2020-05-21 - Drained and draining - Patrick, Sajani. Gurshan
Patrick Peterson turned down 3rd street knowing he was still avoiding the Rose house. He had his bakery bag in hand and saw some kids leaving the school late. Basically, just another beautiful spring day in Alexandra. He turned at Academy and then again on 4th. Sajani’s house was the first and he jogged up the steps and rang the bell.
Sajani had been in her kitchen, thinking up a pasta invention idea for dinner for her and her father. She was still in her work clothes which today consisted of a pretty sundress in red with orange sunflowers with a capped sleeve yellow orange v neck shirt under it. Her legs and feet are bare. She noticed a few dishes needed to be washed from the morning and night before though and tackled those, loading the dishwasher and then scrubbing the pots in the sink. Feeling impatient, she lets what she thinks is just a little rice go down the drain. It wasn’t that much. But then the sink water just sits there, stagnant and she huffs at it. “Oh come on…..” She winces and swishes her fingers around in the drain and there’s no movement. She was going to need to plunge it and she hated that. She yanked open the cupboard and pulled out the plunger just as the doorbell rang. Sajani sighed and took the plunger with her to the door. She opened it with an irritated expression still on her face about the clogged sink and then it melted into a smile “Patrick! You’ve caught me in a plumbing crisis but come in anyway…” She stepped back.
Patrick’s smile began to fade a bit at the look on her face. Then she spoke and he held out the bag. “Trade you?” he offers, reaching for the plunger. “Petersons are pretty handy around the house.”
Sajani sees the bakery bag and hears the offer and beams. She leans in and gives him an enthusiastic but relatively short kiss “Oh my god...can I keep you forever?” She happily passes the plunger “Kitchen sink….” She takes the bag and looks in and gives a little gasp seeing the cupcakes “Patrick…..you spoil me…and they’re so adorable!.”
Patrick makes the trade and takes the kiss, his heart leaping into his throat. “I would hope that’s the plan.” he quips, slipping out of his shoes and heading into the kitchen. As she gushes about the cupcakes he grins to himself as he rolls up his sleeves. “Again … that’s the plan.” he looks at the standing water and sort of feels around in the muck.
Sajani sets the cupcakes down on the counter and watches him with a sweet smile. She’d love that plan and she hopes he really means it. “See here’s where you get to find out where I’m a bit useless….I would plunge that but it would probably take me twice as long and there would be crying, and even some swearing. I could deal with a sink. No toilets though...and nothing smelly. I have a really sensitive nose. Kind of annoying sometimes. And if you really want this plan you’ll also have to deal with all the scary bugs…” She admits. She’s making fun of herself but it is true.
Patrick sticks his hand down the drain as she talks to him. “Swearing helps a lot of things.” he argues. He pulls it out and reaches, not for long the plunger but a long two pronged fork, which he sticks in the drain and swirls around. “I can plunge a toilet,” he tells her. “But if you ask my mother, that’s because we males always clog them.” he snorts. “As soon as I had the strength to plunge, I was plunging and you might never speak to me if you knew how I can stink up a bathroom.” Rice begins to float up, but the drain is still very slow. “And I really want this plan, so I am happy to kill any bug you order me to, General.”
Sajani smiles “I don’t balk at swearing, it's just not in my vocabulary. My family never swore much...in fact I’m not sure my mother even knew any.” She looks pleased about his plunging skills and then mock frowns at his stink up comment “Well you’re allowed to be human. As long as there’s a window, and a fan, and some air freshener…” she chides. “General? Goodness…..how’s it going in there? I was hoping to make pasta later. I’d hate to have to strain it in the bathtub…”
Patrick reaches for the plunger. “Window, fan and air freshener. Now I know what to look for in our first house.” he jokes positioning the plunger. “Lets see if it’s going at all.” and he begins. “Pasta for dinner. Nice.” he haves it a good couple plunges. “So you’re not eating my gift?” he pulls up the plunger … but nothing ….
Sajani giggles and flushes a bit “You can stay for supper if you like...especially after all this. And no I’m not eating it yet. There’s two...I’m assuming one is for you? I’ll wait…” She looks a little worried at the sink “Shoot...maybe I need to call a plumber….”
Patrick repositions the plunger. “Nope. I bought them both for you.” he tells her. “One for each … time we spent together.” there’d been experimentation like the first night. “So eat away. Dessert before dinner. Yum!” he huffs and begins to plunge, mock angrily cursing. “Come on you son of a bitch! She’ll replace me and it’ll be all your fault!” The threat seems to work, as the sucking unclogging sound heralds victory against the rice. Patrick cheers and turns on the water. “Thank god … I don’t have to watch the plumber look at me like I am less than.” as the water pours into the sink, he reaches for the pot lid and washes it, followed by the fork he initially used to loosen the clog.
Sajani sighs “I’ll eat one. And you eat one. Because I’m hoping you’re as happy as I am…” She laughs and laughs about his yelling at the sink and plunging. “Your masculinity and plumbing prowess is in no way in question Patrick.” She appreciates that he’s washing the remaining dishes too.” I do have a language question for you though….are you like covertly google translating from your phone to an earpiece? Because you call me Sudara...and you knew the word Amritdhari?” She’s intensely curious about this.
