No Ordinary Love, Part 3, chapter 214
214
“Oh, come on, I want to play, too,” Sweetie whined.
“You will play, you’ll just be the judge,” Georgie pointed out but it didn’t erase frown on Sweetie’s face.
“I don’t think it’ll be fair, if you’d be one of the players,” Ana said to her and Nik nodded. “We’re amateurs and you’re not, so it’s not a fair game.”
“Oh, trust me it is,” I chuckled. “My lovely darling sucks with names and titles,” I said grinning and kissing Sweetie. “She can’t name a single song or artist or anything when asked out of blue.”
“Yeah, anything that one must learn by heart mom can’t for the love of her life,” Kai added and it intrigued Ana.
“But aren’t you supposed to be genius?” Ana asked. “I mean, I thought your brain is predisposed to store enormous amounts of information and do it with ease.”
“Yeah, but only those that make logical and practical sense to me,” Sweetie answered.
“Learning by heart is reproductive knowledge, people with idetic memory can easily remember for infinite periods of time anything they’d heard, seen or read and they don’t have to be highly intelligent,” Kai added and Sweetie agreed.
“But what makes is all fun is that usually high levels of intelligence are accompanied with certain disorders,” George further explained. “She’s actually lucky that among schizophrenia, paranoia, reading disorders whish are as considered serious disorders she has picked out one of the tinest disorders. She just can’t remember names, titles, dates unless she connects them to some coherent and logically reasonable unit within her previous knowledge.”
“Wow,” Ana chuckled. “Seriouslly?” she was very amused.
“Mhmm,” Sweetie nodded. “That’s why I give people nicknames all the time. Or why speak vaguely in situations when others just pinpoint titular data like that.”
“That must’ve been hard during school, huh?” Nik asked her.
“Sometimes, yeah,” she nodded. “But mostly my charm gets me through unnoticed,” she joked. “But I tend to view it in better light. Like I could’ve been born with lack of sense for sarcasm.”
“Now, that would suck big time,” Kai seriously confirmed.
“Or lack of sense for irony,” George added. “Though I still calim you’re paranoid in disguise and that schizophrenia is lurking somewhere up there.”
“And slowly showing every day,” I grinned seductively at her.
“So can I play?” Sweetie charmingly asked.
“Yeah, now you can,” Ana nodded with such honest relief that we all laughed.
We played “Guess who?”. One player imagines one artist, then gives out one clue at a time. If he gives five clues and no one names him he wins points. Also player who guesses the imagined person correctly gets points, too. The number of points depends on number of clues being given. The less clues the more points.
Somewhere amdist lively chat Kai and George told Nik how we used to play that game a lot while George lived with us. Nik liked the idea and wanted to give it a shot. Good thing is that he talked Ana and Ema into coming out of their room and join us.
Until the game started Ema was completely silent sitting between her mother Kai. But few rounds later she relaxed enough to join in. some time later she was totally into it, laughing at Sweetie’s charming poor attempts to make the right guess. It wouldn’t be so hard if the point of the game was to give clear clues. It was all about being vague, giving out strange little details that are usually unknown about artists. And that was fucking Sweetie up. Ten rounds later, she was still without any points or chance to be the one who gives clues. But she was enjoying it.
“Dead,” Kai gave his first clue.
“Great, that’s like tons of people,” George scoffed.
“Musician?” Ema asked and Kai nodded then raised his eyebrows at her in expectation.
“Was he very famous?” Nik asked.
“Kind of yeah,” Kai added.
“From Europe or America?” Ana asked.
“USA,” Kai returned.
“Jesus it’s again some weirdo,” Sweetie commented and Kai chuckled which gave it out for me.
“GG Allin,” I grinned and Kai high fived me.
“Oh, yeah,” he nodded. “Your turn.”
“Ok, babe I’m putting my hopes high for you on this one,” I teased Sweetheart and she chuckled.
“What? That I’ll be miles away again?” she joked. It was our thing. At some point of the game I’d deliberately start picking up her favourites hoping she’ll earn at least one point but it never happened. Someone would be quicker than her.
“Guitarist,” I said looking at her and she shrugged.
“Alive?” she asked like she doesn’t really see the point in asking anyway.
“Mhmm, very much alive,” I confirmed.
“Do I know him personally?” Kai eagerly asked. He loved stealing points from his mother.
“No,” I returned and it made him think hard.
“He plays solo or he’s in a band?” Ema asked. Apparently Ema had a solid knowledge on music. That’s probably thanks to Nik in good part.
