Seeing Me, Seeing You [COMPLETED]

~Chapter 8~

"Keri, mia figlia, why is there a bass missing from my sales floor?" My father asked me first thing over the phone the next morning.

I was busted.

"Papa, please don't be mad at me. I gave it to... my... um...
boyfriend... as a birthday gift."

"A birthday gift?! Oh Keri, Keri Keri! My love! I trusted you with the merchandise!" My papa harped at me, "You know how much my shop means to me! Wait... did you say boyfriend? What boyfriend? Is he Italian?"

"He better be Italian!" I could hear my mother yelling in the background.

I paused.

"He's not Italian, Papa."

Silence.

"What do you mean he's not Italian?!" He yelled in his Italian accent, "Your great grandfather would be rolling in his grave! Italian men are the only good kind of men! They will love and take care of you! Look at your sister and how happy she is! Vito takes good care of her."

"Frank, shame on you!" My mother snapped at him. "Let the girl date who she wants! She will eventually realize that Italian men are much better!"

I sighed. I knew that I couldn't change their opinions on who I dated. They were too old-fashioned and very traditional Italians.

"Fine. Date who you want, but no more giving away my bass guitars!"

"I promise that I won't." I vowed.

"We will be back in two weeks. We love you! Great Uncle Nino loves you, too."

"Give him my love. Enjoy the rest of your vacation," I said, hanging up the phone.

~*~

The rest of the week was a drag. The store was quiet and I spent most of the days just cleaning doing orders. There were no customers that came in for any repairs, so I had gone most of the week without seeing Trevor. I hadn't heard from him since our date on his birthday.

When Lavender's red convertible pulled up to the shop, my heart fluttered. He got out of the car and she gave me a wave, driving away. He walked on in through the front door. He was wearing a vintage brown blazer and ripped jeans that might have been from the 80's. He had one had an earring in and somehow, I found that super attractive. I really wondered if his 80's getup was his idea or whoever picked out his clothes. I obviously didn't mind. It suited him well.

I was so distracted by his 80's clothes that I almost didn't see him take his sunglasses off. When he opened his eyelids, it revealed two beautiful blue (prosthetic) eyes. They took my breath away! My face lit up. If only he could see my reaction! I walked towards him to greet him.

"You have eyes! Wow!" I said, wrapping my arms around his body.

"You can call me 'Old Blue Eyes,'" he flirted, pulling me in for a nice kiss, "I've missed you."

"I've missed you, too. So, what's the occasion? There's got to be something special going on for you to have your eyes in," I asked, knowing that he rarely wore his prosthetics.

"No occasion. Kay was adamant that I wear them, considering that they were a pretty penny. Even with insurance paying for part of it."

I took a second to admire him.

"You are just so handsome!" I blurted out. The loud Italian me had come out.

"And you, my cotton candy love, are gorgeous! I can tell." He kissed me again, "So what is the schedule looking like today?"

"It looks like you only have two piano lessons today. Then I can close up shop and we can spend the rest of the day together... if you like."

God, I craved that time with him. Especially after the dullness of the past few days.

"I hate to be sucky, but I actually have plans tonight that I can't back out of. It's really important."

"Oh really? What do you have to do that's more important than going out tonight?" I teased.

He put his hands on my cheek and brushed my hair with his fingers.

"Only my annual PET scan. Gotta make sure that this handsome gentleman is still free of any cancer."

Goosebumps formed all over my body. I was instantly worried. He seemed so cool and nonchalant about going to get his PET scan. If it were me, I'd be a nervous wreck. If he was nervous at all about getting that scan, it didn't show.

"No need to be worried," he said, sensing my concern, "It always comes back clear. Plus, I'm feeling great! In fact, I'm feeling better than I ever have."

His optimism in his voice instantly took my worries away. After all, life was unfolding in ways that both of us could have never imagined. Love was blossoming between us in just the short two weeks that we knew each other.

"Then perhaps maybe we can get together on Sunday? Maybe we can go cruisin' down Lake Shore Drive and get some sun at the beach? Not that it will have any effect on my pale skin anyways."

"It's a date!" He smiled, "Well, I better go warm up on the piano before the kiddos get here. Gotta loosen up my fingers."

"Okay. I'll be up front if you need anything."

He scooted his fingertips across the wall, guiding him towards the lesson room. Then I heard a gasp. He bumped into a Marshall Half-Stack that was in the way and it knocked the air right out of him.

"I knew that was there," he played it off and continued onto the practice room.

I think that even if he had any vision, he would have still bumped into that amplifier. It was one of those moments where we were both so smitten about each other that it caused both of us to be in a complete daze. My heart beat fast watching him walk away.

Eyes or no eyes, he was just so perfect...