After what happened at work the weekend passed like it was nothing. Now it was Monday, 04:00 to be exact. I decided to move a large amount of clothes out of my room into the living room so I wouldn’t wake Luna up while she slept and cause a seen in the early morning among my fellow tenants. Pulling on my pants I went off for my run, knowing that Luna would more than likely still be asleep upon my return.
Two hours later I jogged up to my door and pulled the handle, still locked, good; she hadn’t woken up yet. That meant I could surprise her with waffles in bed. I made my way to the fridge grabbed what I needed and proceeded to make Luna’s breakfast, just the way she liked it. About five minutes later I was finally done and ready to surprise the night princess with her favorite morning meal.
I walked into the bedroom and there she was, still sleeping peacefully, as she always did. I decided to make it more interesting for myself, so I crept over to the curtains. Knowing that the sun would grace us with its presence in a few minutes, I pulled the curtains aside, showing the beauty that only a Missouri morning could offer. It wouldn’t be long now, I thought, not long until the sun would shine over the horizon, waking the woman in my bed.
The Sun’s rays struck the wall at first, but eventually they migrated lower and lower until the sun began to glisten on her long, beautiful hair. Initially Luna just groaned and tossed her head the other way, throwing the covers over her body. She obviously wasn’t a morning person, or pony for that matter (not sure why that came as a shock, she is the princess of the night). I waited a little bit longer, hoping I wouldn’t have to force the surprise on her, but it seemed that she really wasn’t giving me much of a choice. So I poked Luna on the side with the tray.
“Luna?” I said gingerly, “Luna its wake up time.”
“Five more minutes…” she said batting the tray away, “My sister does this all the time.”
“Well, if I wait five more minutes your food will get cold.” I replied, maybe that will wake her up. “I made you waffles.”
The second the ‘W’ word crossed my lips Luna sprang up like a puppy for a squeaky toy. “Really?!” she said excitedly.
“Why else would I tell you that?” I asked; my sarcasm thick enough to cut with a knife. “Now are you hungry or not?”
“Of course I am!” Luna said, jumping up and down in joy, which made it hard for me to focus on her face adamantly. “Deliver them to me at once!”
“Alright… alright…” I said handing her the try, “breakfast is served.”
Luna grabbed the tray with no hesitation, ready to devour her most beloved meal, but after a few seconds of looking around she saw something was missing. “Where’s the syrup?” she asked, almost in a pouting manner.
I’d forgotten the syrup; well I was bound to mess up something anyway. God himself knows it’s impossible to please a woman, that’s why he had Joseph take care of Mary when she was pregnant with Jesus. I went back to my kitchen to grab what she wanted, but then a dark thought passed through my mind. Luna had unexpectedly had a great deal of fun at my expense because of her nativity, now it was my turn to capitalize on that weakness.
I walked back into the room, a devious smile on my face, wielding the Luna’s coveted syrup. “Here it is…” I said, trying not to laugh. “I’ve got the syrup.”
“Wonderful!” Luna said happily, “may I have it please?”
“So…” I began, “YOU want MY syrup… on YOUR waffles?”
“Yes…” Luna answered with some confusion. “I want your syrup…”
“On your waffles?”
“Yes… on my waffles…”
“So…” I was literally fighting the urge to bust my gut at this point, but I somehow managed to keep it down. “You want MY syrup all over YOUR hot waffles?”
“Yes already!” Luna cried letting out an exasperated sigh, “Pour your syrup all over my waffles before they get cold!”
I couldn’t hold back anymore, what she said was just too perfect. I actually tripped over one of the chairs that Luna had moved and landed squarely on the ground. Ignoring the initial pain I continued to lose it, God I impress myself sometimes.
“Are you going to give me the syrup or not?!” Luna said frustrated, “I want it on my waffles NOW!”
I let out another explosion of laughter, this was just too golden, but I’m sure Luna would do something rash if I didn’t give her what she wanted soon. “Here…” I said trying to catch my breath, “Take as much of it as you want… I’m done… I’m done…”
I went into the living room, still tickled by my handiwork and planted my happy ass on the couch to start a day of doing absolutely nothing. I was only there for a few seconds before I heard a knock on my door.
“Who the hell could that be?” I said to myself. “Everybody should be at work…”
I walked over to the door and opened it, much to my horror I recognized the two people standing on the other side immediately.
