Rhythm (11 page)

She nods and starts to smile. “Yeah. Then he
collapsed and had a fake epileptic seizure. We all got worried, but
the face of his pranksters were hilarious when they realized he’s
pranking them.” She laughs at the memory.

And the door opens. Just in time.

“Grant, dear. I’ve missed you.” My mom hugs
me then instantly turns to Rhy. “Why, hello there, pretty little
thing. You are such a lovely lady. You must be Rip?” She hugs her
tight as if she has known her for a long time. “Welcome to our
humble abode.”

“Rhythm.” Rhy’s introductory word is her
name.

“Pardon?” my mom asks.

“My name is Rhythm,” she explains shyly.

My mom looks at me in confusion. “But Grant
told us your name is Rip.”

I interrupt their
serious
conversation. “Mom, this is Rhythm Isabelle Pratte or Rip as I
fondly call her. She’s my girlfriend. Rip, this is my mom,
Samantha.”

“Wow, your name is cool. Rhythm . . . I like
it.” My mom nods in approval. “But I like Rip more, and by the way,
call me Sam or Mom if you’d prefer.” Mom giggles.

“Mom, you’re scaring her.” I give her a
warning stare.

Rhy laughs. “I like Sam, but I like Mom
more,” she giggles with my mom.

“Rip, is that you?” Dad bellows from the
kitchen. After a second or two, he’s walking towards us to join our
small talk. “I knew it was you.” He bear hugs Rip.

“Hello, Dad, I suppose?” Rhy greets my
dad.

Dad chuckles and tells me, “I love her,
Grant. She’s adorable,” and looks at Rhy once again. “Yup, you
better call me Dad, but in case you want to know, my name is
Walter.”

“Okay, guys. That’s a warm welcome there. In
fact, it’s a lot warmer than we expected, but I think I’ll help Rip
settle first. Good?”

Mom and Dad speak in unison. “Of course.”
They share a knowing look and smile.

“Welcome home, Rip. Feel at home okay?” Mom
tells Rhy.

“Thank you so much—” Rhy hesitates before
continuing, “—Mom and Dad, for welcoming me in your beautiful home.
It’s such a wonderful pleasure to be here.”

“The pleasure is all ours, Rip. Now, go.
We’ll eat in a while.”

“Let’s go.”

“Where?” she asks.

“To your room.” I lead her.

She gapes. “I have a room?”

“Well, technically it’s mine, but I’ll let
you sleep there, so it will be yours for a while. Unless . . . you
want us to share?” I chuckle at the astonishment on her face.

“No offense, but no, thank you.”

“Thought you’d say that.”

“How about you?”

“I’ll be with Isaac.”

She snaps as she remembers something.
“Where’s Isaac?”

I can tell that she can’t wait to see how
Isaac will welcome her. Is she even aware that I already won the
bet?

Well, Isaac’s response will seal the deal,
but I already know that of all the three—Mom, Dad, and Isaac—Isaac
is the most excited. He told me that finally, I already have a
girlfriend. He doesn’t know about Riley, so he thinks Rip’s my
first. I asked him if he knows what does it mean to have a
girlfriend, and his answer floored me.

“Yup. You finally got something Dad
has—someone like Mom. I like to have that one too . . . someday.
I’ll be just like you and Dad . . . I’ll have someone like Mom and
Rip—a best friend who is a girl.”

I didn’t know how to react when he said that.
All I know is that I will not ruin relationships . . . for Isaac. I
want him to appreciate how beautiful relationship is, how beautiful
family is.

Again, I’m thankful that it’s Rhy that I
brought home, not Riley. Riley might do something that might ruin
relationships for Isaac. I didn’t see her as that kind of girl
before, but after what Rhy told me about Ben, everything
changed.

Rhythm

“Earth calling Grant.” I wave my hands in
front of Grant’s face. “He-ll-ooohh. Wake up, sleepwalker.”

“Oh. Sorry. I was just thinking about
Riley.”

Right. He’s ruining the moment. I just met
his wonderful parents, now my dad and mom, and he’s thinking about
that beef?
Ugh. Can’t change the name now, it is stuck in my
head.
What in the universe?

“Shoot. Sorry. That came out wrong. I was
just being honest, but I’m not thinking about her the way you’re
thinking about how I’m thinking.” He catches for breath.

“That’s a lot of thinking, Grant. Just tell
me, why are you thinking about that beef?”

“About that
what?
”

“Beef. Don’t you change the topic.”

