Home > Sweet Love(6)

Sweet Love(6)
Author: Mia Kayla

During the last days when he had been sick, I remembered him looking up at me from the hospital bed and simply saying, “Draw me something, Charlie.” It was like him saying, Sing me something.

I pushed the memories back to where no one could touch them, where they couldn’t hurt me, where I didn’t have to think about them anymore.

My hand did what I always knew how to do—sketched. “This is what I’m talking about, guys. It’s all about the packaging, the feeling, the look.” I lightly tapped the pen against my chin, thinking.

“Maybe it’s the color. This brown is outdated. We need something neutral that would appeal to the older generations but also kids.” I sketched a rectangular box and then did little strokes inside of the box. “Let’s think of the name of an imaginary candy bar that we own.” I twisted the pen within my fingertips. “It can be … Chewy Caramel, and then in tiny lettering, we could have the signature Colby name.”

I drew horizontal lines inside of the box, my mind twisting with new ideas. “I think their Crunch Bar is the most popular …” I sketched little bite marks on the inside of the rectangle. “Funch,” I said without a second thought. “A fun approach to crunch. It could also mean, family with crunch.” I lifted my head and shrugged. “It’s a Funch bar.”

I placed the name on our imaginary chocolate.

Alyssa turned my sketchbook around, toward them, and shrugged. “That would work. That would actually work. You can always say, I’m gonna Funch you in the face with this Funch bar.”

Her statement caused Casey to laugh.

“What do we have here?” Casey flipped to the next page of my sketchbook, to a picture of the beach and some seagulls.

The beach was one of my favorite places to go. It reminded me of my youth, of family times. When I had been younger, during the weekends, we’d have a picnic in the sand and build sand castles.

I stared at the sketch for a long while, nostalgia hitting me directly in the chest.

“You, Charlie, have talent. Shit …” Casey flipped through each and every page, breaking me from my thoughts, and confidence filled my shoulders, forcing me to straighten. “I didn’t know you were an artist.”

I threw my beer back and smiled, my gaze dipping down to the table. “Thanks.”

There was nothing like getting validation through compliments about your craft, nothing like it on earth.

“Chin up. Take it like a woman. Say thanks and acknowledge that you’re good at what you do.” That was what my father always told me because I had a hard time with taking compliments.

“Let me see what you have there.” Alyssa pulled the sketchpad away from Casey, and both of them leaned over my drawings, flipping through the pages—the abstract figures, one of a billboard I’d passed on the train, the Chicago skyline. The one they were currently gawking at was a naked figure … a male naked figure … a very attractive male naked figure.

“I think I will have to take up drawing really soon.” Alyssa’s sultry voice was tinged with amusement. She grabbed the base of the wineglass and took another sip. She smiled, assessing me. “You’re definitely in the wrong profession.” Her tone was matter-of-fact, as though she were saying the sky was blue and the grass was green or that this beer was wonderful.

I wished she could speak to my mother, who thought art was just a hobby and that my drawings were simply there to entertain myself.

I could hear her words loudly in my ears. “Pretty paintings are not gonna make you money, honey.”

I’d show her that Daddy was right. That I had a gift that needed to be shared with the world. That I could unveil my paintings and drawings, and people would actually buy them. I would definitely show her that other people enjoyed my creations. Sometimes, I believed that this exhibit I had planned was for her more than me.

I shook my head, not wanting to think of it that way. I wanted to showcase my talent. I was just sad that my father wouldn’t be here to see what I’d done.

Casey’s eyebrows furrowed. “Why are you a computer tech?” She stared at me as though I’d committed a crime.

I wanted to tell her I didn’t know. I wanted to tell her that, if anything, I hated my job, fixing computers. But I couldn’t. Not when my mother had paid my college debt and worked two jobs to do it. Not when my mother had told me computer science or engineering was the best thing I could do for my future. That, with those career paths, I’d never be without a job because someone would always want to hire me.

When I didn’t answer, Alyssa answered for me, “We all eventually end up where we are supposed to be without thinking about it. Do you think I dreamed of being a CPA at a candy manufacturer when I was younger? How about you, Casey? You work for quality and assurance because you love candy and you like to watch your employees eat it and taste it and stuff their faces with it, right?” She tilted her head and looked at her. Really looked at her.

Casey lifted her chin with pride. “Because I love this company. I believe in this company. And I wanted to do what my dad did, and I’d like to think I’m a good manager.”

“Well, well, well, what do we have here?” A guy with an arm tattoo and hazel eyes rested his elbows on our table, his beer in his hand.

Right behind him, strolling in, looking too handsome to stare at, was Connor.

“Hey, Pigtails,” Tattoo Guy said.

Casey scoffed and reeled back. She threw him, I swore to goodness, the dirtiest look that I’d ever seen her throw at anyone. Holy crap, one person who Casey didn’t like.

“Get away from me, Loser.” Her words burned like acid, but the guy didn’t flinch. “Anyway, who invited you here?”

Alyssa raised her hand. “Sorry.” But she didn’t sound sorry.

“I’m Kyle.” He extended his hand toward me in greeting.

“Charlie,” I said, introducing myself.

“Oh, I know.” He sported an all-knowing smirk, which had all of me curious.

I took his hand and gave it a little shake. Connor remained silent behind him. But his eyes were burning a hole on the side of my face, just simply watching me.

“Do you work for the company?” I asked.

“Nope. I’m just this jerk’s brother.” He tipped his chin toward Connor. “And I’m Casey’s special friend.”

Casey pinched his shoulder, and he yelped, rubbing at it.

“Hey!”

“Shut up.” Casey motioned between Connor and me. “And you have already met Connor.”

I waved at him from my seat.

Kyle tapped Casey’s shoulder with his pointer finger, purposely being annoying. “Scoot over, Pigtails. I want to sit down.”

“The hell you are,” Casey screeched. “Sit over there.” She pointed to the other end of the room. “There’s no room here.”

“But I want to sit by you, cutie.” He lowered his tone to an overly flirty voice, and Casey’s scowl deepened.

Alyssa and I shared an amused glance.

Alyssa moved over and forced Casey to move closer to her. “Kyle, sit down. Casey, you behave.”

I was by myself in the seat, and there was only one place where Connor could sit. But he stood there, watching me, like a statue, utterly still.

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