Patrick finishes the leftover dishes, then washes his hands. Grabbing a clean dishtowel to dry them, he turns to face her, moving in her direction. “I’m deliriously happy.” he tells her and strikes a silly body builder pose when she tells him his prowess is safe. Then he looks at her when she asks about his knowledge of a language he, arguably shouldn’t. “Well I call you Sudara because you are.” he quips. “But to be honest…” he leans down and looks at her affectionately. “Part of my whole asking you out in the first involved me not making a complete fool out of myself. So I researched your religion and culture, whether you might eat meat or nod so I wouldn’t piss you off by buying you gyros if you were a vegetarian. Stuff like that. And the language was interesting so I sort of half-assed studied it. Sudara is one of the words that remains.” he moves to kiss her forehead,slipping into a seat near her.
Sajani looks completely blown away and very touched “You did?” She leans into the kiss on her forehead and then sits with him “Wow...and you likely know more Punjabi than I do then. I have a few little books from my grandparents and a bit here and there at big family parties in Langley but my parents spoke English to me, sometimes Punjabi to each other like it was a code….I figured some out.” She laughs and then looks self conscious. “That’s incredibly sweet. Thank you for fixing the sink.” She offers the cupcake bag after taking hers out.
Patrick laughs. “So I over prepared in my nervousness? Figgers.” he reaches for her hand, which he loves to hold. “My Dad spelled his talk for the longest time. I don't know what he was thinking, but not even Mom had the heart to tell him we knew what he was saying.” he looks at that adorable self-conscious shy look she gets a lot. “Plunging the sink? You’re welcome.” He takes the bag and removes the second cupcake, which is pink and covered in a beautiful flower. He thinks for half a second about petals and stamen, but says nothing.
Sajani holds his hand and smiles “Probably he made you a better speller.” she takes a bite of her cupcake and then looks blissed out and points at it. “Mmmmm!” After chewing and swallowing she says “You must have had a fun childhood. I was always a little jealous of people with brothers and sisters. My parents meant to have more but my mom got her diagnosis when I was pretty small. They both came from big families though who then had big families.. I have 27 first cousins….” She says casually.
Patrick looks proud. “I am pretty good at it.” he smiles and bites. It is good. “Ahh Earthcales.” he grins. “Yea … it was fun. But my parents are morticians so it could get a little weird.” he listens to hy she is an only child and squeezes her hand, then his eyes grow large at all of the cousins. “Wow … I think we have like 4 or 5 cousins. I guess you could get away with never having kids if you didn’t want them.”
Sajani shudders about the mortician thing and then nods “4 or 5 is normal...relatively speaking….pun intended.” She laughs and then looks thoughtful “You know I actually think I do want kids. I waiver sometimes because I’m not really a kid person...but it might be different if they came through me. Although I love kids movies and TV….true confession. You probably figured that out if you looked in my room on your way to the bathroom. The reality though... it’s a sweet idea...scary...but sweet.” She eats some more of her cupcake.
“Ha Ha.” he replies dryly to her pun and then watches her thoughtful face. “It might be. I’m OK with kids at camp and all. Mostly I can’t help but think if I ever have kids, I’ll make sure some thought goes into their names.” He laughs lightly and takes more of his cupcake, intentionally ignoring anything about her bedroom, which he has seen, but … no he won’t comment on it yet..
Sajani grins at him “You don’t like your name? I think it suits you. And Christopher’s nice….and sorry to you both but Avery’s is super pretty. I don’t have a middle name. Does your family do them?”
Patrick grins. “It’s not so much that. I’m glad I didn't wind up with a rhyming twin name like Chris and Clive or some crap. See .. We were named after our grandfathers. Well … my mother wasn’t expecting twins. She passed on ultrasounds and all that. The baby was to be named Christopher Patrick…” he shrugs. “So when i came out, the names got reversed and I am Patrick Christopher.”
Sajani’s jaw drops a bit “Surprised by twins? Oh my god that would be a big surprise…..I mean I’m glad.” She nudges him affectionately. “That is so funny about your names.” She squints a bit “Neither of you got Stuart in the mix…..hmmm. What’s Avery’s full name?” She seems genuinely curious about everything to do with Patrick’s life and family.
Patrick rears back in mock horror. “My father would have forbidden it. He was named after Stuart Little. You know, the mouse?” he chuckles. “As long as you don’t tease him about it, he won't embalm you before you die.” he pauses. “She is Avery Janelle Peterson. Named after my grandmother. Me and Chris were supposed to do a family tree in school once and both just sort of blew it off and took the F. Maybe someday I’ll try it again. I think we’re Scottish back to Braveheart.”
Sajani looks delighted “Stuart Little? That’s adorable. If your family are big EB White fans maybe you should be thankful that you, Chris and Avery didn’t end up Wilbur, Templeton and Charlotte. Although again Avery would probably not object to being Charlotte. I still read that book every few years and watch the movie. That reminds me, I need to add that to my pile for Kira. It’s a sweet one and maybe that’ll comfort her. I’m making a pile to take her in jail.”
Patrick winces. “No … we do not discuss Stuart Little. I’ve actually never even read it.” he laughs. “Like Simon and Theodore Alvin? I know Theo says he may never forgive his Chipmunk fan mother.” he nods. “If I knew you had a pile I would have delivered them this morning.” he pauses. “I felt the need to go and apologize to Kira for not knowing … anything.” he sighs, still kicking himself a bit.