“Band,” I returned. “He lived for a while with a girl named after fruit.”
“Oh, great,” Sweetie snorted.
“Slash?” Kai eagerly exclaimed.
“Yeah,” I confirmed and Kai noted down himself his 3 points. I pulled my lovely girl closer to me playfully comforting her and kissing her head.
“You know do a me favour and try people you like maybe I’ll have more luck,” she calmly said.
Next round was Kai’s and right after first clue I knew it was Charles Bukowski, but for the sake of fair game I kept my mouth shut. With Kai it was mostly easy if you knew him well as I do. The clues he was giving were so familiar to me because usually when he’d learned something interesting he’d come to share it with me. That was my secret. Of course, I’d never tell him he’s easy and let him have his fun. I was just making sure to keep myself in company of the first three players and that’s it.
It was fun playing a game with another family. While Kai and I picked on each other’s brains with George’s occasional interruptions, same thing was going on between Nik, Ana and Ema. The difference was that in my family, there wasn’t a surprise when someone guessed right. In their family the delight was more obvious. Ema was so plased if her mother or uncle would make the right guesses. I caught them watching one another with that silent unspoken admiration. It was like that during that little silly game they were realizing how actually they know each other pretty good, how there’s some invisible connection that bonds them and they weren’t aware of it.
Then George got his turn after a long time. I squinted my eyes as I noticed his self-content mischievous grin and something in me wished to get this one right in very short time.
“Beautiful,” George said and enjoyed the scoffs such clue earned him.
“That’s so stupid,” Kai commented. “Especially coming from you.”
“Why? That’s a fair clue,” George shrugged indifferently.
“Because it’s subjective opinion you arsehole,” Kai added and everybody laughed.
“There’s no rule that says clues have to be objective facts only,” George returned.
“Whatever,” Kai flipped him off.
“Is it a guy?” Nik asked.
“Biologically speaking no,” George returned.
“Urgh,” Ema was irritated. “Why’s it so hard to say it’s a woman?” she asked looking at him. “Is she a model?”
“Sometimes,” George replied.
“Oh, Angelina Jolie?” Sweetie hopefully said and George giggled shaking his head. “Oh, damn it, she was you stupid cow, and he said she is now sometimes,” she talked to herself and ignored the round of giggles she caused. “Oh, the second one, this one was usless,” she ordered him.
“Mythollogy,” George’s content was growing while frustration was building up with others.
“Cleopatra?” Ana tried and George shook his head.
“From useless to utterly useless,” Sweetie commented and George’s mischievous grin played a bit too long on his lips as he glared at Sweetie.
“It’s Sweetheart,” I calmly said glancing at my darling who’s confused face turned into a frown. Turning my head to George I grined extremely self-assured as George’s eyes glared daggers at me. It just made me widen my smile.
“What?” Nik asked looking at George. “He guessed?’
“I never did any modeling, you berk,” Sweetie frowned.
“You do for me,” George defended himself.
“That’s as a friendly favour to you only and has nothing to do with real modeling,” she quickle said as she got up. “I’ll be right back,” she added and left the room.
“Is she mad?” Nik asked me and Kai assured him she’s not.
“She’s just avoiding the obvious,” I added.
“What?” Ana asked.
“I don’t understand, what does Sweetheart have to do with mythology?” Ema asked frustrated.
“That,” I nodded to Ana then turned my head to Ema. “Sweetheart’s real name comes from from mythology,” I said to little blond girl. “It means Goddess of spring.”
“Oh,” she sighed and seemed to liked it. “I thought Sweetheart is her real name,” she said more to herself. “I mean parents give weird names to their kids.”
“True,” Kai agreed. “But mom likes this ones. Daddy gave her that name when they first met and she adopted it.”
“Actually, it’s not your dad who was the first to call her that way,” George corrected him. “Many of her now good friends from all over the world that have met your mom even before she met Ville all called her the same. I did, too. It just suits her.”
“And her real name doesn’t?” Ema asked.
“She thinks it doesn’t since it has religious connotations and mum’s anti-religious,” Kai answered.
“She wrote about that once,” Nik started. “Something that the names we’re given by birth by our parents in hope of them representing our personalities actually hold no resemblance, right?” he looked at me.
“Mhmm,” Kai and I nodded. “But I think she’s wrong with that. You named me Kai because it’s melodic and catchy, right? And turned out I’m probably going to be a musician one day.”
“I wondered what kind of name is that,” Ema grinned.
“Same’s with Ari. Ariella, it has even cooler ring than Kai. And damn her she’s vocal,” he joked about Ari’s resonant way of crying.
