Dirty Secrets

Part 40

RAP. RAP. RAP. "Anybody home?"

The familiar voice resuscitated her. Eagerly, Lyla opened the door and found Richie in all his resplendent glory: a pale blue button-up and chino's, clenching a fresh bouquet in his manicured fingers. Another well-dressed guy with an undercut and a neatly-trimmed stubble-beard stood on the porch steps.

"Ola." Richie grinned, presenting the bouquet. A broad smile bunched her cheeks. 

"Word is our girl, Darcy, won't be back in circulation until Monday," he said. "So, she asked me to deliver these. From both of us."

"Awwww." Lyla tucked a strand of hair behind her ear and accepted the fresh-cut flowers wrapped in pastel tissue paper.

"Darcy's errand boy, that's me. Flowers and Starbie's delivery 24/7." Then to Ash, "How many Starbuck's runs have we made for Darcy girl?"

"A conservative estimate would be four, maybe five."

She chuckled. "You wanna come in?" Lyla stepped away from the doorway. The guys followed her inside, the subtle fragrance of their colognes brushing her nostrils.

She unwrapped a colorful assortment of tulips, gerbera daisies, and yellow lilies.  "What did I do to deserve these?"

"We just wanted to say welcome home."

"So sweet. Thanks."

"Don't want to get all emosh, but we missed you."

"I missed you guys, too."

"Darcy would literally be having a teargasm if she were here right now."

"She's still sick?"

"I'm no doctor... yet... but my diagnosis is F-O-B-E. Fear Of Biochem Exam. If the exam wasn't tomorrow, she'd totally be back at school."

"Wouldn't that be FOBCE?" his friend inquired.

"Lyla, this is Ash. This one could be Ryan Reynolds' baby brother, am I right?"

"Stop it." Ash blushed.

She could definitely see the resemblance between Richie's handsome friend and the celebrity. She led them into the kitchen. "I gotta find a vase or a-- I know." She placed the bouquet on the sink, opened the cabinet, then pointed to the top shelf. "Can you get that pitcher for me?"

"You're taller," Richie said to Ash. "Help the lady."

"At your service, Your Grace." Ash bowed, then stood on the tip-toes of his suede ankle boots, snatched the pitcher from the shelf, and handed it to Lyla.

"Thanks." She filled it in the sink.

"Not cold water, never mind," Richie sighed.

"Huh?"

"Nothing."

"What?" she asked.

"I didn't mean to make that face out loud."

"All this about cold water?"

"No, we've moved past water temperature."

She turned, arms crossed. "What?"

Richie rubbed his nose and grimaced. "Open a window. It smells like a bag of sweaty cats had kittens in here."

Lyla sniffed the shoulder of her t-shirt. "I think it's me."

"Someone's given up." Richie gave her a disapproving look.

"Well, ouch."

"I'm tuned into the no-hair-wash vibe but I think you may have pushed that head past its expiration date."

Ash laughed. "You're so bad."

Lyla was well aware that when Richie got on a roll, he piled on, especially when performing before an audience. 

"Your dad lets you out of the house looking like that?" He raised his manicured eyebrows in dismay.

"It's laundry day and I was legit gonna wash my hair before school tomorrow."

"Don't make me call the Health Department."

He'd pushed too far and Lyla needed to end it. Now. So she amped up the sass.

"Just because I'm on medication, doesn't mean I don't have feelings." Then to Ash, "Didn't he tell you?" She waved her hands in the air for emphasis. "I'm Richie's insane totally ca-razy friend." She stuck out her tongue and crossed her eyes. "AAAAGGGHHHHH!" She cackled, running in little circles.

Her humor fell flat but she'd achieved her goal. Richie's lips had stopped moving. Ash turned to him with an uncomfortable let's-get-the-f-out-of-here expression on his handsome face.

"Why'd you have to make things weird?" Richie said, hands on hips.

"Just a joke."

"A joke?"

"Okay. A really bad joke. I'm out of practice."

"Listen. I have multiple family members way crazier than you." Richie approached and gently slipped his arms around her. her. "You took a little time out, that's all. Now you're back in the game, girl."

She nodded. "It's just that--"

"Shhhhh." He interrupted. "An adult is speaking." He pulled her closer and whispered, "Don't you dare scare this one away."

"Sorry."

"Well," said Richie on his way to the front door. "Don't let me - us - keep you from your extensive list of personal hygiene tasks. Start by doing something about that smell."

"Thanks again for the flowers." She gave a little wave. "You're sweet."

"Don't forget to exfoliate. Unclog those pores." He blew her a kiss then he and Ash exited.

She went to the pitcher, leaned closer and sniffed the flowers. "So pretty," she said then texted Darcy.

Lyla: Thx for the flowers 🥰

Darcy: YW. Miss you.

Lyla: Miss U 2.

Darcy: Maybe do something on the wknd?

Lyla grinned and texted: Thought U were sick?

Darcy: Be better by Sat 😎

Richie was right. F-O-B-E.