Chapter 7
Vinyl never wanted this moment to end. The touch of Mac’s hard hand on her neck, his surprisingly soft lips, the heat from his breath erratically dancing down her cheeks, it was almost too much for her. She moaned happily into his mouth, melting into his embrace. Her return kiss was less experienced, her mouth not used to using those muscles. It wasn’t bad on her part, just... it was new. Sloppy, even. Macintosh didn’t seem to mind, as he breathed heavy through his nose and pulled Vinyl closer. The kiss broke all too soon in her opinion, but the look she met when they did break away put a strong beat to Vinyl’s heart. Mac’s emerald eyes sparkled in the moonlight, slightly glazed over from euphoria.
“...Wow” Mac mumbled, an elated grin on his face. The two tried to catch their breath, panting in time with each other. Both had a deep blush on their cheeks, which made Vinyl giggle a little. “Ah, eh, hehe.... Ah could get used to that.”
Vinyl smirked. “You better.” She leaned forward, kissing him again. “Cause it’s gonna happen a lot.” She grinned when her kiss drew a warm chuckle from Macintosh. “Now let’s get to bed, it’s like... 4 in the damn morning.”
“Craaaaap” Mac moaned, flopping into bed with a heavy *thud. The sheets poofed under him, his bed squeaking a little. “Tomorrow mornin’s gonna suck.”
“Sorry” Vinyl smiled sheepishly. “If I’d known it was this late...”
Mac turned his head from his covers, just enough to talk clearly. “Don’t ever apologize for keepin‘ me up, especially considerin’ what jus‘ happened.” He smiled, reaching up his left arm. He rested his hand on the small of Vinyl’s back. “Ah jus‘ realized that I got plenty-a work to do, is all.”
“But, tomorrow’s Hearth’s Warming Day... What do ya gotta work on?”
Mac laughed. “People gotta eat, don’t they? Ah didn’t get all mah cookin‘ done today. Spent most of it goofin’ around. Not that I’m complainin’... ” he added, seeing the look on Vinyl’s face.
“Alright. We should probably get to bed, then.” Vinyl laid next to Mac, wiggling her way under the sheets. She reached over, snatched her pillow off the now useless cot, and threw it under her head. “Ughhhh” Vinyl groaned, her back adjusting to the support of Mac’s bed. “And you made my lay on that cot, this thing feels like a cloud.”
“I need that support; I do have a rather large body.” Macintosh scooted off the bed, gathering a few pillows that fell off when he plopped onto it. “Well ya’ll just settled right in, didn’t ya?” He said with a sigh, getting under the sheets himself.
“Yep. It’s not like we haven’t done this before.” Vinyl felt herself get a little red at the thought of the night at the hotel.
“Ya do have a point there.” Mac wrapped his arms around Vinyl, resting his hands around Vinyl’s waist. She relaxed into him, falling into the curve of Mac’s torso. Snuggling into him, Vinyl heard Mac sharply inhale.
“What is it?” Vinyl turned to look at him, catching him gaze quickly. He was propped up on one elbow, looking down at her with a half-giddy, half ashamed expression.
Mac blushed. “...Ya did it again. That thing you did at the nightclub with yer...., um...”
“My what?” Vinyl asked innocently, though inside her mind she was grinning greedily.
“Yer... well, yer butt.” Vinyl couldn’t hold in her giggle with Mac stating it so plainly, combined with how embarrassed he was. “Oh, come on that ain’t fair!” Mac frowned, though his voice dispersed any feelings of displeasure. “It ain’t like Ah can do anything that easy to get ya back...” As he said this, Mac unwittingly slid his hands down Vinyl’s waist, his fingers dancing lightly across the space below her belly button.
Vinyl upper body froze up, her legs gently starting to squirm. Oh shit, he’s not... oh god, he is! He’s on the sweet spot... Vinyl’s mind raced as Mac unknowingly played with one of the more sensitive spots on her body. She didn’t know why, but her lower tummy was always very easy to stimulate. She felt as if her stomach was a piano, and right no Mac was Beethoven. Vinyl tried hard to contain herself, but unfortunately for her, a small, pleased whimper escaped her.
“...Or maybe Ah can.” Macintosh beamed devilishly, finally able to return the favor. He started to vary his attacks, aiming high and low, switching up which hands did what; all at the pleasure (and displeasure) of Vinyl.