“MOM?!” I exclaimed, “DAD?! What the h-“
“It’s so good to see you again baby!” my mom said wrapping me up tighter than a constrictor. She was about Luna’s height, but a few pounds more and I dare not say that.
“I’m just glad we actually ran into ya…” My dad added, “We thought you’d be working.” Jack Ryan (Tom Clancy would be so proud of my grandparents for that one), my size, about twenty pounds more, in other words, a man you don’t want to mess with.
“It’s good to see you guys too.” I said awkwardly, “But what made you come out and pay me a visit?”
“I can’t see my son when I feel like it?" My mom asked shocked. “Especially after I didn’t see you for all those years? And when you-“
“Your mother’s just worried about how you’ve been adjusting…” My dad interrupted, “We both know that you loved the corps, and when you had to leave we were worried that you wouldn’t really be able to accept ‘civilian’ life.”
“I’ve been doing fine dad.” I said reassuringly, “I’ve got a job, my car, this apartment-“
“A good girl?”
“Yes and a good… what?”
I turned around to see Luna groggily step out of my bedroom. Wearing one of my shirts and barefoot, she slugged over to the couch and plopped down. “Aedan…” she wined “Where’s the remote? I wish to play the ‘Skyrim’ you showed me yesterday.”
I started crying inside, really? Really God? What the hell have I done to deserve this much torture? However, my mom and dad, especially my dad, looked to the woman on my couch with approval.
“And who is this little gem?” My mom asked nearly startling Luna off the couch, “Oh, I’m so sorry dear… I didn’t mean to frighten you.”
“Good job son…” My dad said patting me on the back, “you managed to find one even better looking than the last one.”
“W-who are these people Aedan?” Luna asked staggering back to her feet. “Should I be acquainted with them?”
“You’re sleeping with her and you didn’t even mention your parents?” My dad said, much to my embarrassment. “Back in my day I’d had to meet your grandparents before I slept with your mother.”
“DAD!” I yelled, my face red, did he seriously just say what I thought he said.
“What?” He said, actually thinking he didn’t say anything wrong.
“Forgive my husband.” My mom said extending her hand, “My name is Caroline Ryan, I’m Aedan’s mother.”
Luna was slightly taken back by the revelation, but it didn’t take long for her to accept my mother’s hand. “Good morning Mrs. Ryan,” she began, “I am Luna Connelly, a close friend of your son’s.”
“Oh you don’t have to be like that dear,” My mother said waving her off, “I know what young love is like.”
“Mom…” I said with a sigh, “we’re NOT dating; she just needs a place to stay until she can get back home.”
“Of course son…” my dad said nudging my arm with a smile and a wink. “When’d you run into her?”
“Actually Mr. Ryan I ran into him.” Luna corrected, “In the park, slightly over a week ago.”
“Worked the ol’ Ryan charm that quick eh son?” My dad said approvingly, “My record was three weeks, on your mother.”
“Sometimes I really think you try to make me sick…” I said, allowing the smallest of dry heaves.
“Oh please, you don’t have any charm,” My mother said out of nowhere, “I just liked you for your looks.”
“Is this really happening?” I asked looking to the ceiling, “Why can’t you give me a break?”
“We’re just pushing your buttons son, no harm done.” My mom said with a smile.
“Yeah, we believe that she’s just a ‘friend’.” My dad said, at least now I was certain where I got my sarcasm from.
“So how’s life been out of the service?” My mom asked taking a seat on the couch. “You look like you’re doing fine… could stand to gain a few pounds though.”
“You said that about me while I was in mom…” I replied, “But I’ve been doing well, job pays nice, life’s generally goin’ good.”
“This place seems small for two people…” My dad said looking around. “You ever thought of getting a bigger place?”
“Like I’ve said, Luna’s just a guest here. She’ll be on her way soon.” I grunted.
“You could still get a bigger place,” he continued. “I’m sure your job pays you enough.”
“I don’t want another place,” I replied. “I like this one just fine.”
“That’s our son…” My mom said shaking her head, “Never really was the one for company, I’m amazed that your ‘friend’ is even staying here.”
“She needed help, so I’m helping.” I answered, was it really that hard to believe that?
“And there’s our son again…” My dad said, “Always helping the helpless…” he turned his attention to Luna. “Has he told you about Little Sara yet?”
“Little Sara?” Luna repeated confused.
