From My Love to My Life (MXM) (sequel to From My Enemy to My Love)

Chapter 18

Vincent Kinsington

"See you soon," Nate said to me as we walked out to our cars.

"Bye, dad," I said. The work day was over, everything was locked up and Nate and I were the last ones to leave. I couldn't help the bubble of excitement that rose within me. My dad and Antonio would be waiting for me at the apartment when I got home. Even though I texted him a lot and spoke to him over the phone, that just wasn't the same as seeing him in person.

I sometimes wondered what it would have been like growing up if he had been in my life. I probably wouldn't have had that distrust of people. At least, not the same overwhelming distrust of people. I probably would have grown up more balanced and definitely happier. I might not have gotten the panic attacks.

On the other hand, I don't know if that life would have led me to Chet. Pretty much all of our interactions in the beginning were about me trying to break up Alex and Mateo and Chet trying to stop me, Chet helping me to see that people could be trusted, that life could be happy. In the end, it didn't really matter how much I daydreamed about a different childhood. I had the one I had and that wasn't going to change.

I couldn't even speed on the way home since it was rush hour and inherently slower because of all the cars on the road. When I did get home, I rushed out of my parked car and kinda sprinted/speed walked to my apartment waving to the concierge as I passed him to the elevator. My legs wanted to take the stairs as if that would be faster, but my brain knew that the elevator could make it up to the top floor faster than my legs could take the stairs so I took the elevator.

When I opened the apartment door, Goldie was waiting for me pushing her head through the opening as soon as the door opened. "Hi, Goldie," I said. She wagged her tail excitedly and bumped into my leg so I patted the top of her head.

My dad and Antonio were sitting on the couch while Chet sat on the chair near the couch. They all stood when they saw me.

"Hi, dad," I greeted.

"Hi, son," Dean said. I quickly crossed the distance to hug him. His arms wrapped around me in a fatherly embrace that I had missed all my childhood, but had felt many times since.

When we pulled away I said, "Hi, Tonio."

He smiled, "Hi, Vinny." And then we were hugging too. I hadn't really grown up with a good father, but since I had become an adult, I now had three.

"Was your flight okay?" I asked. I sat down on the arm of the chair Chet had been sitting in. They all sat down again.

"Yeah," Dean said. "It went smoothly. How's your business doing?"

We discussed how our everyday lives were going as we waited for the time to pass until it was time to leave to go to the Watakeekul's.

When the time did come for us to leave, we all loaded up in the car, including Goldie. She sat happily in between Dean and Antonio in the back seat.

When we got to the house more hugs were exchanged between Chet's parents and mine. Goldie ran around Nat's and Nate's feet happily until they showered her with love and attention. Her tail wagged happily and her eyes closed in bliss as they pet her.

Nat had picked up Indian food and it was all set and ready at the table. Nat had cooked up some eggs for Goldie. She set the dog bowl of eggs on the floor for Goldie to eat while we ate our food, but Goldie had that eaten in twenty seconds and then was giving us her best puppy dog eyes hoping we would give her a little bit of our food. I didn't give her anything because I wasn't sure how the spices on the food would affect her and I knew one or multiple of our parents were going to slip her food when they thought no one was looking.

Our parents fell into a natural, easy conversation about work and life and family. They had hit it off since the first time they had met and I knew the four of them were genuine friends. They kept in contact with each other and talked about things other than me and Chet. It helped that Nat was into motorcycles and could easily converse with my dad and Antonio about them. Nate didn't know as much about motorcycles but he loved it when Nat talked about motorcycles like he was falling in love with her all over again each time.

After dinner, we moved out to their backyard. All the talk of motorcycles had Nate encouraging Nat to take him for a ride on hers so she did. When they got back, Chet wanted to go so Nat took him for a ride as well. Goldie curled up at my feet as I spoke with Dean. Nate and Antonio were wrapped up in their own conversation as Antonio admired the Watakeekul's barbeque grill.

"So," I said quietly enough that only Dean would hear, "I bought a ring for Chet. I'm planning to propose"

A wide smile crossed his lips and a glint came to his eyes that was too knowing.

"What?" I asked.

He shook his head. "I just think you and Chet are perfect for each other."

"Me too," I said. "I haven't decided how I'm going to propose, but I think I should do it sooner rather than later."

"I don't think he's going to care how you propose," Dean said. "He's just going to be happy when you do it."

"Yeah," I said, "but I want it to be memorable. I've seen some people propose in front of family and friends by singing a song or reading a poem or something and Chet's really sociable and would probably like that. But I'm not a singer and I haven't ever written poetry."

"It doesn't have to be singing or poetry," Dean said. "Even if it was a night like this with a family dinner and we're all out here in the backyard and you proposed, it would be good."

"That's true," I said. I paused for a moment to think about that. I could picture it under a starry sky, but the sun was still out right now even though it was getting low. And I had left the ring hidden at home so I couldn't do it tonight. I hadn't planned on doing it tonight anyway.

"What other ways of proposing have you thought of?" Dean asked.

"Well, sometimes people do it at a fancy restaurant and have the server slip it into a dessert or drink or something, but I'm not sure that's what I want to do. The other possibility I've seriously considered is sometimes at football games or baseball games and such people have it arranged to propose on the big screen. I kinda like that idea for Chet because I think he'll like that. I could do it at one of his soccer games. We all know how much he loves soccer so I think that might be fitting, but I'm afraid I'll get a panic attack. I think that's the one I really want to do, but don't think I can actually make myself do it."

Dean nodded. We heard the motorcycle pull into the driveway. "I think," he said, "when the time comes, you'll know what to do. Maybe keep the ring on you at games, family dinners, or restaurants in case there is a perfect spur of the moment situation when you do want to propose."

I nodded. I hadn't thought of that. I had thought it needed to be all planned out, but maybe if I didn't have it planned and we were in a public situation where the timing was perfect, there would be less chance of me having a panic attack if I hadn't thought about it beforehand.

Chet and Nat walked into the backyard. "Do either of you want to take her out?" Nat asked as she held the key out to Antonio and Dean.

Antonio looked at Dean and gave a little nod in my direction. Dean turned to me and said, "Do you want to go for a ride?"

I nodded. He stood up and I followed him as he took the key from Nat. Goldie began to stir when I got up, but when Chet took my place, she settled at his feet and fell back to sleep.

I followed Dean to the garage where the motorcycle was waiting for us. I got on it behind him. He started it up and headed out onto the streets. It wasn't the first time he had taken me for a ride. This was something that was unimaginable to me as a child. It was something I could never have done with Greg or my mom. It was another moment to bond with my dad though no words were spoken between us and it was freeing.