Sakani bats her eyelashes at him “You’ve neve read Stuart Little? It’s your kind of book snob book...written in 1945 even. “ She teases him “Oh my god the Alvins. I don’t know them super well but the names. And then there’s Ziggy? Like she’s just the normal one or the mom’s favourite?” She looks taken aback by his visit to Kira but gets it after everything he told her on their actual first date. “You went to see Kira? How was that? How is she?” She looks concerned about both given everything that had been in the news. She also knew Kira was getting lots of support through her father.
Patrick laughs. “Ha ha. I don't want to be disowned so I missed that one. But if you get me a copy I’ll read it, just for you.” he promises and then laughs again. “Actually Ziggy is named after Ziggy Marley … a singer. And she likes to tease her brothers about it constantly.” he knows she is bound to look at him oddly. “Gareth Dunham .. the EMT on my shift .. fostered over there and Ziggy adores him. She comes by the station a LOT. She keeps asking me and Chris to model nude for her.” and then he moves on. “It was … OK .. she didn’t really talk to me, but she nodded at all my apologies and then did this thing?” he makes a smile across his mouth. “So I took it as ‘apology accepted’. I feel a lot better now.” and he does.
Sajani looks pleased and a little cheeky about his reading just for her. “Oh yeah like Bob Marley’s son...that’s cool.” She listens “I know Gareth. He’s been a little flirty with me...grabbed me for a dance at a party and I had to sort of” she does a wiggly armed move “Sneak out of it….”Then her eyes go wide “She wants you to model NUDE..” She’s both a little defensive and desperately curious. She and Patrick had not yet taken off all their clothes together, worked around and under but never removed. It was insanely hot but she was also looking forward to one day feeling all of his skin on hers and also seeing him in full. “Soooo…..have ...you? Modeled for her?” She shyly asks. Then she listens carefully and much more chastely about Kira and mimics Kira’s finger smile gesture “Yeah that’s a good sign with her. I’m glad you did that. Did it help you as well?”
Patrick nods about Ziggy and then frowns about Gareth. “Did he now….” he tries to keep it casual. Then her eyes widen and he nods. “Yea.. She’s been trying since high school. Chris is the modest one.” he tells her and then shakes his head, “She wanted the set, so she’s never seen me naked. And now with Noelle in the picture She’ll never get us. Cause I don’t want to anymore either.” he nods about the Kira smile. “I am too .. I guess it helped. Still feel like an idiot for believing her dumb ass parents. I can’t believe they lied to … everyone instead of supporting their daughter.” Patrick is as indignant as it gets .. as close to anger as he gets.
Sajani had finished her cupcake awhile ago and let go of his hand, running her fingers through his hair when he seemed to be getting upset. “I was really mad about her parents. Now I’m just really sad I didn't know sooner. I would have helped her. She could have stayed here even...I’d suggest it now even but my father would have to give her up as a patient and he’s feeling like there’s progress. I shouldn’t actually know all this but I think because it’s Kira and I’ve been so worried, he’s reassured me. But I hate to think of her stuck in that jail. We took a tour there once for school, remember? It smells...and it’s so depressing looking.”She circles back to the nude subject and Ziggy “Chris is the modest one?” She looks intrigued “Why do I feel like Ziggy just has some sort of twin fantasy?” She jokes.
Patrick nods. “I remember. Well I remember the tour and teasing Chris about winding up in a cell. Don’t remember it smelling. But it is drab and depressing looking.” he nods. “Yea. I was the one always running around naked every chance I got …. Drove my mom crazy, but she said at least she knew which of us was which. So … naked Peterson. Until lately. I never know exactly when I’ll wake up and Noelle will be around. Chris spent his first night over there last week. I told them I didn't care and even started sleeping in sweat shorts .. well .. having them right by my bed, anyway. Same thing.”
Sajani giggles and then points to her nose “Ridiculous nose. My Grandmother used to call it my Rhinoceros nose. Not an attractive image but apparently Rhinos in India can find one another using the tiniest bit of scent on a leaf in the forest. I smelled the Rose house fire before the sirens came….” She giggles a bit about him running around naked as a kid and then flushes as he explains how it extends into his adulthood. She licks her lips and then looks embarrassed and giggles into him, burying her face in his sleeve “That’s distracting...and a whole other discussion...or not.” She swallows and straightens up “Please don’t be too disappointed by my love of pajamas. I have a lot of pajamas….really just a lot of clothes. It’s a sickness.”
Patrick nods in fascination at the strength of her sense of smell. “Means you can always find me.” quips and almost laughs when she buries her face in his sleeve. He puts a finger under her chin and if he can will get her to look into his face. “Never, Sudara.” he murmurs and kisses her deeply if he can. Then he’ll break it, clear his throat and say, trying to change the subject. “You mentioned pasta?”
Sajani allows him to lft her face and melts a bit at his words and then kisses him back with equal passion and depth. When he breaks away and asks about pasta she opens her eyes “Oh yeah...I’m just kind of inventing it on the fly. I’m guessing my father will be home soon so maybe I should cook...if you want to join me in the kitchen?”
Patrick nods, absently when she suggests moving into the kitchen. “Sure. Want some help?” he offers. “I’m not a menace in the kitchen.”
