Chace kept grinning but he did it with his body shaking on top of mine so I knew inside he was laughing.
“This isn’t funny, Chace,” I told him something he had to know way more than me.
“It wasn’t, not for thirty-five years, it definitely wasn’t. Then, two minutes ago, it became f**kin’ hilarious.”
I sucked in an annoyed breath.
Chace kept grinning.
I sucked in another annoyed breath.
Chace asked, “T-65 X-wing Starfighter?”
“The combat spaceship of the Rebel Alliance,” I snapped.
“T-65 X-wing Starfighter?” Chace repeated.
“Have you seen Star Wars?” I asked.
“Yes,” he answered.
“More than once?” I pushed.
“Yeah,” he said, still grinning.
“Then, if you have, you know about the X-wing Fighter. Everyone knows about the X-wing Fighter seeing as it, Luke and The Force destroyed the Death Star.”
“Yeah, baby, I know about the X-wing Fighter. I just had no f**kin’ clue it was called the T-65 X-wing Starfighter.”
“It’s not classified information, Chace. You can read all about it on Wookieepedia.”
His body started shaking again, as did his voice when he asked, “Wookieepedia?”
“Stop making fun at me when I’m pissed,” I snapped.
“Wookieepedia?” Chace repeated, his body now rocking, taking mine and the bed with it.
“Stop making fun of me!” I yelled, slapping his arm.
Suddenly his hands framed my face, his body, my body and the bed ceased rocking and he had my full attention mostly because he was all I could see.
“I just laughed about my Dad for the first time since I was sixteen and Deck and I talked trash about him in Deck’s basement, gettin’ drunk and Deck givin’ me space to let off steam. Now, and probably forever, if the occasion arises, I’ll look at my Dad and see Darth Vader and wanna laugh my ass off rather than wantin’ to rip his head off, somethin’ I thought would be impossible. Until now. Now, after six f**kin’ years of feelin’ buried under shit, I see it through your eyes and finally feel clean. For the first time in six years, I feel free. I feel relief. I’m relieved to let that shit go. I’m relieved to know you got the strength to take it. I’m relieved to know you can be with my Mom and make her at ease. I’m f**kin’ beside myself you’re in love with me. I’m pleased you know you get that back from me. What I’m not, baby, is makin’ fun of you.”
Oh yeah, I broke through.
“Okay,” I whispered, my arms sliding around him
“And I never would,” he went on.
“Okay,” I whispered, my arms locking tight.
“You’re cute and you make me laugh and honest to Christ, lookin’ back, except with Deck, I don’t remember doin’ it and feelin’ it comin’ from me free and clean all my f**kin’ life.”
Oh man. Seriously. I broke through.
“Okay,” I whispered, tears again stinging my eyes.
“So let me enjoy laughter without slappin’ my arm and gettin’ all pissy when that laughter finally feels real.”