrunched her nose.

Gus waited for Kristina to respond. He was just as curious as his daughter.

“As a joke, of course,” Kristina responded.

He was impressed at the ease she shared her story. He knew why she did it. She didn’t want their daughter to know her mom got that drunk. Even though it was her first and only time. It still happened.

“Oh,” Ginny said slowly. She looked back at Gus. “So, you and mom danced?”

He continued.

We danced the best we could in the crowded area.

Her friends gathered around her and handed her another drink.

“I don’t think…” I started to say. My voice was drowned out in the music as she downed it.

Her friends pulled her with them again.

Considering she had just drank two cups of spiked punch, I didn’t think I should leave her. Because she was obviously so…tired. But someone decided at that moment to throw-up on me. I pushed him away and looked at my shoes covered with his vomit. I gagged and made my way to the kitchen to find something to clean off my shoes.

When I returned to the living room I couldn’t find her. I figured since she was with her friends she would be okay. Still, I didn’t think it would hurt to nonchalantly check in on her. I saw a few friends and stopped to chat. Every now and then, my path crossed with your mom’s. Often enough I could make sure she was okay. Every time I saw her she had a cup in her hand. Her and her friends were in the mix socializing. We danced a little bit more. Then she would disappear with her group again. Off and on for the next couple of hours. Finally, I was pretty bored since everyone around me seemed to be so…tired. I decided to leave so I went looking for your mom to tell her and see if she was ready to go. It took some time to find her. She was in a bedroom passed out. Because she was so very, very…tired. Let’s just say, that was the most tired I have ever seen your mom and she has never been that tired since.

“Okay,” I said when I saw her. I picked her up and carried her to my car and drove her to her house. None of her roommates answered the door though and I didn’t think it would be appropriate to go fishing for her keys tucked somewhere in that outfit. So, I drove to my house. I carried her my bedroom. But I stumbled and we fell on my bed. I managed to twist to protect her and she fell on me. My Spider-Man mask fell on my face and I couldn’t see for a second.

But I could feel her lips pressed on mine and that’s when we kissed. Our first kiss. My first kiss with your mom.

She finally pulled away from me.

I pulled my mask up so that I could look at her.

“Wow,” she said softly.

“Yeah,” I agreed. “That was…”

“I love you.” When she said that I became so excited and was just about to return the declaration when she continued. “Carson, I never knew you looked so much like Gus,” she slurred. And then she passed out again. Her head fell on my shoulder.

With that, all my hope and joy deflated like a balloon after a birthday party. I realized she didn’t know it was me. I rolled her off me and let her spend the night on my bed while I slept on the couch.

The next morning, she had no recollection of the night before except for a bad headache. I didn’t tell her because she was embarrassed from how …tired she was. But from that moment, I knew we were meant for each other.

“Wow,” Ginny said. “Why can’t you remember anything about that night?” She asked her mom.

Kristina looked at her with her hand over her mouth. “Because of what they put in the punch,” she said slowly, “it not only makes you tired but it makes you forgetful.”

“Especially if you drink a lot of it,” Gus smiled. “And you drank a lot of it.”

“And it gives you a headache?” Ginny asked.

“The more you drink the worse you feel in the morning,” Gus replied.

“So,” Kristina decided to embrace the teaching moment. “Always stay away from spiked punch.”

Ginny nodded. “It sounds awful.”

Gus kissed the top of his daughter’s forehead. “Remember that.”

“It’s too bad you can’t remember your first kiss,” Ginny held her hand to her heart.

Kristina nodded her head slowly in agreement.

“Well, that,” Gus said walking around the bed to Kristina. He took her hand and pulled her up. “Was my first kiss with your mom. Which was a great kiss. But not as good as this one,” he gave her a long kiss.

She pushed him away. “You goof.”

Ginny smiled.

“As for you, young lady,” Kristina looked at her daughter. “It is way past your bedtime. Go to sleep!” She kissed the top of Ginny’s forehead.

“Good night,” Gus said and gave his daughter a quick kiss. He left the room and walked down the hall to their bedroom.

Kristina finished tucking Ginny in and closed the bedroom door. Not being able to remember that first kiss the way Gus did always bothered her. She looked in the direction of their bedroom where Gus had disappeared to and had a thought. True, she couldn’t remember their first kiss but maybe they could have a first kiss redo?