Sajani grins “Ok...well you’ve already proven yourself with sink unclogging so I think I can let you chop things. Plus I remember our conversation with Nico about cooking.” Sajani wanders around and starts pulling things out of the cupboard, the fridge and the freezer and setting them on the counter; a box of linguine pasta, a bag of frozen shrimp, some lemons and a nice big bunch of asparagus. Then she plunks down a dish of butter and a handful of garlic cloves. It seems completely haphazard but from the look on her face she’s thinking, planning it out. “Parsley maybe…” She mutters and grabs a bunch of that next. She takes out a big pot for pasta and a big deep frying pan. “Sorry I should ask...you’re not like allergic to shellfish or anything are you Patrick...or just fish in general?”
Patrick grins. “Let me at it.” he proclaims and stands slightly out of her way as she seems to have something in mind. “I’m not allergic to anything and lucky for me during our break from the world, I love seafood of all kinds.” he mostly watches her, ready to chop if she wants him to chop.
Sajani hands Patrick a cutting board and a knife “Oh thank goodness because we eat a lot of that in this house. “Could you mince a few of those garlic cloves? I also might be able to find you press…” She pulls open a few drawers. “Hmmm…...I could swear it was in one of these…..I tend to just crush and chop…”
Patrick nods and, as she is looking for the garlic press, takes a knife and crushes, then chops some garlic. “My mother decided that, when Chris decided to be a vegetarian that he needed to learn to cook for himself … and I, as always, got taken along for the ride.” he looks at her and winks.
“Your mom sounds like a smart woman. I mean we kinda know her from...well from all the arrangements for my mother. You know it’s funny I think our dads are still kinda pals after all that. I don’t know if it’s happened recently but they used to go for breakfast sometimes. It made me happy because he really needed a friend back then...still does I’m sure. Does Chris ever guilt you for eating meat?” She walks to the sink and washes the asparagus and then holds it up and seems to talk to it “You are worth it, despite the way you make things smell.” She grabs another cutting board and knife and trims it and then slices it through a few times like she didn’t just have an odd conversation with a bundle of vegetables.
Patrick gives a nod. “Well … I know my Dad’s sort of avoided yours since … Avery and all. Avery didn’t want anyone to know, so we all kept quiet but for family. But Chris felt close enough to Noelle to tell her. I told you. I hope my Dad tells your Dad. I did. I think we could all use some therapizing after all of this.” he then pauses as the conversation shifts. “Not exactly … although I’m sure it was just chance that he hummed Mary Had A Little Lamb the last time I ordered gyros delivered from Zabats.” he snorts. “But it helps I cut down on meat when he went vegetarian. We of course tease that it’s me that wants the living things dead when he has the temper issues.” and he looks at her with a raised brow as she talks to the asparagus. “I was gonna ask about that when I saw the asparagus.” he teases.
Sajani listens as she sets aside the asparagus and starts on the parsey, giving it a wash and then realizing she has a cooking partner she hands it to Patrick. She nods along while she walks to the sink to rinse and semi defrost the frozen shrimp and then stops and turns suddenly “You did? Sorry what do you mean? You told my father about Avery?” She completely forgets everything he just said about Chris’s singing and asparagus pee and zeroes in on this.
Patrick nods. “Yea. I did.” he pauses. “Is …. That … a problem?” he wonders.
Sajani realizes how her reaction might be taken “No...no...I was just surprised. I think it’s good. I just remember what you said before and I didn’t want to push you to talk to him because of us….” She steps beside him now and looks at him curiously “How did that go? And was it just like a ...I dunno talk to me Patrick…unless it’s too much to do that twice in one day with two different Singhs.” She jokes a bit.
Patrick shrugs. “When I left the jail, and got your cupcakes, I ran into him .. literally. We got to talking and it came out.” he turns to her when she moves to him. “It was good. It’ll help me sleep better. But if I have to choose between him and you … you win.”
Sajani leans her head into his shoulder “Patrick, if he can help you sleep better or in any other way...I want that. I had no idea you were struggling with sleep. The few nights you’ve spent here you’ve been so peaceful it helps me sleep better….”
Patrick looks at her. “I’ve had … trouble.” he admits. “Starting that night. The exceptions are when I sleep with you, Sudara.” he smiles softly. “I guess we’re good for each other's sleep.”
“You saw awful things….I understand why that finds you at night. Is it like just can’t shut off your thinking or bad dreams? I can rarely shut off my thinking even when it’s not awful stuff.” She steps from him and puts water in the pasta pot, realizing food still needs to happen too.
Patrick nods. “I’m like that too. Always thinking and I have a lot of trouble sleeping. But like I said …. That changes when I sleep with you.” and he goes back to chopping.
Sajani continues their shared food prep on her side, finding they easily fall into a comfortable rhythm with it. She smiles a little about the sleep thing between them. There's a lot she could let her brain spin on about with it all but she reigns it in and just says “I like that...you can stay anytime.” She wants to say every time, every night but feels like she might freak Patrick out.
Patrick’s hand freezes for a second when she says he could stay. He nods. “Thanks.” and opts not to push his luck, in case she freaks out about it.
The pasta is done and set aside and the lemons butter garlic sauce soaked shrimp and asparagus is still in the last of it’s simmering. Sajani begins to glance at the door “Hmmm he’s taking a while today. Maybe I should text him. This is ready to toss together.” She turns the heat off the shrimp sauce and picks up her phone. “Hey Patrick you’ll find some big ceramic bowls in that drawer down to the left. Can you toss all that? There’s an obvious jug of utensils to toss with on the counter by the stove.