Ahh! I can’t- Oh! Looks like then t-tables have t-turned! At least he h-hasn’t found the other... “One!” Vinyl squeaked when Mac discovered her other weak spot. The entire time Mac had been teased his new beau, he was leaning over her slightly, putting a strain on his neck. So, to relax himself, he laid down, his chin placed on Vinyl shoulder. Feeling daring, Mac began to kiss the lower part of Vinyl’s neck, where her collarbone connected. “M-Mac! Hold on!” Vinyl moaned. He stopped immediately, allowing her to turn over.
“ Ah’m sorry, Vinyl. Ah didn’t... Was that not-?”
“It’s.. *whew, It’s fine. Better than fine, actually. I just don’t think you should find all my spots in one night.”
Mac grinned, a bit prideful. “Okay.”
Vinyl pushed Mac down into the bed, lay herself beside him. “Let’s just try to rest a bit.” Mac’s nodded his agreement, bringing an easy smile to her face. She took his hands and pulled then up and across her chest. The security of his arms felt nice; it reminded her of when she was a kid, and her dad would tuck her in at night. I can’t believe it, she thought to herself, bemused. I’ve got a boyfriend... Vinyl felt like squeeing, and if not for her lack of sleep, she would have. It all happened so fast, it’s almost too good to believe. This better not be a god damn dream. If it is...
Vinyl took a deep breath, pushing her frustration’s away. “Goodnight, Mac” she whispered.
“G’night, sugarcube” Mac whispered.
She gripped Mac’s arm, squeezing him tight. ...if it is, I don’t ever wanna wake up.
“Mmmfff...” Everything felt fuzzy that morning. The pillow her head was on, the unfamiliar heat at her back, the... thing across her chest. What the hell... Vinyl slowly opened her eyes, weary from the night before. Looking down, she noticed a thick, muscled arm covered in golden red hair wrapped around her. She quickly looked over her shoulder and was greeted by Mac’s passed out visage. His hair was badly disheveled, with one eye ever so slightly opened, and a small string of drool was hanging from his mouth.
It was a disgusting sight, and Vinyl was overjoyed to see it.
“Hey... Mac, you awake?” she whispered.
“....”
“Mac, you up?” Vinyl grinned. I can call him babe now! “Hey? Mac?” Macintosh was throughly passed out. Vinyl slowly crept from the bed, careful not to awake her partner. She tip-toed into the adjoining bathroom, closing the door behind her. Looking in the mirror, Vinyl made a slight face. Her hair was quite messy, and her face looked drained and tired. “Nothing a shower won’t fix” she whispered to herself.
Vinyl quickly stripped and turned on the shower faucet. After testing the temperature with her hand and adjusting it, Vinyl stepped inside the shower-bathtub combo, sighing with delight from the heat. Steam rose heavily from her feet as Vinyl leaning against the wall, her head placed just under the shower head. A powerful yawn gripped her which nearly shook the shower door. “Jeez, I must be really tired” she muttered to no one.
Apple Bloom slowly opened her eyes, muttering something intelligible. She slowing climbed out of her bed and walked to the window. Her eyes snapped open, accompanied with a wide grin. She burst through the door to her room and into her brother’s, nearly tripping over the unused cot from the night before. “Mac! Git up!” she shouted.
“Uggghhh” her brother replied.
“C’mon, Big Mac! It’s Hearth Warmin‘s Day!” Apple Bloom proceeded to hoop on Mac’s bed. “Git yer lazy butt up an‘ ready!”
“Ah’m up, Ah’m up” Mac groaned. “Jus‘ lemme get dressed. Ah’ll meet ya down there.”
Apple Bloom scurried out of the room, leaving Mac to his own vices. He slid out of bed, landing on his side with a *thud. He pushed himself up off the floor, though clearly he was not actually awake. He stumbled around the room with less energy than a zombie, and just about the same amount of spatial reasoning. He eventfully made his way to the bathroom door.
He flung the door open and was greeted by a wall of hot steam. It billowed out in a steady cloud, the slight hint of apples behind it. The steam hit his shirt, dampening it along with his underwear. All of this went unnoticed by zombie Mac, who shuffled into the bathroom creating nary a sound. Vinyl quietly hummed to herself, scrubbing in a thick, apple-scented shampoo into her electric blue hair. She wasn’t sure what she was humming, probably some random song she’d heard in passing, but she hummed it none the less. Macintosh still didn’t notice it, even though she was humming rather loudly. Mac was one of those individuals who, without some sort of stimuli in the morning, would be completely oblivious if he was struck by a train.
