“Yeah, but your parents are crazy.”
“They’re crazy?” Gus asks with genuine curiosity.
“Not really, babe. Lee means that they’re eccentric,” Wren explains.
“Oh, right. Like when I call you crazy?”
“Exactly.”
Gus looks over at Finn as he puts away the last of the groceries. “And you’re so tired, why?”
Finn lifts his head, turning toward his future brother-in-law. “I’m catching up on the sleep I missed out on when we built that godforsaken barn.”
“That’s statistically impossible. You’d be dead,” Gus deadpans. He’s serious, too. Gus has never really been great with understanding sarcasm, but it’s more endearing than anything. It’s all part and parcel with autism. He’s proud of it, though, as he should be.
Finn chuckles but otherwise stays quiet.
Gus’s face crinkles in confusion, but he drops it quickly and moves to stand behind Wren, wrapping his arms around her and burying his face into her neck. She reaches behind to run a hand through his hair and my heart swells at the sight.
It’s…bittersweet. The pride I feel for my best friend is a light that lately has been surrounded by envious clouds. I want what she has found, but I don’t think I realized that until I saw it right in front of me. I suppose I am slightly jealous, especially because Wren wasn’t even looking for it. Each time I feel brave enough to go out on a date, I’m always left feeling either disappointed or self-conscious. I would say that my luck has run out, but I don’t think I had any to begin with. Not that I would ever allow that to affect my relationship with my best friend. She’s one of the most important people in my life. I think there is just a part of me deep down that is aware that I am no longer the most important person in hers.
“Oh—” Wren looks up at me “—you’re free tomorrow morning, right? Mom and Dad called to say they’re coming in earlier than planned. Finn is going to pick them up in an hour and they wanted to have brunch tomorrow.”
I give Finn a look. “You couldn’t have just said you were here so you could pick up your parents?”
He shrugs, but otherwise says nothing.
I groan. “You’re spending way too much time with Gus.”
“What’s that supposed to mean?” Gus asks.
“It means that he used to shrug a lot less before you came along.”
He thinks on it and then…you guessed it…he shrugs.
ChapterTwo
FINN
My parents finally returning home after a year away brings mixed emotions. I love my family more than anything in this world, but they have certain quirks that are better experienced when there’s some physical distance.
It’s always been the four of us ever since my birth parents passed away. Well, the four of us when Oakleigh wasn’t crashing family dinners and movie nights. Now that I think about it, I can’t remember a time when Oakleigh wasn’t around. She and Wren only became friends fifteen years ago, but it feels like it’s been forever. Like if I try hard enough, I’ll picture memories of them playing together when they were five. Oakleigh’s like a tic that has buried itself into the heart of my life.
“My darling boy!” my mom squeals as she rushes over to my truck. I breathe a sigh of relief as I lean down to hug her, because this summer heat is not doing wonders for my skin and I hate to just sit in the truck and wait. She hugs me tightly and the familiar scent of all-spice and cardamom wraps around me just as tightly as her arms are.
When she pulls away, I can see the tan that stains her already dark skin, the brand-new crow’s feet that envelop each eye and the additional wrinkles that decorate her forehead.
I look up at my dad who is standing behind her, watching us both with happiness spread across his pale face. Mom moves out of the way so that we can hug.
“How are you, son?” he asks as he pats me on the back.
“Not too bad,” I reply, grabbing their suitcases and chucking them into the back of my truck. I decided to bring the truck since it’s the only way their luggage is fitting. “How was the flight?”
“Long,” Mom sighs. “I honestly forgot how much I hate planes.”
“At least Dad was right next to you the whole time, right?”
“That’s why it was bad,” she says in jest.