Patrick finds the bowls and utensils and sets them up. “Would you rather I wait until your Dad gets home?” he wonders.
Sajani is already texting “Uh no...because it’ll get gross…” She’s about to hit send when there’s the unmistakable sound of feet coming up the front steps and keys in the lock. “Oh….nevermind.” As the door opens she calls “Hi Papa. Dinner’s ready. Good timing.”
Gurshan steps in and shuts the door behind him with a jangling of keys and a shuffling of shoes, his tablet and just the general unloading after a workday “Smells wonderful Saji.” He sees the sneakers that can only belong to Patrick and calls out “Hi Patrick.” as he makes his way towards them, gives a quick cheerful wave and then scoots upstairs.
“He lives in sweats when he’s not working…” She explains to Patrick “He’ll be back.” She goes to grab the pepper grinder, parmesan cheese and a stack of plates.
Patrick seed Gurshan walk in and head right upstairs. “Hey Gurshan.” he replies, remembering their conversation earlier in the day. Looking at Sajani, he quips. “Can you blame him? You’ve seen what I bum around the house in.” He looks at the bowls. “I’ll start tossing, then.” and he does. He’s clearly no professional, but there isn’t food flying everywhere, either.
Sajani had noticed Patrick in his sweat shorts...and shirtless,,,and then with a tank top finally. “Yes I confess I really liked seeing you shirtless that first day I went to OT for Chris.” She says with a little giggle “Not that I was thinking we’d ever be here...that day.” She looks approvingly at his tossing and kisses his cheek as she passes him to go to the cutlery drawer.
Patrick tosses until it looks well mixed. “I was expecting Darryl.” He defended himself. “And I wasn’t expecting that, either … or the other time … don’t forget the other time.” because he sure wouldn’t. He expected each time, and he truly hoped there would be more times, to be beautiful. And, absently he murmurs. “Sudara.”
Now Sajani stops with a handful of cutlery in one hand and kisses him on the lips on her way back the other way. “I won’t forget,,,any of it….not a single minute…” She pulls back and looks at him with emotional intensity written on her face like it’s a map to her heart “For the rest of my life….”
As soon as she’s said it Gurshan can be heard jogging back down the stairs and a moment later he steps into the kitchen and sees the two of them standing close “Uh..I can come back…” he jokes. Today the sweatsuit is a khaki green.
Patrick is looking at Sajani with equal intensity and opens his mouth to speak when Gurshan comes back downstairs. He pulls back a bit and clears his throat. “Well, if you do that, I might eat your dinner.” he teases and moves to get the bowl and set it on the table. But he sneaks a look at Sajani and remembers her shyness and desire to take things slow and agrees with her. Because the slow path so far has been unbelievably beautiful.
Sajani looks sweetly at Patrick seeing her look returned and then steps away and scoffs at her father “You better believe him. He helped make this. He’s got a legitimate claim. Come on let’s eat.” She sets the table quickly and then sits in the middle seat on the side, letting the men take the ends if they so wish to. Her father usually took the end facing the window but seating wasn’t a fixed thing either. She looked between Patrick and her father and had to smile to herself. The two men she lov….the word came into her head and she felt the breath go out of her as she pushed back at it in her head. Love? Did she love Patrick? She looked at him and the word stormed back in, taking no prisoners. She got a little teary and blinked hard. This wasn’t the time. But yes, there it was. She loved Patrick.
Gurshan looked at Patrick, giving him the option to choose a seat first as he is their guest. “Sit where you like Patrick.” He waits but notices some of the looks between the two of them and then Sajani seeming to grapple with something emotional. He remembers some of the things Patrick said to him. These sweet kids are falling hard for each other and it’s a beautiful thing. “Listen...if you two want a dinner for two I can take my plate up to my study? Those Scottish detectives left me at a cliffhanger…” He jokes.
Patrick smiled at Sajani for giving him credit for his part of the dinner, then took the seat looking towards the living room. He looks at her and that smile. He never wanted to see it fade. Before he can begin to process that idea, Gurshan speaks and his eyes fly to him. “I … no .. I mean .. the dinner was supposed to be for you and Sajani, so … if anyone should be going upstairs it’s me.” he realizes how those words could be interpreted. Upstairs was the bathroom and … Sajani’s bedroom. “I mean .. I can go. I only stopped by to drop off the cupcakes. Well and ask Sajani out. I feel like if I show up and ask for a date right then, I can’t be late, right?” and he realizes he is rambling and stops. Not the smooth one.
Sajani comes back to being grounded in the moment and looks between them like she’s scolding them “Papa, Patrick...stop this.” She laughs and starts spooning out servings onto plates and hands them each one before doing her own “No one is leaving. Patrick I invited you and I want you here. Papa, your little Shetland people will tell you who done it later. Now….boys, shush and eat your dinner.” She’s giggling as she reaches for the parmesan.
Gurshan looks contrite and then smiles at Sajani and takes his plate “Thank you...both of you.” He gives Patrick a look like they’ve just been put in time out and begins to twirl pasta onto his fork.
Patrick winces a bit, then takes his plate. “Thanks.” He aims it at Sajani and shares the look with Gurshan. He also twirls pasta, but can’t help but chuckle. “But … Sajani … you seriously sounded exactly like my mother when we were boys … well … and the last time we had dinner at our parents house …” he admits. Although there was no way she could be mistaken for his mother.