Mac slowly removed his shirt, tossing it to the side on the floor. He did the same with his undergarments, and slowly climbed into the occupied shower.
For a second, neither Mac nor Vinyl noticed each other.
Apple Bloom sat uneasily in the Apple family living room, fidgeting in her pajamas. Like most young kids her age, Hearth Warming’s Day was her most favorite holiday of the year. And like most kids, she had gotten up early. Very, very early. She hadn’t gone straight to her brother’s room. Oh no, first, she had to run downstairs and look for her stocking. It hung in the same place it did every year; over the mantle of the fireplace, next to her sister’s, brother’s, granny’s, and of course, Winona’s. She sat on the couch, staring at it for about an hour, knowing it was untouchable until the rest of the family woke up. So eventually, Apple Bloom went about doing precisely that. By now, Applejack and Granny Smith had already awoken, and were beginning to make breakfast.
Suddenly, two loud screams and heavy crash broke the silence of the easy morning.
“AHHH! Mac, what the fuck!?”
“Ah’m sorry! Ah didn’t know ya’ll were in there, Ah swear!” Macintosh Apple stood with his back towards the shower, hands over his crotch and pelvis.
“How did you not hear me!?” Vinyl yelled, only her head poking out from the shower curtain.
“Ah don‘ know! Ah’m kinda outta it in the mornin’!”
Vinyl squinted at her boyfriend, trying to discern whether or not he was serious. She ran her eyes over his wide, hulking shoulders; down his fit back and to his butt. Which was covered by his hand, though she could see how sculpted it was anyhow. Vinyl lost her train of thought for a bit, until an idea popped into her head.
“Mac, you still need a shower?”
“Um, ya?”
Vinyl blushed, stepping away from the entrance to the tub. “...Get in.”
The breakfast table was full and attended this morning. A tall stack of blueberry pancakes sat dead center, a collection of syrup, jellies and jams surrounding it. A hefty plate of bacon and ham sat to the right, a plate of eggs to the left. Jugs of milk and, what else, apple juice were on the counter behind the family. Well, most of the family.
“Where’s Macintosh?” asked Granny through a forkful of eggs.
“He’s on his way” Apple Bloom said. “Jus‘ hope he don’t take to long.”
“Ya’ll know how slow Mac is. Ah wouldn’t hold yer breath” Applejack chuckled. Just as AJ laughed, Mac walked down the stairs, followed quickly by Vinyl. Mac took the open chair next to Applejack, Vinyl the one across from him. They quickly filled their plate in silence, a faint blush on both their cheeks.
“What took ya so long, hmm?” Granny Smith inquired.
“What? ....Ah, Ah was jus‘ tired, is all.” Mac said to his food, not able to look his grandmother in the eye. The table fell silent, the only sound being scraping silverware on their china plates.
“Oh, ...Ah see” replied Granny, who was nursing a small cup of coffee. The tension in the kitchen was palpable. Apple Bloom was having trouble stifling a laugh, but Applejack....
Applejack was glaring at Vinyl like she was on fire in a wooden church. Vinyl peeked up, trying to avoid AJ’s eyes. Anywhere Vinyl looked, the Apple sister’s seemed to follow, like an eerie old painting.
“So...” AJ stated, eyes pinned on Vinyl. “Ya’ll enjoy the cot?”
“Oh, yeah” Vinyl lied, trying to stray away from Applejack’s question. “It was fine.... hard, but fine.”
The edges of AJ’s lips turned up, a devilish smile streaked across her face. “Ah bet that ain’t the only thing that was hard...” she muttered.
Vinyl choked on her english muffin, sputtering her denies. “Heh, what!? AJ, that’s.... We didn’t...!”
“Applejack!” Macintosh grunted. “Ya’ll know better than that! That’s rude, especially at the table.” He brow-beat his sister with ease, extracting a quiet “sorry” from AJ.
The rest for breakfast went smoothly, though rather quiet. As Macintosh cleaned off the table, Applejack pulled Vinyl into the living room, alone. She sat her down on the couch, and took a stance across from her, just close enough so no one lingering in the other rooms could hear them.
“So...” AJ started.
“So.” Vinyl retorted.
“Ya know, when Ah called you over yesterday, Ah was hoping you’d come to bring Mac outta the dumps. But that wasn’t an invitation to fuck ‘em.”
Vinyl sputtered, throwing her hands up angrily. “We didn’t do anything! I swear, two people can’t hang out in this town without everyone assuming their banging!”
