She was loud, no doubt for the benefit of the many many neighbors not so discreetly watching all around.
So how could that be the rumor you ask? How could have spread in only half an hour.
Well, nothing ever happens in the sleepy little town, so when something does happen, everyone wants in on it.
Fuck, I can even see where it started, Jee and I were being a lot more friendly than anyone could have expected, I guess true friendship can survive decades of no contact, who knew? I didn't. It was a nice surprise though.
"Hey CC, it's nice to see you too" I walk to her and give her a hug, rolling pin pinned between us "and you look great too! Although I feel like some hair rollers would complete your assemble"
She gasps "I should have thought of that" she slaps her forehead "and a broom!! Can you imagine? Hair rollers up top, rolling pin in one hand, broom in the other, I'd be the saintess patron of cheated house wifes!"
We are all just laughing, the neighbors are trying to get closer, and that just cracks me up even harder.
"Please tell me you have hair rollers, I need a picture of that" I really really do.
Her eyes are sparkling "we could make estampitas!"
"Jee should definitely keep one in is wallet"
"Hurry up" she yells while running inside "we'll have the photoshoot before dinner"
Oh dear old Cathy, we used to get in so much trouble in high school. I guess that was the reason that Jee and I never reconnected back then, he jelly.
So I start walking to the house when I notice Fel looking kind of lost. "Close your mouth dear" I grab his hand and drag him to the house "I should have warned you, she can be a lot".
"I think I lover her" he jokes, and I get like really jealous for like one second, that's not a red flag hopefully, and laugh.
When we get inside "oh. Where are my manners" she gives Fel a hug and the two star chatting like a hundred words per second, so I can't butt in with the perfect joke she left hanging, so I'm gonna tell it to you "I didn't know you had any" see? I am hilarious, like and subscribe. Wink wink.
Fel is taking the pictures in the kitchen because of sexism, while I'm photoshoping a template for the estampitas, a cloud here a halo there, and done, she looks like a motherfucking saintess.
And while doing all of that. She talked about everything and anything, except about why I left, she didn't even hints at the subject. My girl has grown, and I'm not sure how I feel about that.
Although, now that I'm thinking about it, she must have known I was way more into the Ds than she was, but she never even mentioned it.
So when we're talking about how she used to run the gossip wheel, I have to ask "did you knew about me back then?"
She looks at me like I'm some kind of dumbass. "Well duh, but I wasn't gonna gossip about your little love triangle" she dead pan me.
"Maybe you should have... What triangle??"
I'm flabbergasted, FLABBERGASTED I TELLS YA!!
"Mhmm well you know..." Why is she... What? What???
"Nope, I don't know"
"You don't? But I used to ask you about it all the time" she turns to Fel "just to see if he was alright with it, not for the gossip you know?"
And I'm just staring mouth open, wrecking my brain to figure out what da fucking hells she's talking about.
She notices "you know... The three stooges?"
That's what she used to call Curly, Q and me.
Oh fuck "oh fuck"
"You really didn't know??" Is it ironic that she is telling me this while cosplaying as that saintess patron of the cheated ones? Yep. But it's also incredible funny. I'm laughing so hard that I'm sitting on the floor.
"Hey sweetie" Fel is whispering like I'm some kind of crazy person, ok I'll give you that "why don't you fill me in on the joke?"
God! He is so pretty, his peacock eye shadow really does it for me.
"Apparently Quentin was two timing me with Curly" and that makes so much sense "fuck, how did I not saw that, it seems so fuckin obvious now" Q was never one for subtlety.
CC gasped "I'm so sorry, I thought you were the one two timing them"
"What? No!! Why???"
And she leans in, this is what she lives for "because ..." Dramatic pause, eyes wide open "the moment you left, they stop talking to each other, it was like they were mortal enemies or something, instant nemesis" she sits back against the counter "so you and Curly never... You know..."
"What? no!! I didn't even knew he was into the Ds!!"
"Oh he is!! He definitely is" she claps like an exited eight years old "he is living in the city with a gorgeous hunk of a husband, that kinda looks like you actually" she wiggle her eyebrows, how dare she!!
Let's not think too much about that other thing she said.
"Interesting..." Fel is getting jelly!!! "Do I have to be worried about this stooge guy??" Oh that sexy eyebrow is at it again.
"You should only be worried about me" I tell him while I pull him in my lap, "you're so cute when you're jelly" and I'm peppering his face with nosy wet kisses.
"Mom... Are you having a threesome in the kitchen?"
"Watch your mouth young man!" Wow she is scary saintess now "if any thing I'm having a voyeuristic show or something like that" she looks at us and shrugs "what? Specificity matters"
"Whatever..." another kid shows up "so who's the one banging dad?" They look at us.
They turn around and walk to the living room "I hope is the cute one, seems like a cool step dad"
"Agh you just wanna borrow his make up"
And they're gone. We turn to look at CC. She shrugs "so those are my boys"
"No shit" of course, yeah they are definitely her doing. JJ is a fifteen years old serious looking guy, he kind of looks like CC when she tries to hide her mischief, and JC is a thirteen mini Jee, but all cute and sweet. Jee was never cute. Never ever.
"apples and trees, you know the deal" she stands up "kids!! Set the table for dinner! Your new step daddies are joining us!"
"Do not call me daddy ever again" I screech at her
"I second that motion" we are not the daddy kind of guy. Uncle... Maybe.
We go to the dinning room to help, and the kids start chatting a thousand miles per hour. It's fun. They are so much like their parents. Is it weird that I'm kind of proud of my friends? It feels a little weird.
We are already sitting, when the front door opens "boys!! Daddy's home"
"Hi daddy!!" I yell back.
"Oh so he's the one" says JJ, the oldest.
"Daaaaad!!" that's JC, he's fake whinnying it "is Jay gonna be our new step daddy?? Can't you just pick Fel instead"
"You just want him to teach you makeuping"
"Don't worry sweety" Fel is patting JC "uncle Felt will teach you makeup, right after he cuts his cheating boyfriend balls off"