West Coast Winter

Smooth Operator

I'm out for a run around campus before I head home. I end up in the medical plaza and I smell this amazing aroma coming from the taco trucks. I'm pretty hungry, so I stop to see what this food truck has. I'm standing there and the entire menu is in Spanish. I stand back and try to figure out what I want.
"You should get the Lengua tacos. They're really tender", a familiar voice says.
I turn and see a familiar woman standing there with her arms wrapped around her middle. She looks like she's cold despite the fact that she's wearing a mint green sweater, dark blue skinny jeans, and Ugg's. The weather is pretty overcast and misty. I guess I didn't realize how cold it was because I've been running.
"Hey, Charlie. It's me, Jaclyn", she says with a little wave before tucking her hand back into her crossed arms. It's the beauty from the school. Her eyes are so wide, mysteriously dark, and lovely. Her eyelashes seem to go on forever, but I'm pretty sure they're natural.
"Oh! Hey, how are you? Are you a student here,or...?", I ask awkwardly. She has a really youthful face. I'm not really sure what to say.
"Uh, no. I'm here for a doctor appointment", she says and kind of looks down and away with a small shy smile before looking back up to me. Oh shit, she's probably sick. I'm hoping it's nothing too terrible.
"Are you sick? Is everything ok?", I ask. I'm trying to come off concerned and not nosey, but we barely know each other.
"I'm fine. I'm here for a follow up. I had an appointment with my neurologist today. I'm just waiting for my mom to bring the car from the parking garage", she says and she's turning a little red and looking away again. She seems like she's...embarrassed?
"Anyway, you should definitely get the Lengua tacos with everything. You won't be disappointed", she says smiling.
"What's Lengua?", I ask.
She pauses for a moment and answers, "It's like roast beef, Charlie."
"Thanks for the recommendation. Did you want anything? It's on me", I offer with a hand to my chest.
"No thanks Charlie. I just noticed you were having trouble with the menu", she says with her lovely lips sticking out as she hangs on the U at the end of the word menu. "See you around Charlie. She says as she turns to walk to the roundabout.
"Wait! Jaclyn...", I call to her.
Jaclyn turns back and asks, "Yes, Charlie?"
God, I love how she says my name. "Um... do you think you could order for me? I took Spanish in high school, but most of it is gone now."
"How many tacos you want Charlie?", she asks as she walks over to me.
"I don't know... two?", I say in the form of a question. I feel so dumb right now.
She looks me up and down and says, "Ok, so four."
She addresses the man in the truck.
"Hola,  Señor. Cuatro Lengua tacos, Por favor", she says and turns back to me.
She says to me, "That will be eight dollars."
I pull out my wallet and hand the man in the truck a ten dollar bill. He gives me my change.
I say to Jaclyn, "I only said two tacos. Why did you order four?"
"You're a big man Charlie and you're out for a run. The tacos are small. Trust me, you're gonna want four. Ok, so you're good now?", she asks.
"Yeah. Thank you.", I say to her.
"No problem. See you around Charlie. Have a good one", she says as she turns and heads to the silver Toyota Camry in the roundabout.
The man in the food truck says, "Señor", as he holds out my bag of food to me.
"Gracias", I say to him.
"De nada", he says to me with a smile and I'm on my way.
I know how to speak Spanish. I just wanted her to stay a little longer. I honestly forgot what lengua is though. I take a bite and it's fucking amazing, just like she said it would be. I decide to look it up in my phone. It's cow tongue. Sounds disgusting, but it's fucking delicious. I finish up my meal and begin the walk back to where I parked in the campus parking lot.

