Page 113 of Tito

Reggie

Lunchtime and after work traffic into the store were always steady, but mid-afternoons were never a busy time. Consequently, Mel came typically came by on her rotating day off. It was her way of curing boredom. Gathered around the island in the center of the store where the cash registers were located, we were discussing the incident.

“It was funny,” Raymond said. “Until it wasn’t.”

“When did it go downhill?” Mel asked.

“When I admitted to telling Taddeo what really happened.”

“Why didn’t you keep your mouth shut and just ride it out?”

“Because he can’t keep a secret,” I interjected. “At all. He didn’t keep mine, and he didn’t keep Tito’s. He’ a blabbermouth.”

Raymond gave me a flippant look. “Could you be any more juvenile?” He looked at Mel. “I’m not a blabbermouth. I just like making people happy. Telling people secrets always makes them feel special.” He glanced in my direction. “Unless your name is Reggie.”

“I think it’s funny that you burst in the dressing room to tell her,” Mel said.

“Oh. Let me tell you. My curiosity was eating away at me like a lion on a fallen gazelle.” He put his hands against his hips. “According to Reggie, Taddeo’s cock is perfect. I’ve seen my share of cocks, none of which have been perfect. So, I thought I’d get a glimpse of it.”

“Well?”

“It wasn’t hard.” He wrinkled his nose. “It was just, you know, in a post-blowjob state.”

She raised her brows. “And?”

“It’s really pretty,” he replied. “I don’t know if I’d call it perfect, but it’s definitely pretty.”

Mel laughed. “Pretty?”

Raymond glanced at a well-dressed man who was passing by. “It was.”

Mel diverted her attention from Raymond to me. “Do you think you guys will get married? One of these days?”

Her question took me by surprise. I’d never once thought of marrying Jared, nor had I considered marrying any of my other previous boyfriends. Marrying Tito, however, was something I dreamed about, constantly.

He was special, there was no denying it.

When we kissed, the world around me shrank to a size that included only the two of us. Our love for one another allowed us to remain suspended in that altered state throughout our embrace. There was no passage of time or worldly concerns. Only two people consumed by the magic only true love can bring.

I smiled. “I hope so.”

“I think it’s cool that he just appeared one day.”

“He didn’t just appear,” Raymond insisted. “I introduced them to one another.”

I gave him a look. “You did not.”

“Believe what you will,” he said. “But I could have sent him on his way. I thought you two would be good together.”

“He asked to speak to the manager.” I arched an eyebrow. “I’m the manager.”

He gave me a dismissive look. “Do you have any idea of how many people come in here asking for the manager? Normally, I just send them away?”

“Are you serious?”

“As serious as a zit on date night.”

“Why would you do that?” I asked.