Sajani giggles and then tastes a bit of the food and looks pleased with the creation. After she chews and swallows she points her fork at it “Oh this is a make again….yum!” She eats some more. And then she teases Patrick “Do you still get in trouble with your mother at the dinner table?”
Gurshan takes one bite and nods and then reaches for the pepper and parmesan. “Amazing….bookmark the recipe?” He sees Sajani shake her head at him while waiting for Patrick’s reply which means she invented it. Gurshan shrugs and keeps eating after fussing it up the way he likes.
Patrick tastes, then, once Gurshan is done with it, adds a liberal amount of pepper. “Definitely make again.” he thinks of her reaction to asparagus. “Maybe with another vegetable.” is all he says and then chuckles. “Yes, we do. Hardly ever when it's one of us or the other but .. together we can’t seem to help but get in trouble with our mom. Usually it’s Avery that gets us going.” he grins a bit. “Really, it is.” he tosses his little sister under the bus while hoping for even one time in the turure when she does it again.
Sajani thinks about the vegetable thing “I do love asparagus but yeah not the later part….broccoli would be good though.” She looks amused at the idea of Patrick and his siblings at dinner causing trouble. She can see how much he misses that and Avery.
Gurshan eats with gusto, getting sauce and parmesan down his beard. He can feel it so he steps away from his seat “I’ll get us some napkins.” He’s been listening of course and smiling now and then. He hands out napkins to the two of them, they’re cloth in a red and yellow bright print. “I had eight siblings so our parents could barely keep up with our dinnertime chaos. My father would just pretend to nod off at the end of the table.”
Sajani points her fork “He still does that at family dinners!”
Gurshan nods slowly “Yes. it’s a lie. Classic conflict avoider.” He chuckles “Must be where you get it from Saji.”
Sajani looks mock offended and stabs her fork into a big shrimp.
Patrick nods. “Yea.. I think broccoli would be better. I know I’m not a huge fan of asparagus.” He eats heartily and accepts the napkin, wiping his lips. He arches his brows at the size of the family. “Nine kids….” he marvels. “I think our dinner times were pretty wild some nights. When we got older I’d be late, Chris would be filthy and .. just … yea .. chaos.” he chuckles, then watches Sajani stab the shrimp. “I can’t blame you for avoiding conflict.” He defends her. “Then again I must have got mine from always pulling Chris away from some fight or breaking one up. It’s just … easier and more pleasant not to make a scene.” he hasn’t forgotten the scene he made on the steps of this very house, but he feels it was worth it.
Sajani sighs “I don’t completely avoid it, just the personal ones sometimes. I did Debate. It’s easier for me when I can detach and be in my head.” She looks at Patrick “Yes to broccoli next time we make this.” She says it like they’re going to cook together all the time. “I didn’t end up in your class in school until grade 8. You and Chris must have been adorable when you were little though..” she muses.
Gurhsan looks reminiscent of his own childhood in a big family “Yes nine of us…” He gives a little sigh “Now eight.” He looks up at Sajani “I told Patrick about Hardeep today.” He digs back into the rest of his food looking a bit melancholy.
Sajani looks amazed and then sweetly between her two beloved men “Wow you guys really are bonding….”
Patrick nods about the broccoli, even as he finishes his food and pushes his plate away. “I remember you in debate class. You lasted longer in it than I did.” he looks across at Gurshan and sighs. “You know … since you mention it. I have a couple of pics of me and Chris .. and Avery … as younger kids.” He goes for his wallet, hoping the picture might cheer up Gurshan as well as satiate Sajani’s need to see him as a kid. He opens it and realizes it is upside down. Two condoms fall onto the table top. Blinking he groans. “Damn you, Chris ….” he quickly grabs them and stuffs them back in his wallet and makes himself very busy looking for the picture.
Sajani starts laughing but also looks rather mortified at the condoms falling out and then she swears “Shit Patrick…” and laughs some more, partly it’s nervous laughter. She makes a mental note that he’s prepared, even though they’re not there yet but she would have preferred this information when they were alone. She hears the cursing at Chris though and kind of clues in.
Gurshan almost chokes on his last bite as the condoms drop out but then looks relieved. Well at least he knew they were being safe. He hears Sajani swear and it shocks him more than the condoms “Saji...language..” He chides on instinct and then sighs at himself “Sorry you’re old enough to decide to speak how you wish...and “ He gestures to the space the condoms had just been “And we’re all adults. I am glad you’re being safe.” He directs a glance at Patrick and then looks back at his daughter “But you don’t have to spend your nights together on the couch. I respect your privacy. If your bedroom door is closed what you do in there is none of my business. You know I trust your choices….” He stands and takes his plate to the kitchen. “Now I have a date with an unsolved mystery. Leave the dishes. I’ll wash them later. Thank you both for a lovely meal.” He seems to be giggling to himself as he then disappears and jogs up the stairs to his study.
Patrick has a lot of photographs in his wallet and the plastic sleeves are being separated by his index and middle fingers as his hopes that no one saw anything are thwarted. But he keeps his eyes on plastic covered photos … until Gurshan begins to speak. Then his eyes lift slowly to him, following him from the table to the sink and then when he vanishes up the stairs. Then his eyes turn towards Sajani. He’s speechless at the moment, too torn between embarrassment at the condoms and Gurshan’s suggestion that they sleep in Sajani’s bed instead of the couch to so anything but gulp.