He couldn’t contain it, he laughs out loud.
When he’s done, composes himself. “I was thinking how thankful I am
that it’s you and not her that I brought home.”

“You sure are,” I mock him.

“No, really. That’s what I was thinking.”

“Fine, fine, fine. Where’s my room? I want to
rest for a while.”

“Babe, c’mon. I’m telling the truth. I
wouldn’t lie to you.”

I don’t respond and just continue to
walk.

“Rhy, please. Believe me. I’ve never been
more thankful to her than I am now. She never agreed to go home
with me, and I didn’t understand before why. Now, I know. It’s
because it is you who is meant to be the first in my life . . . in
my everything. She may have been some of my firsts, Rhy, but she’s
never been this close to my heart. I love you so much, Rhy, more
than I loved her.”

“Gotcha.” I laugh.

“Are you just messing with me?”

I nod.

“You’re gonna pay for this babe, just wait.”
He smirks. “I’m winning, you know.”

I go pale. I don’t need to be reminded
because fact is: It doesn’t leave my mind. If he wins, he’ll hold
my hand. HE’LL HOLD MY HAND! What shall I do? I’m not ready
yet.

I know you think I’m overreacting, but I tell
you, I am not. Holding hands is a monumental thing for me. I never
hold hands with anyone, except for Mama, Papa, and Lola—but with a
guy? Nope. I am still a virgin in that department, in the whole
physical department. So yes, overreacting—not.

He leads me to the attic. “Your room.”

“Wow! This is my dream room.” I tell him with
much excitement, which apparently appears counterfeit.

“Don’t fake it, Rip. I’ll understand.”

“I’m not faking it. This is really my dream
room.” I genuinely want to have a room in the attic, but Mama
wouldn’t cave in to my request until the time came she wouldn’t
cave in anything that concerns me.

I hurry towards the bed, and I jump in.
“Soft.”
Hmm. I want to be eaten by the bed.

I hear Grant chuckles. “I’ll let you rest for
a while. I’ll be back.”

I wave at him as I let the bed consume
me.

Grant

“Isaac.”

“Grant! Is Rip with you?” he asks in
excitement, peeking behind my back if Rhy’s with me.

“No. She’s in my room, resting.”

“Oh. Okay. Dad and Mom already met her?”

I nod.

“Was she scared?”

I laugh. “She was nervous, but they gave her
a pretty heartwarming welcome that she adjusted right away.”

“I can’t wait to meet her. She seems
nice.”

“Why do you say?”

He shrugs. “My instinct says so. I have good
instincts, you know.”

“Yeah, I know. And yes, she is nice.”

“Grant, honey?” Mom calls me.

“I’m here, Mom.”

“Where’s Rip? Are you fighting? What did you
do to her?” She looks extra worried than the situation
warrants.

“No, we’re not, Mom. I didn’t do anything to
her.”
Geez, she’s in a mom mode right now—with Rip
. “She’s
in my room, taking a rest.”

She releases her breath. “Oh, thank goodness.
Don’t you ever hurt her, Grant. I like her too much.”

I give a smothered laugh. Not even a day has
passed and my mother is already head over heels with Rhy. “I won’t,
Mom. Besides, I am so in love with Rip.”

She beams. “I know, and I know that she loves
you, too.”

“Hmm . . . Love is in the air,” Isaac
interrupts.

“Now, you two, go and get ready. Dinner will
be in few minutes. Grant, call Rip in 15.”

“Okay, Mom.” I smile at her then turn to
Isaac and continue our conversation about my beautiful Rip.

Rhythm

I wake up, startled. I catch Grant staring at
me. “Grant. You’ve got quite a pretty view there, huh?”

He speaks with a bob of his head. “Very
beautiful. You look like an angel.” He beams. “Dinner will be in a
few, get ready.”

“Okay. Wait me outside. I’ll be ready in
5.”

“Mmmkay, angel.”

I’m overwhelmed by how his parents welcomed
me. Their reaction both makes me happy and at the same time, worry
to death. I am happy that I can get to feel again how it’s like to
have parents. About the worry part . . . He’s definitely won the
bet even before I meet Isaac. It’s as if he has been talking with
them about me all of those two years that we’re together.

Hmm . . . maybe it’s okay to hold hands. It’s
totally harmless, right? Right?

I jump as Grant opens the door. “You’re
making me worry, Rip. I’ve been knocking, but you’re not answering.
Are you okay?”

“Yup.” I calm myself and say, “C’mon. I’m
starving.”