“So, you’re not together?”
Vinyl went to reply, but lost her voice. “Well, we um...aren’t not together...”
“Exactly” AJ smirked. “Now, it ain’t mah business to muddle in who mah brother shacks up with, and by all accounts ya’ll seem to be much better than that last one...” Applejack sneered at the thought of Flitter. “But he did just get done with her. Ah just what ya’ll to think about that.” She stood up and walked out, leaving Vinyl to ponder what AJ had said.
Maybe it’s too soon to be jumping into a relationship. He could still be reeling from what that bitch did to him...
AJ quickly leaned back into the room, only her head and hat peeking around the corner. “And next time, ya might wanna be quieter in tha shower. Could hear yer gigglin‘ down in the kitchen.” Vinyl blushed, thinking about their little venture that morning.
...And if Mac is, I’m gonna make him forget all about it. Vinyl grinned, returning to the kitchen where Macintosh was washing dishes. He wore his pink apron while slaving over his charges, scrubbing vigorously to try and peel off a stubborn piece of egg from the pan.
“Hey sexy...” she cooed, slinking behind him and slipping her arms around him and pressing her chest into his back.
“Hey” he chuckled warmly, continuing to work on the dishes. “So what’d mah sister say to ya? She was eyin’ ya all breakfast, figured it was pretty important.”
“Oh, it was nothing. Just girl talk, ya know...” Vinyl trailed off. She didn’t really know what to make of what AJ said. She knew Mac’s sister was just looking out for him, but it still hurt a little that she didn’t trust her. “So, you’re relatives are coming in today.”
“Eeyup. Headin’ in from all over.” Mac finished the egg-riddance pan, and moved on to the next one. Should be a good time.”
“How many to you expect?”
“Well, most of ‘em. Maybe all. It’s an old tradition, so unless disaster strikes, they come.”
“Wow” Vinyl said. “That’s pretty cool, actually. I wish my family did that. Although, I don’t know if I’d wanna hafta make all that food.”
“Hehe” Mac chuckled. “That does tend to take awhile. Plus, ya need space fer all those people, too. Luckily, we got a heater installed in the barn last year. Never been more comfortable in an oversized doghouse.”
“So, when does this thin start?” Vinyl asked.
An irritating rrrriinnggg echoed through the house, startling both Mac and Vinyl. “Well...” Mac began. “Ah’d say right about now.”
Vinyl sat on a somewhat soft bale of hay, nursing a mug of hard apple cider. Once the first of the Apple relatives showed up, the rest followed. Around 40 people occupied the barn now, many of them content with just chatting. A few danced near the back, where an open space had been cleared next to some empty stables. For a time, Sweet Apple Acres had housed a few horses. Nothing major, just a few riding horses and a pony, but that was years ago. Now, that space held an assortment of tills and planting tools. Long wooden tables ran the length of the barn, all of which were filled.
That day, Vinyl learned (amongst other things) that the Apple family did almost anything in packs. They arrived together, worked together, eat together. They seemed to accept her well enough, though she still felt like an outsider. Some of the younger cousins approached her, but not many. She met a man named Braeburn, who she quickly learned was one of Mac’s only male cousins. There did seem to be an extra amount of girls here, but it only dawned on Vinyl at that point. They only other person Scratch recognized was Rarity. Why she was here of all people, she could only guess. Though she was sitting suspiciously close to Applejack.
“Havin’ fun?” Mac asked as he strode over, breaking Vinyl away from her thoughts.
“Yeah” she muttered, staring at a particularly wet spot on the barn roof.
“Vinyl?”
“Yeah?”
Mac pushed himself onto the hay bale, sitting closely to his new beau. “What’s wrong? An’ don’t say nothin; Ah’ve lived with enough girls to know when sumthin’s up.”
Scratch sighed. “It’s just... I don’t really fit in here. Everyone’s really cool, and they’ve been nice, but I feel...”
“Outta place?” Mac asked.
Vinyl nodded. “It’s fine... I don’t mean to drag you away from the party. It’s not even a big deal-”
Macintosh cut her off with a quick kiss. He pulled back with a small grin on his face. “Vinyl, Ah think Ah got a way to fix this. But ya gotta trust me, okay?”
“Um, sure?”
“Okay!” Mac hopped off his seat next to Vinyl. “Follow me.”