Sajani’s eyes go wide at her father and his whole speech. She would reply but she can’t handle the confrontation in any direction on this one. She slides her elbow to the table and her hand over her face like she’s hiding. Finally she looks up at Patrick and just starts laughing “Oh.My. God. I’m so sorry. He really wants to discuss EVERYTHING. I can’t stop him…”
Patrick is relieved at Sajani’s laughter and it makes him chuckle as well. “Occupational hazard?” he offers. Then he reaches for her hand. “Don’t be sorry. I should apologize because .. I gave Chris a couple of condoms on our birthday as a joke. He eventually used them I guess with Noelle and .. since I didn’t come home a couple nights this week .. he’s …. Making the same assumptions as your father.” he shrugs. “So this is his revenge .. and .. or … his wanting to make sure you and I are safe.” if he has her hand, he’ll lift it to his lips and kiss it, then let it go. “No matter where we wind up sleeping.”
“Yeah occupational hazard...all the time therapizing. But I know it’s better than having parents who make you feel bad about sexuality so I guess I’m also lucky. I think it’s sweet that Chris is looking out for you too.” She smiles at the kissing of her hand “Patrick if you want to sleep in my bed we don’t have to do anything more than we’ve been doing until we want to. I mean I know it might feel more tempting but I really like…” She flushes a bit “I like the slow...the touching….the lots and lots of kissing…..”She sighs “No pressure though. And my room is really cutesy and girly…” She admits with a laugh.
Patrick listens to her and rubs at her hand. “I love how we make love.” he tells her. “The whole sexual intercourse thing will happen when it happens or it will never happen. That won't stop me wanting to be with you.” he squeezes her hand. “If we don’t use these in the next three years, I’ll throw them away and buy more just in case.” then he chuckles. “I love all of that too. Kissing, Touching.” he clears his throat. “And I don’t care if your room is cute, as long as you're in it making it even cuter.” he winks at her. “My bedroom is neat but pretty plain, I think, but if you ever want to spend the night with me, it’ll look a lot nicer.” he realizes they are taking another step in their relationship.
Sajani gives him a melting look and then has to qualify something “I’m loving the research. You know I love research.” She giggles “But I will eventually want to write our thesis…. I’m in no hurry but I do fantasize about it sometimes.” She squeezes his hand “So...less than three years please...but not right away.” She ponders the idea of his room, spending the night with him and smiles “I’d like to stay at your place someday. And you make all the rooms cuter too.” She teases. Then she says something practical “The only thing about sleeping” and then she finger quotes “Sleeping...in my room is that Papa’s study is right next door so we would have to…” She clears her throat “Be a little quieter than we are down here when he’s up there….so maybe we kinda do half and half…..some here...sleep there.” She gets all embarrassed again and hides her face behind her hand with breathy laughter.
Patrick nods. “No rush at all.” he assures her and grins when she points out there is only a wall between her bedroom and her father’s study. “Well, I know I can be quiet.” he shrugs. “I mean I shared a room with Chris all my life and we didn’t have a lot of privacy so … you learn to be quiet if you don’t want your roommate to know you’re playing …” he nods. “Some here .. sleep there .. until we learn to modulate the volume and we can sleep anywhere?” he grins. “But don’t be surprised if you wake up and find Noelle about. Sometimes her friend babysits. They’re pretty quiet turns out … must be I wasn’t the only one trying to be quiet while we were younger.” although he also suspects it’s that they had to navigate a 2 year old as well.
Sajani smiles and then gives a little shudder about the idea of no privacy and trying to get away with not waking a sibling during solo activities “Wow I’m so glad I’m an only child.” She leans over and takes her hand from his to run it through his hair. “Honestly I’d be happy just to sleep some nights too...in your arms. I’ve never slept better in my life than our few nights. I don’t really know Noelle other than in passing so I hope she and Chris would be cool with me being there in the morning. You said there’s a kid? Does he sleep over too? I’m kinda guessing your apartment might be their private time if she’s arranging babysitting?”
Patrick closes his eyes and sighs blissfully at both her fingers in his hair and the idea of just sleeping with her. Waking with her. “They wouldn’t have a problem with it.” he assures her. When I went home the morning after our first time, I was supposed to be at work … I called in a personal day and went back to sleep. But when I did go home Noelle was there, so they’re following my schedule. They’ve exchanged house keys. But Chris sleeps there. That’s kind of why he wasn’t there to stop my little drinking binge.” he cringes a bit. “Blaze … her son … doesn’t sleep over. But her babysitter is Daisy Dale … their kids are half siblings so … that.” he glances up. “How about you come spend the night at my place tomorrow night? Maybe bring a couple of pairs of those pajamas I’m dying to see? I have to work at 7am Saturday … maybe if you’re there I won't be late?”
Sajani looks relieved that Chris and Noelle wouldn’t balk. She listens to the rest, tilting her head curiously about the half sibling thing but not asking today. Then she smiles and fishes at his offer “Ok….a couple of pairs? Goodness me.” She giggles. “You won’t be late because I’m subbing a yoga class at Northern that morning and I’ll have to go at the same time as you. But if I can bring my own shampoo...sorry I’m picky...I can go from your place.”
