The Arcade
Chapter 29

Joe and Cosmo had only been home for a few minutes when Holly, her mother, and Rosemary pulled into the driveway. Cosmo saw the three of them through the living room window just as he was heading for the stairs.

“Dad, incoming!” He shouted toward the kitchen.

Joe trotted out to the living room just in time to see his wife casually strolling up the walkway with Holly and her mother toward the front door. They were talking and laughing, apparently in no hurry to get in the house.

“Okay,” Joe blurted, “go upstairs and get some toilet paper, then stick it up your nose! Then go to your room and lay down with your head – you know – tilted up or something!”

“Seriously, dad?” Cosmo deadpanned. “It’s not like we’re at DEFCOM 1, or anything.”

Before Joe could respond, Rosemary, Holly, and her mother Marti walked through the door.

“Hello Stinky!” said Rosemary, seeing Cosmo first. “And how’s your nose?”

“It’s – uh – it’s fine, mom. The nosebleed stopped not long after we got home.” Cosmo said. Seeing Holly, he smiled. “Hi, Holly. I’m glad you came over.”

Holly returned the smile. “Me too, Doofus – or can I call you ‘Stinky’ too?”

Cosmo felt his face heat up. “Doofus is just fine, thanks.” Seeing Holly’s mother, he said, “Hello Mrs. Miller. How are you?”

Marti Miller was a petite woman in her late thirties, with strawberry blonde hair and bright green eyes. She was always baking or sewing things for the sales and raffles that were frequently held at the church, and got along with just about everyone.

Her husband Mike loved her beyond measure, and she nearly drove Holly crazy with her doting. She always seemed to be smiling, which made the bridge of her nose wrinkle a bit, and when she was looking at you, it seemed that – no matter how tall you were – she was peering down at you with those emerald eyes, as if she were looking right into your heart.

“I’m fine, Cosmo, thank you. So Holly finally cornered you into asking her out, hmm?” Before Cosmo could say anything, Holly piped up. “Mom! I didn’t corner Doof-, I mean Cosmo into anything. He asked me out. Didn’t you, Cosmo?”

Cosmo looked at Marti and nodded his head, smiling.

Marti smiled, and her nose crinkled. “Oh you may have asked her out, sweetie, but she has been plotting after you since you were both twelve.” Cosmo looked at Holly, eyes wide with surprise. “Still,” she continued “I’m glad to see the two of you together. You’re a nice young man. You always have been.”

“We’re very proud of him,” beamed Rosemary “aren’t we, Joe?”

“Yup.” Joe agreed. “He’s a good kid with a good heart.”

At all of this praise, Cosmo found that a large lump had suddenly lodged itself squarely in his throat. He didn’t feel that he deserved it after what he had done – what he had to do, he kept telling himself – to Theo’s motorbike.

After a brief moment, he managed a weak “Thanks.” He hoped it came out as sounding more humble than penitent.

“Well,” Rosemary said brightly “let’s get into the kitchen and get some coffee and lunch going.”

“Good idea, honey.” Joe agreed. “I’m starving!”

“Oh, you’re always starving. C’mon. You can help.”

“As you wish, gorgeous!” Joe teased.

As Joe and Rosemary led the way toward the kitchen with Marti chuckling behind them, Holly took Cosmo’s hand and held him back.

“Is something bothering you?” She quietly asked.

“Huh? Nah, I’m okay. I’m just not used to being fussed over like that, and your mom…”

Holly rolled her eyes at the mention of her mom. “Yeah, I’m sorry about her. Sometimes the filter between her brain and her mouth doesn’t work. She means well, though.”

Cosmo gave her a sidelong look. “So, you’ve been gunning for me since you were twelve, huh?”

Now it was Holly’s turn to blush. “Only since the second day I saw you. You looked like you might be fun to beat up.”

“Bring it, blondie.” Cosmo said with a grin.

Holly gave him a light shove. “Doofus.”

Nudging her back, he said “Goofy.”

Taking Cosmo’s hand Holly said, “C’mon. I’m hungry.”

With a smile, Cosmo replied, “After you, goofy.”

They walked into the kitchen together to join their parents for lunch, and soon there was more laughter floating through the house, warming an otherwise chilly December afternoon.

Later that evening, after supper was finished and the kitchen tidied, Cosmo and his parents sat in the living room. Rosemary was working on a holiday-themed quilt, while Joe and Cosmo were discussing Christmas trees.

“I think we should get a tall one.” Cosmo said.

“Douglas Fir, or Balsam Fir?” Joe asked.

Cosmo looked at Rosemary. “I dunno – mom, what do you think?”

Without pausing, she replied, “I like the Balsam Firs. They just look more traditional to me. Besides, they grow all over the place here, so you and your dad could just go into the woods and cut one down.”

Cosmo and Joe looked at each other. Joe shrugged. “Sounds good to me.” He said.

Cosmo agreed. “I’m good with that.”

Without looking up, Rosemary asked, “Well now that that’s settled, when are you two going to go get it?”

“How’s Friday afternoon sound? We’ll go get it after I pick him up from school.” Joe replied. “We can have a tree-trimming party Saturday evening. We’ll have some friends over – it’ll be fun.”

Cosmo looked at his father. Seeing Cosmo from the corner of his eye, Joe turned to look at him, and nodded slightly. Understanding what Joe intended, Cosmo returned the nod with an almost imperceptible sigh.

Looking up from her quilt, Rosemary smiled. “I think that’s a wonderful idea! We can have cocoa and cookies, and you can brew up some of that wonderful hot apple cider of yours.” Still smiling, she went back to her quilt. “It’ll be so much fun…”

Cosmo looked back to Joe, and saw by the look on his face that his dad must be thinking the same thing he was: Until we let them in on our little secret…

“Yes it will, honey.” Joe replied. “Yes it will.”