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Giggling, I take it back from him and turn it off, setting it on the small nightstand next to his bed. “Because it’s time to sleep.” I tap his pillow, urging him to lie down. “Come on.”
“Fine,” he grumbles.
He pulls his blankets over him, and I smile at the mini-me, as Stephanie calls him. We have the same brown hair and light brown eyes. The shape of our face takes more after our mother than our father, enhancing the likeness even more.
“Did you do your reading homework?” I ask him. He nods. “Good job, Sebs. You’re much smarter than I was at your age.”
“Duh!” He starts giggling.
“Watch it there, buddy. Unless you want me to show up in your class tomorrow and let all your friends know I wiped the floor with you in Fortnite.”
“You wish.”
We both laugh, and I lean over, kissing his forehead. “Good night, Sebs.”
“G’night, Cece.”
Leaving the room, I pause for just a moment to make sure he doesn’t go back to playing video games. It’s been like this for a while now. Ever since he was old enough for my mom to go back to work. I don’t mind it, though. I love the relationship I have with him, doing the things my parents can’t since they’re providing this life for us to live. I remember being his age and feeling alone sometimes. Esme is fantastic, but I missed my parents. I wondered why they were always so busy, flying to different countries, meeting with different people, while I was stuck at home.
Being older now, I can see all of the work they’ve done, and everything we have is because of that drive and determination from both my mother and father. I appreciate it, but when I saw the same thing happening with Sebastian, I knew I didn’t want him feeling like he was alone. He misses my parents when they’re not here, but I like to think I make up for it by making sure I attend school functions for him or help him with projects for his class. I want him to know he has someone at home who’ll always be there for him.
Once I’m in my room, I kick off my shoes and sit back on my bed. Pulling my phone out, I send a text message to Stephanie.
Me: U up?
She immediately calls my phone. “Girl, I’ve been waiting for you to call. I thought I wouldn’t hear from you all night. How was it?”
Her response earns a hearty laugh out of me. “It was …” I look around my room, and the off-white-painted walls. “Honestly, it was real.”
“Real? What does that mean?”
“He wasn’t Maddox. I mean, he was, but he wasn’t. He showed up, we talked and laughed, and … he was real. I don’t know how else to explain it. I was expecting an over-the-top rock star, and I got an appropriately dressed guy interested in talking to me.”
“We are talking about Maddox Barkley, right?”
I giggle again. “I know it’s crazy. And … I told him we could go out again.”
“When? Where?”
“I don’t know. I said we’d figure it out this weekend when I see him.”
“That’s it, I’m not leaving your side the entire weekend. I need to see this new Maddox you speak of.”
