her
when she speaks, and she's watching me with Cole’s eyes and a knowing smile on
her face.
“Please,”
Grace huffs. “You should hear how she treats me back at school. She looks all
sweet and innocent but it's all an act, I promise. Now, let’s play cards.”
We
settle into the game, but Cole stays close to me and leans over to help me out
during my first few turns. He smells like peppermint again, I've determined
it's from the toothpaste he uses and I would like to buy stock in the company
that makes it.
“Now,
I know you're from Oregon, but I'm not sure how you made it to North Carolina.
That's quite a distance.” Claire asks the question casually, and I feel my
stomach clench with unease. “Did you get a scholarship to CMU?”
“Yes
ma'am.” I swallow. “But I would have come anyway. I wanted to go somewhere
different so I looked at the map and picked a place and then applied.”
“That's
very daring at your age. I don't think I would have been able to do that when I
was eighteen.”
“Oh,
um, it was easier than you might think. I didn't have anything holding me
there.”
The
game has kept going, and thankfully Cole comes to my rescue by putting down the
first phase.
“Damn
it, Cole, you better not go out any time soon, I have shit for cards.” Holden
grumbles.
“Sucks
for you, doesn't it?”
The
game continues for over an hour and my stomach has started to hurt from
laughing so hard. There is no mercy between them and their language gets
increasingly worse as the game progresses. I'm having more fun watching them
than playing the game, but I'm still managing to hold my own against them. Just
as we start to roll into the second hour Tom’s cell phone rings.
“Break
time, this is about a case.” He says after looking at the screen. “Sorry guys.”
Holden,
Grace, and their mother desert the room moments after Tom steps out, muttering
various reasons such as calling significant others or grabbing more drinks and
snacks for everyone.
“Looks
like it’s just you and me.” Cole is gathering up the cards, stacking them all
neatly in front of him. I make some sort of noncommittal sound in my throat.
I'm not sure my vocal chords will work.
I
have been hyper aware of him all evening, even with his family surrounding us.
Now that it is just the two of us I can’t focus on anything but him. The way
his arms move as he gathers the cards, the way his hair slides down over his
forehead, perhaps just a little too long.
“I’m
going to go grab some air, wanna come? Dad could be a while.”
I
nod my head and follow slowly behind him as we move through the house out to
the front porch. The sun has long ago set and the temperature has cooled
significantly. I hug my sweater tighter against my body to keep warm. Instead
of the rocking chairs I settle next to the chocolate lab I learned is named
Gus, who is once again sleeping on the porch.
“I've
never had a pet.”
“No?”
Cole settles next to me on the top step.
“No.
They’re dirty according to my mother. She liked things to be neat and tidy and
pets are neither of those things. And she says she's allergic to them, which
I'm pretty sure is a lie.”
I
stroke my hand down the soft fur of his back, and Gus rolls into me, exposing
his pink belly.
“Gus
has no shame whatsoever.”
“I
can see that,” I say, laughing. I continue petting him for a few moments, his
fur is soft under my hands, and petting him is rhythmic and soothing.
“You
don't talk about them much, your parents. Or about anything before you came
here.”
“It
was nothing like this,” I say softly, still petting the dog. “No cookies and
lemonade, no nights staying in as a family to play cards.”
“Delaney--”
“No.”
I look at him now, my hand still resting on Gus’ fur. “I don't tell you that to
make you feel sorry for me. It's where I come from, Cole, it's what I know.
This?” I look around.
We
are surrounded by the scent of the flowers he had planted
when she speaks, and she's watching me with Cole’s eyes and a knowing smile on
her face.
“Please,”
Grace huffs. “You should hear how she treats me back at school. She looks all
sweet and innocent but it's all an act, I promise. Now, let’s play cards.”
We
settle into the game, but Cole stays close to me and leans over to help me out
during my first few turns. He smells like peppermint again, I've determined
it's from the toothpaste he uses and I would like to buy stock in the company
that makes it.
“Now,
I know you're from Oregon, but I'm not sure how you made it to North Carolina.
That's quite a distance.” Claire asks the question casually, and I feel my
stomach clench with unease. “Did you get a scholarship to CMU?”
“Yes
ma'am.” I swallow. “But I would have come anyway. I wanted to go somewhere
different so I looked at the map and picked a place and then applied.”
“That's
very daring at your age. I don't think I would have been able to do that when I
was eighteen.”
“Oh,
um, it was easier than you might think. I didn't have anything holding me
there.”
The
game has kept going, and thankfully Cole comes to my rescue by putting down the
first phase.
“Damn
it, Cole, you better not go out any time soon, I have shit for cards.” Holden
grumbles.
“Sucks
for you, doesn't it?”
The
game continues for over an hour and my stomach has started to hurt from
laughing so hard. There is no mercy between them and their language gets
increasingly worse as the game progresses. I'm having more fun watching them
than playing the game, but I'm still managing to hold my own against them. Just
as we start to roll into the second hour Tom’s cell phone rings.
“Break
time, this is about a case.” He says after looking at the screen. “Sorry guys.”
Holden,
Grace, and their mother desert the room moments after Tom steps out, muttering
various reasons such as calling significant others or grabbing more drinks and
snacks for everyone.
“Looks
like it’s just you and me.” Cole is gathering up the cards, stacking them all
neatly in front of him. I make some sort of noncommittal sound in my throat.
I'm not sure my vocal chords will work.
I
have been hyper aware of him all evening, even with his family surrounding us.
Now that it is just the two of us I can’t focus on anything but him. The way
his arms move as he gathers the cards, the way his hair slides down over his
forehead, perhaps just a little too long.
“I’m
going to go grab some air, wanna come? Dad could be a while.”
I
nod my head and follow slowly behind him as we move through the house out to
the front porch. The sun has long ago set and the temperature has cooled
significantly. I hug my sweater tighter against my body to keep warm. Instead
of the rocking chairs I settle next to the chocolate lab I learned is named
Gus, who is once again sleeping on the porch.
“I've
never had a pet.”
“No?”
Cole settles next to me on the top step.
“No.
They’re dirty according to my mother. She liked things to be neat and tidy and
pets are neither of those things. And she says she's allergic to them, which
I'm pretty sure is a lie.”
I
stroke my hand down the soft fur of his back, and Gus rolls into me, exposing
his pink belly.
“Gus
has no shame whatsoever.”
“I
can see that,” I say, laughing. I continue petting him for a few moments, his
fur is soft under my hands, and petting him is rhythmic and soothing.
“You
don't talk about them much, your parents. Or about anything before you came
here.”
“It
was nothing like this,” I say softly, still petting the dog. “No cookies and
lemonade, no nights staying in as a family to play cards.”
“Delaney--”
“No.”
I look at him now, my hand still resting on Gus’ fur. “I don't tell you that to
make you feel sorry for me. It's where I come from, Cole, it's what I know.
This?” I look around.
We
are surrounded by the scent of the flowers he had planted
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