“I got mine after a granny,” Ema told him. “she was very beautiful.
“Then it serves you very well,” Kai nonchalantly flirted and my jaw dropped that Ema blushed and he didn’t even blink. He was just so cool with complimenting a pretty girl in front of everyone there. Now, I’m worried as fuck. Everybody was taken back with Kai’s compliment to Ema and thought it’s sweet which only made little girl more uncomfortable. “Hey, It’s nothing to be shy about, you know,” he added with his little devilish grin.
“Ok, shut up,” I was embarrassed and Kai just looked at me innocently. “Seriouslly?”
He just shrugged and turned his head away from me and looked at George who was shaking trying way too hard not laugh like a maniac.
Sweetie returned, “What’s have I missed?” she asked as she sat on her place.
“Don’t ask,” I quickly said.
“I think it’s time for bed,” Ana sighed, getting up. Ema followed her clue.
“You don’t move,” I said to Kai in low voice for he was about to follow them.
Sweetie seemed kind of disappointed that the game was over but didn’t press the matter. We wished them good night and they were gone. As soon as the doors closed my head turned to Kai.
“Then it serves you well?!” I repeated his line to Ema and both George and Nik burst out laughing at Kai’s honestly confused calm face. Sweetie just looked stupefied with everything. “Seirouslly, dude? Just like that?”
“What did I do wrong?’ he shrugged. “I was just honest.”
“You totally flirted, you maniac,” I chuckled as I pointed out. “In front of her mother.”
“No, I didn’t,” he refused my statement. “I simply confirmed the fact that she’s very beautiful girl. Was I that wrong?”
“Oh my God,” Sweetie got it now and was laughing her arse off which made me lose my control as well. Her laughter was infectuos.
“And ‘hey it’s nothing to be shy about?’” I imitated him again. “That’s also a fact, huh? And that grin, that’s a fact, too?”
“Oh, fuck off,” he snorted then chuckled.
“Man, you’re… bad ass,” I shook my head. “
“You’re the man, Kai,” Nik gave him thumbs up.
“God, I already feel sorry for anyone who comes near that pretty face,” George sighed content.
“I can’t believe you’re so cool about flirting with a girl in front of her mom,” Sweetie lost it again. “I bread a monster.”
“Oh, fuck off you, too,” Kai glanced at his mother chuckling. “I wasn’t flirting you sex-obsessed idiots,” he seriously said.
“Yes, you were,” I assured him. “You so totally were flirting.”
“Fine, I’m off to bed,” he shook his head knowing there’s no way he’ll make us change our minds and headed to the door.
“Hey, Kai?” Nik called him and Kai glanced over his shoulder with expression that made it clear he knows Nik’s about to tease some more.
“Yes, Nik?” he frowned.
“Just so you’d know, I totally wouldn’t mind you dating Ema. You have my blessing, man,” Nik played it cool but a giggle tipped him off.
“Like I’d need your blessing,” Kai returned and wished good night.
“Sleep well you stud,” George couldn’t resist as the door got shut.
“Damn it, I always miss the best part,” Sweetie regretted.
“You definitively do,” I agreed. “You should’ve seen him. I was embarrassed how blatant he was. I swear, he just said it like it’s no biggie. Poor girl was red like tomato and he nothing. He throws another line. Just like that. Oh, hi Ana. Just ignore me while I openly flirt with your beautiful daughter, ok? No? Who cares, Ema you’re very beautiful and there’s nothing to be shy about.”
Even I laughed at my poor twisted impersonation of my own son.
“Hi, Ana. Can you excuse me while I kiss your daughter? Sure, go ahead, son. I’ll cheer for you,” I paused. “Jesus Christ.”
“You’re just jealous he’s better than you,” George teased.
“Yeah, that must be it,” I accepted his joke. “Unbelieveable.”
“I could take lessons from him,” Nik kind of joked.
“Please, don’t,” I shook my head. “What he just did is a big no unless you’re already in serious steady relationship with that girl. Hopefully, Kai just learned a lesson.”
“Somehow I doubt it,” Sweetie disagreed.
“Yeah, he’s too natural,” George pointed out.
“Were you like that?” I asked Sweetie.
“No, I never really got to the point of meeting anyone’s parents until you,” she returned.
“And she never had to do anything with all boys throwing themselves in front of her,” George added. “It must be your family line then,” he concluded.
“Oh, fuck Jesse. He’s that kind of a moron,” I suddenly realized then looked at Sweetie. “Officially, we’ll have to castrate Kai.”