up on my schoolwork, alongside doing all the new stuff my teachers are putting up online.
That’s not to say he’s allowed me to forget those two moments we’ve had. Every time he walks past me, he trails his fingertips across my skin. Whether it be the small of my back or to very briefly twist our fingers together, he makes it known that he's not forgotten his promise.
When we had another family movie night last night, he even managed to hold my hand behind the cushion I was hugging. It was the sweetest thing and it had me thinking that maybe it was the beginning of something else. But when I excused myself up to bed, he didn’t join me, and it was hours later when I heard him come to his room.
It’s driving me crazy knowing that he’s right there every night, but I’m not yet desperate enough to go walking in in the middle of the night.
A soft knock sounds at my door. Pulling my earbuds out, I call for whoever it is to enter. I want it to be him, but I know that he wouldn’t have knocked, he’d have just barged his way inside.
“Hey, sweetie. You’ve been up here all day. Why don’t you come and get some fresh air with me? I made smoothies,” my mom says.
“Sure.” Pushing my laptop onto the bed, I climb off.
“How’s it going?”
“Pretty well. I’m not going to fail, Mom. If that’s what you’re worried about.”
“I know you won’t. You’re too stubborn to allow that to happen. You just make me panic at times.”
I follow her down to the yard and we take a seat at the table where she’s laid out her promised smoothie and a huge bowl of fruit. But that’s not the most incredible sight. At the end of the garden, Dad, Levi, and more importantly, Emerson are all topless and digging Mom’s new flowerbed.
“Not a bad view from here, eh?” she asks, looking over at them. Dad might have a few years on Levi and Emerson, but as a PT he’s still very much in shape.
“Ew, Mom. One’s my dad and the other my brother.” I grimace.
“There’s a third, you know?” Something in her tone has me turning to look at her.
“What?”
“Don’t think I don’t know there’s something going on there.”
My chin drops. “Mom, I don’t know what—”
“I saw him holding your hand last night.”
My cheeks heat and I cast my eyes to the patio, too embarrassed to meet her eyes. “Oh.”
“So how long has something been going on?”
“There isn’t anything going on,” I say, almost honestly. At that moment, he looks over his shoulder and the smile that brightens up his face when he sees me makes me melt.
“Oh yeah, nothing’s going on.” Mom chuckles. “That’s not the look of a guy who’s not interested, Lys.”
“Mom,” I squeal. Not all that impressed with the topic of this conversation.
“What? I’m just saying.”
“Yeah, well don’t.”
“What are you so worried about?”
I stare at her. Is she really encouraging this?
“Um… everything. Levi for a start. The fact we’ve been forced into isolation together. You and Dad.”
“Levi just wants the two of you to be happy. If he has a problem with it, then he’ll just have to get over it. Your dad and I don’t have an issue as long as you’re discreet and sensible.” She winks and I want the ground to swallow me up. “Our house isn’t a knocking shop, you know.”
I groan. “Mom, seriously.”
“I am being serious. I think he really likes you. We’re all in a shit situation right now, especially Emerson with his concern about his mom. I don’t see something positive coming out of it all as a bad thing. Plus, who knows where it could lead. One day he could be an official part of this family.”
I drop my head into my hands. We’ve only had one kiss and Mom’s here talking about marriage.
“He’s a good boy, Lys. You could do a lot worse is all I’m saying.”
“If you’d heard some of the stories I have, then you might have a different opinion on him.”
“Boys will be boys. Your dad was one of the guys back in the day too, so I know exactly what they’re like.”
Lifting my smoothie, I sit back and rest my feet on the table leg as I take a sip, my eyes wandering to Emerson once again. The weather is gorgeous. The sun reflects off his sweat-damp skin and his muscles flex as he forces the shovel