He lets out a deep breath. “There’s my Rip,
always a starving little monster.”

“What monster?” A boy, who definitely looks
like Grant—only younger—asks.

“Isaac, this is the starving little monster,
Rip. Rip, this is my brother, Isaac.”

“I didn’t know you’re this beautiful, Rip. I
thought Grant was kidding when he told me how he’s dying to be with
the most beautiful girl he has seen in his whole life,” he pauses
then looks at Grant. “You’re not kidding, Grant. You won.”

“Won?” I ask Isaac, bemused.

He nods. “We have a bet, and I lost, so he
won,” he says it matter-of-factly.

“Bet about what?” I ask him again.

“About how beautiful you are. I didn’t
believe him, but you are way beyond my expectation.”

I turn to speak with Grant. “Grant, tell me
you paid him. You bought him something, didn’t you? Where’s the
gotcha part? I’m so ready for it.”

Grant laughs and shakes his head, while Isaac
speaks, confused. “Why would he pay or buy me something? I don’t
get it.”

“No.
I
don’t get it.”

“Rip, he’s not kidding. We really have a
bet,” Grant reveals.

My mouth hangs wide. I couldn’t believe this.
Me? Beautiful? No freaking way.

“Grant, Isaac, Rip . . . What’s taking you so
long?” Walter shouts.

That make us move past ‘the bet’. We go to
the dining area hurriedly. Grant and Isaac greet their parents with
a kiss on the cheek and a hug. I do the same. We sit wordlessly
then start to eat.

“What were you talking about up there?” Sam
starts.

I am about to say, “Nothing,” when Isaac
recounts everything.

“Oh, Rip. You don’t believe you’re beautiful,
don’t you?” Sam says it with a sad smile.

I don’t answer.

“Well, you might not know it before, but you
know now. Besides, Grant wouldn’t like you in the first place if
you’re not.” Walter declares.

“I knew it. Grant only likes me because of my
killer looks,” I joke dryly.

They laugh.

“Well, for the record, only Grant has the
nerves to court me. He’s the only one who knows how beautiful I
am.”

He instantly answers in defense. “For the
record, I am not the only one who knows how beautiful you are.
There’s David, Seth, Park, Ian, and Ben among others.”

“Wait, wait, wait . . . What are you talking
about? You just drop names of some of our schoolmates. And Ben?” I
glare at him.

“Yes, Rip. Those names are some of the names
who have been dying to court you but couldn’t pass your
standards.”

What is he talking about? David? Seth? Park?
Ian? They are some of the school’s heartthrob, and it’s not a
secret that I am way below
their
standards.

“Your cousin Ben?” Walter asks Grant.

Grant answers a short, “Yup.”

“You know Ben?” Isaac asks.

I nod without speaking.

“Yes, he’s Rip’s neighbor in Michigan,” Grant
says in rescue.

“So, you’re from Michigan?” Isaac makes a
follow up question.

“Yes, then I went to South Carolina for
college,” I answer in advanced to shift the topic away from my
hometown.

Time flies by quickly because the next thing
I know, I’m with Mom washing the dishes. I see the beautiful ring
on her left ring finger—not her wedding ring—and I can’t help but
admire it.

“Mom, your ring is beautiful. It’s ruby,
isn’t it?”

“Yes, it is. This is Beatrice’s, Grant’s
grandmother, Walter’s mother. When Walter proposed that I marry
him, he gave me this.” She’s dreamy-eyed as she talks about her
husband. I love to have that kind of relationship with
Grant—already advanced in years but we still love each other as if
our relationship is new.

“Grant told me about you and Dad. Your love
story’s amazing.”

“You’ll have your own with Grant, and I know
that you’ll have a better story to tell.” She removes the ring and
hands it to me. “Here, try it.”

“No, thank you, Mom. It’s yours,” I decline
profusely, waving my hands.

“Just try it, Rip. We’ll just see if it fits
you. Go on,” she insists.

I accept it, even if I am unsure of what I’m
about to do.

“Wow! A perfect fit. Ruby looks great on
you,” Mom says with a sincere smile.

“Thank you, Mom.” I remove it and give it
back to her.

“Don’t tell Grant I ask you this.”

“Okay.”

“Have you two ever considered when to get
married? Right after college, maybe? Two years after?”

I shake my head incessantly. “Oh, Mom, we
haven’t talked about that. We’re just twenty, and our relationship
is relatively fresh. We’re taking things one step at a time.”