“Uhhh...” Before Vinyl could collect her thoughts, Mac had already grabbed her wrist and dragged her outside. The two trudged through the snow, which was considerably high from the night before. At least the wind died down, Scratch thought as she hastily followed Mac into the white abyss. Finally, they arrived at the musical shed Macintosh’s mother had built. “Ya know, we need a name for this place..” She thought out loud.
“Oh yeah?”
“How ‘bout...” Scratch muttered, “Sweet Apple Sounds?”
Mac chuckled. “...Ah like it. Oh, here it is!” He climbed behind a large blanket which was draped over what appeared to be a drum-set. “Okay, now Vinyl, Ah need yet to close yer eyes.”
“Mac, what did-?”
“C’mon, Vinyl. Close ‘em.”
“Fiiine.” Vinyl stood still, eyes shut as Mac did something in front of her. She could hear the sliding of fabric over something, and the slight shuffling of Macintosh’s steps. “Come one dude, what’s going on?”
“Almost ready” chirped Mac, who slid behind Vinyl quietly. “Go ahead, take it off.”
Vinyl slid her blindfold off, only to blink in surprise at what lay before her. Two three-foot speakers stood on the outside of a black table. This table held a brand new mixing board, a long white signal processor, two shiny direct drive turntables on either side, and a remix deck. “...Dude” Vinyl slowly walked towards the gear, and slow smile spread across her face. “Mac...”
“Ah thought you’d like it.”
The DJ turned to face her rural boyfriend. “This must’ve cost a fortune!”
“Nah, we still got a few old music connections mah Ma used. And besides...” Macintosh strolled forward, wrapped his arms around Scratch’s waist. “That wouldn’ta mattered. It’s Hearth’s Warming, and Ah figured you could use some new equipment. That stuff ya’ll got back home is alright, but...” The farmer’s rambling was cut short by a quick, but passionate kiss. He stood, startled by the suddenness or her embrace, though he wised up quickly enough. Mac returned the kiss, running his hand through Vinyl silky blue hair. The two parted slowly, Vinyl gently pulling on Mac’s bottom lip with her teeth. “C’mon,” the farmer smiled, “we got a few heads to turn.”
Within the hour, everything was discreetly set up. Macintosh had roped his cousin Braeburn into helping them, along with Braeburn’s girlfriend. Vinyl hadn’t caught her name, but she was easily recognizable among the Apples; she was the only Native Appleloosian among them. Around the makeshift dance floor in the back of the barn, an elevated table was constructed, Vinyl’s new speakers wee stealthily hidden within a hay bale, and another in the loft above them. On the table, Vinyl had all of her new instruments laid out in front of her, wildly grinning. She placed an album upon the left turntables, slowly turning up the volume. Vinyl gave it a harsh scratch, causing most of the room to recoil in pain.
“Sorry!” she called out over the audience. “So, whadda ya say we get this party started?” Vinyl grinned, arms crossed.
The room was silent.
“Okay...” she muttered. “Well, it’s gonna anyways, so...” Vinyl fumbled around on the mixer until her levels were just right. Records began to spin, and the dance floor started moving, too. As the beat of the music started to fill the dance floor, knees bent, heads thrashed, and the people started bustin’ moves like no one’s business. Vinyl even saw Mac’s grandma get up to dance, even if it was only with her walker.
“Ah told you they’d get off their asses. The Apples can’t resist a good song” Mac winked, grabbing Scratch’s attention. “Ya wanna dance?” he asked, wiggling his eyebrows goofily.
Vinyl giggled, looping her arm around Mac’s. “But, of course.” The two scooted onto the dance floor, which was filled with Apples by now. The music blared, thumping through the chests of the dancers, Macintosh and Vinyl included. “Hey...” Vinyl said into Mac’s ear. “Remember the last time we were like this?”
Macintosh chuckled. “Ya think Ah could forget somethin’ like that? Vinyl blushed, putting her arms around Mac’s neck, pulling herself closer.
“Heheh, your pretty smooth, ya know that?” Vinyl said.
“Ah try.”
The music started to slow, show Vinyl had to quickly run to the booth and throw on another track. “Sorry” she said sheepishly, scooting back into place. “Yo Mac” she said, giggling and nodding over Mac’s shoulder. “Check that out...”
Mac turned, curious as to what Vinyl was watching. His face started to flush as Macintosh saw his sister Applejack, dancing rather sensually... with Rarity. The two were very close together, somewhat resembling a tango. AJ’s hands were slowly making there way down...
“Whoa!” Macintosh turned away, red-faced. “Ah, um... jeez. Didn’t expect ta see that.”