“D-dad…” I stuttered, “Please don’t.”
“But it’s a good story.” My dad argued, “It was his freshman year, hell I don’t think he was fifteen yet… little girl runs up to him cause there’s no one to turn to he looks up sees a dog’s been chasein’ her, he grabs his pack and beats the dog away…”
I couldn’t believe it. My dad had just opened a can of worms the likes of which I’d never seen. Memories of Sara flooded my mind, form the point I saved her from that dog, helping her with her homework, the way she followed me everywhere, taking her to the movies, her adorable smile, her deep soulful blue eyes. A smile and eyes that you could get lost in, just like… just like Luna’s. My flashback was halted by the sound of my dad’s voice yet again echoing through my mind.
“Sara was like the little sister he never had, those two did everything together for years, hell she even convinced him to join the Marines…”
“She sounds like an amazing young girl.” Luna said with a smile, “Is there a chance I could ever meet this ‘Sara’?”
That’s when even my dad went silent and the apartment’s charm dropped straight down to the slums and Luna was the only one who didn’t know why.
“What’s wrong?” she asked us. “Was it something I said?”
“Sara died three years ago…” I answered, “While I was in Afghanistan, her mother set their house on fire… killing everyone inside…”
“Aedan’s blamed himself for it ever since…” My mom said the only way a mother could, “That’s why he decided to live out here instead of closer to home…”
I had to leave at that point; Sara’s death was heavy on my mind ever since it happened. Especially on account that I was supposed to be back home when it happened. I was going to take her to see ‘Despicable Me’ in theaters the day the fire happened; she even had it marked on her calendar. I promised her, then the next day we received word that we had to stay another three months. I still remember the last words I said to her… ‘See ya ‘round squirt’… Squirt… she hated being called that, but I did it anyway. All because I thought it was cute when she got mad. If I’d known that was the last time I’d ever talk to her… what would’ve I said then?
Before I knew it I was outside, right in front of my car. I reached in my pockets, of course you wouldn’t have your keys on you, I thought to myself, now you’re gonna have to face them again so you could drive for god knows how long to get Sara’s death off your mind. I turned around to head back up, only to see Luna standing in my way.
She looked sad, regretful even ashamed for letting me relive one of the two worst moments in my life. We were frozen for a few seconds, in some sort of grief stasis until I finally broke the silence.
“Are you going to get out of my way?” I asked, “Or are you-“
Without a single warning in the world she grabbed my face and jerked me to her level, pressing her lips tightly to mine. I initially wanted to jerk away, more or less out of surprise, but soon my moral code began to wail in my mind like a bomb shelter siren. RULE 76! RULE76! Constantly being repeated inside my head, but after a few seconds, I couldn’t hear it anymore, I tried to listen for it, but it just wasn’t there. It seemed to disappear nearly instantaneously after Luna kissed me. Wait was that coming out right? She… kissed… me? Oh for God’s sake, just kiss her back…
I felt Luna’s arms ensnaring my neck and I decided to stop thinking and just return the favor. Wrapping my arms around her waist I caressed her body, one hand staying around her lower back while the other migrated up her spine to cradle her head. I didn’t care about the fact that she was actually a pony, because she obviously didn’t care about the fact that I was a human, rule 76 was now null and void. I just wanted to kiss the girl kissing me.
I still have no idea how long we were like that, whether it be a minute or an hour. The only thing I remembered was the sound of my dad making a coughing noise to get our attention. We looked up to my parents, again, nodding and smiling in approval.
“Just a ‘friend’ huh?” My dad grunted, along with a hint of a chuckle.
The two of us quickly separated and dusted ourselves off, not sure why but we did, and looked to my parents with wide eyes. The amount of awkward tension was thick enough to cut through with a knife, at least for me and more than likely Luna. As it was to be expected, my parents broke the silence.
“It’s been very nice meeting you Luna.” My mom said walking to their car, but I think it’s time we head on out.
“See you around son…” My dad said walking up to me, “You be good to her…” he whispered in my ear, “Luna Ryan has a nice ring to it…”
Before I could respond my parents were in the car, ready for the long drive back to Kansas City. Leaving Luna and I in a state of confusion, bliss and an awkward silence.
“So…” Luna said rubbing her arm, “what do we do now?”
“How… how about we just go back inside…” I answered. “The way I see it we still have a week to figure it out…”