Home is who you are

Part Nine

9

Jen and Charles were coming over for dinner. They had been trying to schedule it since the first time they met, which was also the last. Like good American parents, they kept their kids busy with gymnastics, soccer, dance and playdates. Therefore, Jen was stuck in an endless round of competitions, practices, recitals, meetings, pick-ups and drop-offs.

"And do you know how hard it is to find a good babysitter in this city?" Jen said, propping nuts in her mouth and sipping cava.

"Last time the girl simply didn't show up and didn't call. When we tried to call her, it went straight to voicemail. We had to cancel our reservation." Charles added.

"This one seems fine. One of the moms from gymnastics recommended her."

"Did they do the same activities back home?" Gabi asked.

"Yes. In fact they were the ones who asked us to do the same things here." Charles said. "It helped a lot in their adaptation."

"Did they have a hard time adapting?" Tony asked.

"Not really. I think we struggled more than them. They spoke French in a few months, made friends in school and had a routine similar to what they had before." Charles said.

"And how are you guys doing?" Jen asked.

"Good. Work is good. We're planning a couple of trips-"

"And I started classes. Other than that I just try to keep myself busy, you know."

"I know." Jen finished her cava with one gulp.

"Cabeça vazia é a oficina do diabo. It's what we say in Brazil. An empty mind is the devil's office."

They ate salmon and jacket potatoes with a butter and garlic sauce. Gabi had been watching a lot of cooking shows and she liked to try out different recipes. She even managed to make a perfect cheesecake for dessert.

"You have to teach Jen how to make this!" Charles said, his mouth still full.

Jen glared at him. "Maybe I'll teach you how to cook. Then I'll have time to at least take a decent bath. God, I need a break!"

"I just have way too much time to watch Jamie Oliver." Gabi said.

"You can take my kids for a day or two. I wouldn't mind." Jen said.

"I could do that."

They opened the third bottle of wine.

"I'm so glad we don't need to drive!" Charles said.

"I haven't drunk this much in a long time! I hope I don't fall asleep in the subway." Jen said and closed her eyes, leaning back on the couch.

"You can crash here if you want." Tony offered.

"Honey, remember when we went to that party with Lacy," Jen practically shouted, "we didn't even know whose house it was, but we all got so wasted we passed out? We woke up the next day and didn't know where the hell we were."

"And we found Lacy in bed with some guy." Charles added.

"What did you do then?" Gabi asked.

"Took her car and left a note: 'Prince Charming will take you home on his white horse'. She said she didn't remember anything but the guy called her every single day for weeks!" Jen said.

"She must have done something reeeally special to him." Tony laughed.

"She must have been the only girl he ever slept with, the ugly loser." Charles said and swallowed a big sip of wine.

"That was the worst hangover of my life! I haven't done tequila shots ever since." Jen said.

"Mine was in Brazil. We went to the coast to celebrate our high school graduation. It was the first time I travelled without my parents. I didn't know how to drink back then, mixed everything and spent the next day throwing up in a bucket instead of tanning on the beach."

"I never had a bad hangover," Tony said, "but I'm getting old and I can't drink the same way as before."

"I feel that too. I'm sure I'll have a headache in the morning." Gabi said, slightly massaging her left temple.

"We should drink some water." Charles suggested.

"Water? Pff! We should drink some vodka!" Jen jerked her arm, bumped on her husband's glass and spilled wine on the rug.

"Oh my gosh, I'm so sorry! I'll clean it up." She got up and spilled from her own glass.

"No, no, it's okay. I have a spray for that." Gabi went to the kitchen, came back with a bottle and sprayed the wine stains. "We just have to let it be for a while."

"I'm really sorry, Gabi. I drank a little too much."

"Maybe it's time to go." Charles said.

"We'll walk you to the station." Tony said.

The subway station was only three blocks away from the apartment. The four of them walked slowly, tripping here and there. The cold night air helped Gabi clear her head and settle her stomach, and she started thinking about the cheesecake left in the fridge. She immediately felt guilty and fat.

They talked and giggled and they were almost there when Jen said, "I don't feel so good" and a guy came out of nowhere and pulled her purse. It was strapped across her body, which made her spin and vomit all over the guy's back. He froze for half a second, yelled "Putain!" and sprinted. Jen hurled, holding her hair back, while the others slowly processed what had just happened and burst out laughing.

It was only 6:15am but Gabi couldn't sleep anymore. The headache was there as predicted. She got up, still feeling drunk. I'm never drinking again. Liar, of course you are. She had an aspirin and a piece of cheesecake.

Jen puked on a guy! She laughed. Thank god it wasn't here. My rug! She ran and wiped it clean, sighing in relief because you could barely see a stain. Poor Jen. She looked so tired. I don't think I could handle half of what she does. Kids, house, all by herself. No career. Far from home. I wonder how she feels about that. I wonder if she'll regret it later... This past two years have been so frustrating, I'm sure I'm not cut out to be a housewife. I need a job!

Since she couldn't sleep anymore, she did the dishes, watered the plants, started the washing machine and cleaned up here and there. When she got out of the shower Tony was making coffee.

"Everything is so clean. What time did you get up?"

"Way too early." Gabi kissed him good morning. "And I decided I'm not ready for children yet."

Tony opened his mouth but wasn't sure what to say. Gabi wasn't listening anyway. She walked away, crawled into bed and slept for hours.

***