Patrich beams. “Couple .. or a few …” he teases and nods at her working halfway between his place and the fire house. “Bring your own shampoo. I have my own bathroom … or rather mine is the house bathroom, so bring whatever you want. Make it pretty even. I don’t mind. I could even show off my video game prowess. Nothing really violent.” he assures her. “More .. stealthy.” he is suddenly excited for her to come over.
Sajani looks into the whole idea. She’s never been invited to a man’s apartment before and Patrick is the only man she wants to be doing that with from here to eternity. “I wish I had my own bathroom. You’re so lucky.” She looks curious about the video games “Non violent is good. I actually play some games. You might find them silly. Although Fairy Realms has it’s stealthy moments….creatures you need to hide from or sneak up on….” She explains “What do you play?”
Patrick grins. “Never heard of Fairy Realms. You could teach me .. see if i like it.” he suggests. “I’m doing another play through of Detroit: Become Human. You might like that one. Very story driven. I also like Alien: Isolation, but that might be a little much for you. When it gets violent it gets really violent.” he pauses. “I don’t play a lot of multiplayer, unless it’s with Chris. But sometimes. It’s too competitive and I’m only used to being competitive with Chris.”
Sajani nods along looking like she’s encouraging the discourse. “I have heard of Detroit Become Human. There was an ad for it when I was looking for Life is Strange. It sounds interesting. Fairy Realms is like World of Warcraft if WOW was slightly more pixelated and adorable. I’m a fairy of course and Pixie’s a bee fairy. But you can choose other things. There’s elves, trolls even although they really are trolls usually. Pixie’s boy is a Gnome. We jokingly call him Gnomeo.” She says all of these things like it’s perfectly normal.
Patrick looks interested. “Pixie .. the chick from the grocery store, right? I didn't know she had a son.” he snorts. Here he thought the island was so small no secret could be kept. “Well if you ever want me to play how about you just make my avatar for me?” it could be a bonding experience.
Sajani laughs “Yes from Thriftys ...but the boy is a boyfriend, not her son. I don’t know if they call it that yet because it’s new. He asked her out...well kind of shouted it at her at that party I told you about. Almost reminded me of you…” She teases “ It’s Cory. It was his birthday party. He works at Thritys too when he’s not a gnome. I’m sure you’ve seen him, tall, awkward, glasses and acne.” Now she looks very thoughtful “Make you an avatar. Patrick you have no idea how dangerous your request is…..I could get lost for days in avatar creation. The accessories choices….alone. Do you want to be something close to fairy sized like mine is or do you want to be something bigger like an elf? I once saw an elf with a fairy friend peeking out of their satchel. I’m assuming they were a couple and it was a connected AO. It was very sweet though.”
Patrick winces at his mistake. “Oops. Well, I was shouting behind a closed and locked door. Very different.” He defends himself. Then Sajani begins to speak a foreign language he’s never heard before. Avatar creation? He lets her finish but then tells her. “The games I play don’t give me a choice of avatar….” he explains. “So … have fun with it, but if you want to connect our … AO’s you definitely can. I trust you completely. If it costs money I’ll pay you back.” he pauses. “Because I honestly wouldn’t know a fairy or an elf if I tripped over one. Legolas was as close as I’ve ever seen, and that elf annoyed me with all of his athletic moves yet not a hair out of place.” he snorts and runs his fingers through his own hair, complete with unruly cowlick.
Sajani smacks her hand on the table in solidarity “Oh my god...I know….he was so unrealistic. Pretty...but whatever so contrived. He didn't even get dirty. Not that I’m into that...but realism. I mean he was without a shower...or maybe elves use waterfalls? Regardless….same amount of time without bathing we can assume as Aragorn but they made Aragorn look positively gross. Continuity..” she slaps the hand again “Continuity.” Then she sighs “I have to warn you Fairy Realms is pretty silly...but it’s fun. I’ll happily play Detroit Become Human in exchange for your trying it. Don’t worry about cash. I’m good at racking up points so I can just transfer some to purchase anything. I’ve pretty much figured it out for free.”
Patrick chuckles. “Exactly! Continuity and .. really … some kind of middle ground?” he rolls his eyes. “I don’t mind silly…” he’s not sure if he does but he’s willing to try for her. “And I’d like that. Make all the decisions for me.” he winks at her. “And if you can do it for free, so much the better.” he smiles and glances at the kitchen clock. “Shit … I told Chris I would help him with a nice big dinner for Blaze and Noelle.” he shoves his wallet back in his jeans and stands. He takes several seconds to kiss her. “Thanks for everything … dinner and .. the avatar. See you tomorrow night, Sudara?” he heads for the door, stumbling into his shoes while she replies.
Sajani beams at him, kisses him back sweetly and laughs at his lateness habit. It doesn’t make her mad and she’s getting used to the ebb and flow of him “Yes to tomorrow night…” She calls after him “Have fun Patrick. Hi to Chris and Noelle.” She walks after him and locks the door and then collects all the dishes and sets them in and by the sink before bringing her laptop to the table, opening it and clicking on Fairy Realms homepage under create an account. She could use her email address and they could change it later for him in the account to his. “Avatar Name…..hmmm...well I won’t call it Patrick….” she chuckles. Then she thinks about Patrick calling her Sudara and grins as she types in Piara. She can’t get the right accents in there and skips on the spacing. But she figures he’ll either know it or look it up. Piara means Love.
No comments:
Post a Comment