2024-12-20 - Leavin' on a Jet Plane

[TXT to Fin] Trace: Hey. Sorry I didn't get to say goodbye. On a jet back to Boston.

[TXT to Fin] Trace: My mom and older brother showed up at the resort.

[TXT to Fin] Trace: Ended up hiding with Enzo in an oversized present. 😆 She still found me anyway. Now I'm headed back to deal with a photo shoot and some other bullshit. But at least I'll get to see my sister and Nonna. I'm hoping to get my sister out to the park sometime. I think she'd like it. And everybody.

[TXT to Trace] Fin: Wait... What?

[TXT to Trace] Fin: Repeat that a couple more times.

[TXT to Trace] Fin: A) You're on a plane? B) I am surprised they showed up! C) Why were you hiding with Enzo? D) I coulda done a photo shoot... E) Glad you get to see your sister and Nonna though! F) Like, for a visit or more permanently?

[TXT to Trace] Fin: What letter am I on?

[TXT to Trace] Fin: What did your mom think about finding you with Enzo? Why did you hide together? Like, why was he hiding? INQUIRING MINDS WANT TO KNOW!

[TXT to Fin] Trace: A) Yes. I am on my family's private jet heading back to Boston for some bullshit and Christmas.

[TXT to Fin] Trace: B) No more surprised than I.

[TXT to Fin] Trace: C) That.. is slightly more complicated. It was a split-second sort of thing. He was there. My mother was there. Our families have beef. I promised him my family wouldn't know he's here. So I shoved him in a present.. and hid there too. >.>

[TXT to Fin] Trace: D) A photoshoot of what? My mother circling the lobby like a shark while I hid in a box? 😆

[TXT to Fin] Trace: E) Yeah, my sister is great and Nonna is the best.

[TXT to Fin] Trace: F) Just for Christmas. I'll be back on the 26th. Just in time for the ball.

[TXT to Fin] Trace: G) She didn't see him.. exactly. I mean she definitely saw he was there, but not who he was. Um.. she decided to try to use him to try to get me fired if I didn't go home?

[TXT to Trace] Fin: D) Your family, DUH! I suppose they have some high-falootin photographer on retainer or something though.

[TXT to Trace] Fin: F) oh good! I need someone to dance with at some point.

[TXT to Trace] Fin: G) Try to use him to try to get you fired.... how?

[TXT to Fin] Trace: D) I would much rather you be the photographer that's going to be there this weekend. This is a magazine shoot for an interview. It's going to be a circus.

[TXT to Fin] Trace: F) You're welcome to come hang out with Angelo and I. He asked me to go. But it's not like a date thing. I'm sure both of us would be more than happy to dance with you. <3

[TXT to Fin] Trace: G) For having an 'inappropriate relationship with a coworker' or some shit. Not like it would fly or anything. I just didn't want her getting his name somehow. And it was easier to just let her win, come home, and have her drop it.

[TXT to Trace] Fin: D) You know, I sometimes miss working for the magazine, but, I am also glad my magazine job was not that kind of magazine job.
F) Are you SURE it isn't a date? I've seen him steal glances at you from time to time.
G) uh.... What were you and Enzo DOING in that present?

[TXT to Fin] Trace: D) What magazine did you work for? Did I know that you worked for a magazine?

[TXT to Fin] Trace: F) Pretty sure from the conversation that we had, yeah. Stealing glances at me? When?

[There is a very long pause before the answer to that question comes]

[TXT to Fin] Trace: G) Creating a distraction? So that she'd shut the door. It worked?

[TXT to Trace] Fin: D) Surely you did! Must have slipped your mind. It was a travel mag. It went digital only. There were cuts. I was one of them. Boom, I am here.

[TXT to Trace] Fin: F) Just in the hallway. Maybe I was imagining it, or wishful thinking it. Trying to find you a good match!

[TXT to Trace] Fin: G) Trace Accardi! That's the enemy! WERE YOU CLOTHED? ---- NO.. don't tell me.

[TXT to Trace] Fin: I mean, I guess they do say keep your friends close and your enemies closer but...

[TXT to Fin] Trace: Right.. the travel magazine! Sorry, I don't know why I thought it was something else.

[TXT to Trace] Fin: No worries. I don't exactly talk about it much

[TXT to Fin] Trace: Huh. I can't say as I've ever noticed him flirting with me in any way. And since when are you trying to play matchmaker??

[TXT to Fin] Trace: Yes, Fin! We were BOTH clothed!

[TXT to Fin] Trace: Maybe.. making out.. a bit. But CLOTHED.

[TXT to Trace] Fin: Trace! I said don't tell me!

[TXT to Trace] Fin: I'm not good at matchmaking. Obviously.

[TXT to Trace] Fin: WAIT

[TXT to Trace] Fin: You were making out with Enzo!?!?!?

[TXT to Fin] Trace: I know but I didn't want you thinking I was NAKED in the middle of the hotel lobby, Fin!

[TXT to Fin] Trace: ... Yes?

[TXT to Trace] Fin: You were in a giant present. Not like anyone could see you.

[TXT to Fin] Trace: Okay yes but.. that's not the point!

[TXT to Trace] Fin: But also, you made out with Enzo... My brain is having trouble processing this.