“Oh?” Vinyl laughed. “Is someone ...*gasp embarrassed?”
Mac stole a quick kiss, grinning. “Shut up.”
With the moon high in the sky, and most of the Apple family asleep, Vinyl leaned against the edge of a table, waiting. With the party officially over, the hosts were given time to clean up, though most of that duty, like many of the duties on the farm, fell to Mac. The floor was littered with bits of homemade food, discarded utensils, and many an empty cup. The Apples had kept Vinyl pretty busy for the rest of the night, asking for song after song until even Applebloom was out of energy. “Hey Mac, you almost done over there?”
“Ah’d be done sooner if someone was helpin‘ me...” Macintosh grumbled, sliding some paper plates in a quickly-filling garbage bag.
“Hey, I helped! See?” Vinyl looked to her left, snatched up an empty red cup, and promptly threw it into the bag her boyfriend was holding. “And I made it look cool.”
Vinyl found it hard not to chuckled at the unamused look Mac gave her. “Oh come on! At least I didn’t miss.”
“Yeah, Ah guess.” Mac tied off the bag, tossing it to a can in the corner. “Besides, we’re done already.” Mac looked over to his DJ girlfriend. “You tired?”
“Immensely.”
Macintosh grinned. “Then let’s head in.”
Vinyl treaded ever so lightly across the wooden floor of the Apple home, taking care not to wake anyone. Holding her friend’s hand, she was led up the stair and back the the room she started this morning in: Macintosh Apple’s bedroom. Slowly, they crept up the stairs, slinking past Applejack’s bedroom like a pair of ninjas. Reaching their goal, Vinyl quietly opened the door to Mac’s room, with the Apple man himself closing it quietly. “Some day, huh?” he mumbled while sliding across the floor, throwing off his clothes and firmly crashing onto his mattress.
“Yeah...” Vinyl copied his motion, falling onto the bed and scooting her way up to it’s headboard. She slid off her pants and wrapped herself up in Mac’s sheets, creating a cocoon-like nest of warmth. “Quite the awesome party...”
“Ah’d say it’s been one o‘ the best in years...” Macintosh laid next to her on his back, inching her right arm around the small of her back. He felt the girl next to him inch closer to him, until her stomach was pressed against his right side. “And Ah think Ah know why, too...”
“Oh?” Vinyl giggled, draping her arm over Macintosh’s chest. “Thanks.”
“Ah mean it. This was great” Mac ran his hand up and down his girlfriend’s back, drawing little circles with his fingers.
Vinyl simply smiled, lying her head on Mac’s chest and running her hand over his stomach. It eventually ran into his scar. Touching it now, she could tell it was very old. Her fingertips traced the circular mark. “Mac?”
“Yeah?” he whispered.
“Um, I know it’s kind of a touchy subject, but...?”
Macintosh sighed. “Yer curious ‘bout the scar, ain’t ya?”
“Um... yeah” Vinyl squeaked. “Sorry, I just-”
“No” Mac said, sighing again. “It’s not yer fault. Ah just... It brings up some painful memories.” As he spoke, Mac’s voice grew softer and quieter, as if he was trying to vocally disappear. “It’s gotta do with mah pa... It just don’t wanna think about it, if that’s okay.”
Vinyl rubbed her head against Mac’s chest, looking up to his face. With the moonlight washed over his face, Macintosh was slightly frowning with sad, forgivable eyes. “It’s okay, Mac” she said smiling. “You don’t have to say anything...”
“Ah..” Mac started, looking back down to meet Vinyl. “Ah’ll tell ya soon, it’s just...”
“Mac, I know. Your dad, he’s...?” Vinyl looked down, solemnly.
“Yeah. ...A long time ago.”
“Mine too. Recently.”
“Ya, Ah... kinda figured. Yer mom still wears the ring.”
Vinyl Scratch tightly hugged her boyfriend. Vinyl knew why Mac and his sisters lived with his grandmother. She knew that he knew about her father. There was a mutual understanding that at some point, they’d need to talk about it. But tonight wasn’t going to be that night.
“Mackie?”
“Yeah?”
“Goodnight.” Vinyl scooted as close as she could, savoring the heat radiating from her newfound romance.
“G’Night, sugar” Mac breathed, kissing her on the forehead. “See ya in the mornin’.”
Vinyl laid there, letting her muscles relax into the bed, and the man, around her. And only one thing ran through her mind.
He may have gotten me kickass DJ gear, but this was the best gift I could’ve gotten.