Sideways

Chapter 15 Homecoming

Monday, December 5th, 10 days after strike

Mami: Edmundo, answer your phone. I need to speak to you immediately.

Eddie: Mom, it's 5 am. Unless it's an emergency, I'm going back to bed.

Mami: We need to discuss plans for Christmas.

Eddie: At 5 am? No, we don't.

Eddie: I already told you we are staying home and taking it easy.

Mami: If you're going to be on vacation, you should bring Christopher home for Christmas.

Eddie: Vacation? WTF Mom and Christopher will be home for Christmas. In our house, not in El Paso.

Mami: Edmundo, this is ridiculous.

Eddie: No, Mom. What's ridiculous is that you're keeping this conversation going after I told you I was going back to bed. You're purposefully picking a fight right now, at 5 am, when you know I got out of the hospital two days ago and would be sleeping.

Eddie: Please let me get some sleep, and I will call you back later to tell you, yet again, what my family's plans are for Christmas.

Mami: We are your family!

The text dots continue to blink as Eddie opens up his mother's contact in his phone, clicks on the moon shaped DND icon, and silences any call or text messages until he is ready to deal with her bullshit. He rolls back over in his bed and falls asleep once again.

Eddie is woken again by his cell phone going off a few hours later. He groans out loud, rolls over, and takes it off the table next to his bed. There is a bunch of text messages on his phone from his mother; he ignores those and opens a text from Pepa.

Pepa: Hola, Nino. Christopher is at school, and Carla will pick him up today. Mami is cooking for you boys. Call her when you wake up; she will have food ready for you to bring to Buck. I will leave the rest in your fridge later today.

Eddie closes the message from Pepa and opens the message that woke him up. It's from Buck. Buck's contact is set to break his phone's DND. He looks at the message.

Ev: Pepa texted and said Abuela made empanadas and tamales... Eddie get up. I'm hungry, please!

As he is reading the message, another one comes in.

Ev: Eddddiiiieeeee!!! Tamales!! Please, I'll do that thing you like with my tongue when I get home, I promise.

Eds: You trying to bribe me with sexual favors there, amor?

Ev: Always 👅🍆

Ev: Did you get some sleep in a bed finally?

Eds: Yup. I'm getting up and in the shower, then in an Uber to Pepa's to pick up lunch.

Ev: No, fair. Now I'm thinking of you in the shower.

Eds: You started it this time.

Ev: Yeah, but...

Eds: Was last night's under-the-gown hand job not enough to hold you over a little?

Ev: Sorry. I know I am being a brat.

Eds: Never apologize for wanting me to touch you. Ever.

Ev: Then get here and feed me and touch me!

Eds: Want me to bring some lube? And we can make what we did last night a little better when we are alone tonight!

Ev: Eddddiiiieeeee!!!