[TXT to Fin] Trace: So am I.

[TXT to Trace] Fin: Like... are you sure it was just to make your mother close the door? Did you start it? Did he?

[TXT to Fin] Trace: It was really fast. She was coming. He said "kiss me" and I was like "What??" because I was pretty sure I hadn't heard that right. Then he said something like "this could go really well or really badly" but don't quote me on that. And then he kissed me.

[TXT to Fin] Trace: And I kissed him back. And then the door was open, then she closed it. And while she was busy being surprised by the whole thing, I slipped out and then lead her off.

[TXT to Trace] Fin: This sounds like a set up for a Christmas Rom Com. Two hometown rivals get in a snowball fight or hide in a giant present and in the heat of the moment they kiss

[TXT to Trace] Fin: ...

[TXT to Trace] Fin: Did you enjoy it?

[TXT to Fin] Trace: Yeah, somehow I don't think this is going to turn out like those. Don't they usually involve a small town lumberjack in a sweater with a heart of gold?

[TXT to Fin] Trace: And I asked him about the whole shove he gave me at karaoke and he tried to pretend like he didn't even remember it happening.

[TXT to Fin] Trace: He treats me like the enemy more than half the time. He shoulder-checks me when I wasn't even doing anything. And then he asks ME what /I/ think it meant /IF/ it happened.

[TXT to Trace] Fin: Given how he normally acts... it sounds like a case of little Jason Alvarez.

[TXT to Fin] Trace: Who?

[TXT to Trace] Fin: And, as for it not being like the movies - you have a heart of gold. I am sure he has a sweater. Just one of you isn't a lumberjack.

[TXT to Trace] Fin: Jason Alvarez was the boy in first grade who used to chase me around the playground and push me down because he had a crush on me and didn't know how to process his little boy emotions.

[TXT to Fin] Trace: And he doesn't like me, and doesn't trust me, and thinks I'm here spying on him for my family, and that I'm apparently lazy and don't know how to take initiative, and ...

[TXT to Fin] Trace: I am sorry you got pushed down on the playground. Rude.

[TXT to Fin] Trace: I'd have probably punched little Jason Alvarez. But I also was not good at processing my little boy emotions in the first grade. 😆

[TXT to Trace] Fin: He still sounds like Jason Alvarez and now I am wondering if it's all a ruse.

[TXT to Trace] Fin: Not on your part.

[TXT to Trace] Fin: On his.

[TXT to Trace] Fin: And... I did punch Jason Alvarez. Right in the nose. Bled everywhere.

[TXT to Fin] Trace: So proud!

[TXT to Fin] Trace: Little Fin was a badass. I mean, grown Fin is also a badass.

[TXT to Fin] Trace: I don't know. I don't know what to think most of the time. He gives me whiplash. And he gets under my skin.

[TXT to Trace] Fin: Maybe a badass in a different way. Haven't punched anyone in the nose in a very long time... but if I had to!

[TXT to Fin] Trace: I mean, neither have I, but restraint is also a form of badassery. 😆

[TXT to Trace] Fin: Snoopy. LRHG is suspicious of Enzo. Now for two reasons. You're gone til the 26th you say?

[TXT to Trace] Fin: I might have to be a little devious. Maybe a little deceptive.

[TXT to Fin] Trace: Yeah. Photo shoot and interview for the magazine on Sunday (during which I do not get to speak). Monday we're going to see my Nonna. Tuesday will be the big family get-together which I hope to spend as drunk as humanly possible. And Wednesday is the day of hangovers and extravagant gift one-upsmanship. Then unless they tie me up and lock me in the basement... they'll put me back on the jet and send me home on Thursday morning.

[TXT to Trace] Fin: I am developing a plan. You might not like it, so I might not tell you about it until after.

[TXT to Fin] Trace: Uh oh.

[TXT to Trace] Fin: I promise to try to not do anything too damaging

[TXT to Fin] Trace: Okay.

[TXT to Trace] Fin: It will either work fabulously.... or I will fail miserably. Life is an adventure! Just... try to enjoy your time with Nonna at the very least, okay?

[TXT to Fin] Trace: I will. I'll see if I can sneak home some more of her recipes so that I can experiment on you and Gabe with them.

[TXT to Trace] Fin: Yessssss please!

[TXT to Fin] Trace: Got any particular Italian favorites? I can see what I can smuggle out.

[TXT to Trace] Fin: I was about to start listing things, but honestly, I have not met an Italian dish I haven't loved.

[TXT to Fin] Trace: I told Ari that I would have him over to teach him how to make lasagana after the holidays. So I already have that one covered.

[TXT to Trace] Fin: That was the first on the list I started typing

[TXT to Fin] Trace: When isn't it first on the list? Lasagna is amazing.

[TXT to Trace] Fin: I once had lasagna so good it made my toes curl.

[TXT to Fin] Trace: That's a good lasagna. Where'd you get that?

[TXT to Trace] Fin: Some restaurant a guy took me to on a date once. The lasagna was better than the sex.

[TXT to Fin] Trace: Well, at least you got great lasagna! Sorry about the guy, though.

[TXT to Trace] Fin: Eh! They can't all be winners, am I right?

[TXT to Fin] Trace: That's for sure. 😆