******************************************
"Who was that?", my mom Tina asks as I get  into the car.
"That's Charlie. He's a parent from Nina's school", I answer her.
"He's Henry's dad, Nana", Nina says from the back seat.
"Does he know about your situation?", my mom asks.
"Not really. He knows I'm here for a doctor appointment, but that's it. We just met a couple days ago", I answer her and I'm hoping we won't dwell on this subject much longer.
"Don't get any ideas about pursuing that. You have enough going on with your disorder, Nina, and trying to get well enough to go back to work. You don't need any distractions", my mom says.
She's right, but I can't help feeling that all too familiar depression settling in. The idea that I may never be independent and have a family and home of my own crushes me inside. All I do is nod my head and look out the window as we drive home.
We stop to pick up take out for tonight. As we pull into the driveway, I hear Nina say, "Henry! Mom, it's Henry!"
As soon as the car comes to a stop, Nina unbuckles her belt and springs from the car. She stands in the drive way and yells, "Henry!"
I was so lost in my melancholy, that I didn't realize what Nina was talking about until I got out of the car with our bags.
Henry turned on his front lawn and waved, "Hi, Nina!"
"Will your dad let you come over to play at my house?", Nina invites Henry without asking.
"Nina! You have to eat dinner right now. It's already dark outside", my mom says to Nina. "Henry probably has to eat dinner too. Come on. Come inside", my mom adds.
"Awwww", Nina says sadly and hangs her head as she turns to go inside.
I see Charlie shut the trunk of his car. He has grocery bags in his hands. The orange light of the street lamp illuminates us both. He is standing there in much different clothing than his earlier black jogger sweatpants and gray t shirt. He'a wearing a green dress shirt with the sleeves rolled up to the elbows and black pants. He notices me and Nina. He waves and smiles. Henry is tugging at his arm and saying something to him. Charlie is shaking his head at Henry and then let's out a deep sigh.
I'm about to turn to go inside when Charlie yells out, "Sorry! Jaclyn! Could I talk to you a minute?", he asks as he crosses the street to my yard with Henry hot on his heels.
I stop and walk down to the edge of my yard to meet him.
"Yeah, sure. What's up?", I ask trying to sound nonchalant. Inside, I'm squealing like a fourteen year old girl at Backstreet Boys concert.
"I know it's late tonight, but would it be ok if Henry and Nina play together tomorrow?", Charlie asks."He begged me to come over and ask you."
Charlie waits for my answer and I notice there's something so pleasant about his mouth. It's like he is trying to hold something back. Henry clings to his dad's shirt and looks up at me with wide eyes that mirror his dad's.
"I don't see why that would be a problem. We will be here all day tomorrow. Sure. I'll let Nina know. I'm sure she'll be waiting outside at the crack of dawn to ride bikes or whatever. Eager kid, that one", I say to Henry with a wink and smile.
"Ok. Sounds good. What do you say Henry?", Charlie asks looking down at him.
"Thank you!", Henry says with a big smile and he is adorable. His dad is pretty adorable too with that dimple on the right side of his face and eyes that look youthful and old at the same time. He's been through some stuff.
"You're welcome, Henry. So, until tomorrow. Goodnight you two", I say smiling and turn to walk inside.
I hear Henry saying to Charlie, "Ask her! Ask her!"
"Ok! Jesus, will you calm down?", I hear Charlie respond to Henry as I'm almost up the walk.
"Jaclyn... sorry. One more thing", Charlie begins as I turn around. He looks super nervous and fidgety
"Yes?", I ask.
"Can we have your phone number?!", Henry blurts out.
"What was the point of me asking if you were just gonna do it anyway?", Charlie asks Henry.
"Say please, by the way", Charlie instructs Henry.
"Please by the way", Henry adds.
I can't help but laugh at this cute display. I walk back to them, hold out my hand and ask,"Your phone please?"
Charlie hands me his IPhone after unlocking it and I add my contact info. I hand it back to him and say, "Goodnight Charlie. Goodnight Henry."
They both say goodnight and turn to walk back to their house. I can hear Henry saying, "Yes!"
Charlie answers back, "Yeah, you were pretty smooth. Let's go Romeo."
"Who's Romeo?", Henry asks.
"It's a long story", Charlie says as they walk up the lawn.