Page 51 of His Forever

“Whatever, chica. María-Luisa…” he started to say.

“Call me Mamá,” the older woman interjected. “If you are working here, you must call me Mamá.”

“Okay,Mamá, we’ve got everything cleaned up and the last load of laundry is in the dryer. I know you ladies are going out tonight, but I think we should grab some lunch so y’all can go rest for awhile.”

“Si, si. I think that is a good idea. Tamales?”

At that, the other women burst into laughter. Since their Chinese food debacle, they pretty much ate at the Mexican restaurant or the diner. When all agreed, they finished cleaning the stations and closed the salon and walked over to eat lunch.

***

After lunch, they headed their separate ways, with Marleigh letting her aunt and uncle, as well as Paulie and Gray, know that she would be at her house until it was time to go. Walking into her apartment, she saw the three cats on their perches with Duke sleeping near the one that Sheba was passed out on. Grabbing a bowl, she got them some wet food and started laughing when the older two jumped right down and followed her into the bathroom. Before she could help the kitten, she saw as Duke nudged her and then watched as the kitten jumped onto his back. Shaking her head at how the hound treated “his” kitten, she put the food down in the spare bathroom and then headed back into the living room.

“Marleigh? Do you want to go lay down for a while?” Zeus asked as he came into the apartment, having run down to his house for more of Duke’s food.

“Hmm? Yeah, that might not be a bad idea. You going home?” she asked.

“No. I don’t want to give up a chance to hold my girl while she sleeps,” he told her as he took her hand and led her into her bedroom.

Climbing onto the bed, she watched as he removed the stuff from his pockets before he joined her. When the animals started filing in, she began giggling. Nabisco and Sheba went into the bed on the floor with Duke while Harry stood there for a moment as if trying to decide what he wanted to do before he jumped up on the bed and made his way to her pillow. “Guess you’re my pillow, Zeus,” she said, a smile on her face.

“Not something I mind at all, mi siempre hermosa. What time do you need to wake up to get ready?”

“Hmm, maybe five? I want to take a quick bath because Chandra threatened me with death if I did anything to my hair.”

He set the alarm on his phone before he kissed her sweetly and then pulled her so she was laying with her head on his chest. Grabbing the throw at the end of the bed, he tossed it over the two of them and kissed her forehead before saying, “Then that’s when we will get up.”

***

Zeus’ alarm went off and she stretched before opening her eyes to see him staring at her. “Hey, you,” she said, her voice husky from sleep.

“Hey,” he said as he leaned down slightly to kiss her. “Looks like it’s time for us to get up so you can get ready to go out.”

“Yeah, I guess so,” she replied. “I mean, I’m looking forward to it, but I’m enjoying laying here with you as well.”

“I understand, mi siempre hermosa,” he told her as he helped her up. “I am headed to my house. I think Paulie said he and Gray were meeting you so who is driving?”

“I’m driving your mom, my aunt and me, but had high hopes of riding home with someone else,” she said.

“I will get you home, mi siempre hermosa, don’t worry and enjoy yourself, si?”

She turned from her inspection of outfits to smile at him. “How did I get so lucky?” she mused.

Walking over to her, he pulled her into his arms and kissed her thoroughly before saying, “I think we both got lucky, mi siempre hermosa. I’ll see you in a few hours.”

***

Dinner with the ladies was a noisy affair, and she was glad that the bar they were going to was nearby so they could walk. She hadn’t had this much fun in…well, she never really had and as soon as that thought hit, she decided she needed to share it with the group. “Ladies, thank you. I’ve never had so much fun!”

Chandra looked at her and grinned before saying, “Oh girl, you have no idea. We’re going to close this place down tonight!”

As they approached the bar, they saw Paulie and Gray waiting for them and waved. “Looks like they started without us,” Paulie said.

“Uh, no, we did not. Well, maybe a little bit, but we ate dinner so most will be absorbed,” Marleigh told him as the group went inside. They found a few tables and put them together before the waitress came over. When she did, she smiled at how they had rearranged the area for what they needed before she took their orders, promising to be back as quick as she could.

***

While the group laughed and drank and occasionally hit the dance floor, the couple watched. “Are you sure this is going to work?” the man asked.