tradition.
“Oooh, yum,” Wes said. “Chocolate cookies. I’m definitely popping down to steal a few.”
“Feel free, they’re for the entire Clean Slate family. Including you, Levi.”
Levi smiled. It warmed him to be considered part of this big, eclectic family. “I appreciate it, thank you. I missed them all last year but I promise to try some this week. I’ve had your food and know they’ll be excellent. Hopefully, you’ve taught Robin a few things.”
Robin mimicked throwing something at his head from the other side of the long table. One of Levi’s favorite things about the cabin was the long, wooden dining table that stood in front of a huge picture window, giving them all a perfect view of the outdoors. The beauty of the land was on full display and always helped Levi feel a little bit freer.
Far away from that hospital room before rehab.
Around one thirty, Levi’s phone rang with George’s assigned ringtone and he grinned. Excused himself from the table, Robin smirking at him the entire time, and went outside to the front porch. He was warm inside despite the chilly air, and he happily answered the call. “Levi Peletier’s answering service. How may I direct your call?”
The joke was worth it for the joyful laughter from George. “Cute. Hi.”
“Hey, yourself. How are you?”
“Great, actually.” He still sounded perfectly upbeat, and that gave Levi hope for a positive conversation with Orry. “I would have called you sooner but I wanted to get caught up on some work, and then Orry and I went out for lunch.”
“I’m glad you got some work—” Wait. “You went out for lunch? As in a restaurant?”
“Sort of. We did pickup from a local place and then ate in the car in the parking lot.”
“How was that?”
“A little nerve-wracking. I can’t remember the last time I walked into a restaurant, even for the five minutes it took to grab our order. But I was around a lot of strangers, both inside and in the parking lot, and I think I was okay. It helped that I was with Orry. He keeps me grounded. Kind of like you do.”
Levi could easily picture his shy smile and leaned against the porch railing. “Good for you. So can I assume your conversation with Orry went well?”
“Super well. Honestly, he was more annoyed that you’re eleven years older than me than he was about me coming out. That surprised me a little but also not really. He’s protective, and you have so much more life experience.”
Of that, Levi was keenly aware, and he worried what George would think of him when he found out how much experience Levi had. “What about Orry’s Thanksgiving lie?”
“He’s dating a girl named Zoey, and he was afraid to tell me because he didn’t want to pressure me to get out of the apartment and try to find a life of my own. I was able to do that all by myself, and he was proud of me. I even suggested the four of us go out on a double date sometime.”
Levi smiled across the yard, beyond proud of George and everything he’d accomplished this week. “I’d like that. I want to get to know Orry better, and I’m sure you’ll enjoy meeting the woman who caught his eye.”
“Yeah. Orry deserves someone special. He’s been my rock, but I want him to have a life almost more than I want one myself. Orry went through bad stuff of his own, and I want him to be happy.”
“I remember you mentioning that about Orry. And I love that you want your brother to be happy, but it’s okay to focus on your own happiness first. Take the slow steps you need to proceed comfortably. If you push yourself too hard, too fast, you could backslide and undo all your progress.”
“More advice from rehab?”
George’s voice was light and curious, which kept Levi from taking any offense. “Yes. I fell very, very hard at one point in my life, George. You let fear send you into hiding, but I let grief send me into a very different place. I’d like to tell you about it one day.”
“I can tell from your voice how painful it was, and I appreciate your honesty and trust. When you’re ready to tell me, I’ll listen. I care about you, Levi.”
“I care about you, too. And I am thrilled that your conversation with Orry went well, and that he’s accepting you. All parts of you.”
George chuckled. “Well, I think he’s still a