AllFreeNovel
Share Us
The doorbell rings. I hand Gregory the cash and he rushes to get the pizza. Footsteps sound on the stairs and what surprises me isn’t that it’s Jamie, but that that has to be the fastest shower she’s ever taken.
“I feel so much better now,” she says with a sigh, sitting next to m
e on the table.
Gregory sets the pizza boxes on the coffee table. “You’re our new roomie, huh?”
“Looks like it. Excited?”
“He’s sad this will no longer be a bachelor pad,” I say.
Jamie laughs as she grabs us both a slice of pizza, handing one of them to me. “Poor babies. You really have nothing to worry about. The only thing I’ll bring is my clothes and a few other minor things. It’ll still look like a bachelor pad.”
Gregory gives Jamie a look out of the corner of his eye. “She’ll have it redecorated by the end of the year.”
“I will not!”
I smile. This is how my life will be from here on out. I’m sure it won’t always be so cheery, but it doesn’t need to be. We’re together and we can tackle anything. If we can face whatever our families throw our way and keep our relationship together and secure, then I think we’ll be just fine.
The next night, Kayla, Shannon, and Glenn come over for dinner. Jamie decided to drive home to pack her things and let her parents know where she’ll be living. She probably would’ve stayed, but she’s supposed to report in to work tomorrow. It’s today or wait until the weekend. Considering she needed more clothes, she went today. Logan would also be here, but since he’s been away from his family for a week, he is having dinner with them tonight.
“I have to say,” Shannon begins, “I’m surprised you invited us over.”
“We have some things to discuss,” I explain. She immediately sends a worried glance to Glenn. “First,” I look at Kayla, “Jamie is moving in with me. I asked while we were on the cruise.”
Kayla’s eyes widen and her mouth drops open a bit. She holds up her hand. “Hold on. Give me a second to absorb.” She takes a deep breath with her eyes closed. A smile appears as she opens her eyes. “I’m happy for y’all.”
“Thank you.”
“I don’t really need to be here for that, do I?” Shannon asks.
“No, but Gregory has something he wants to discuss with you.”
“Dad!” Gregory whines. He wants to move, he needs to be the one to tell his mother. Otherwise, she’s going to think it’s my idea and I want him to move. If he tells her, she’s more likely to accept it’s all his idea. There’s still a chance she’ll think it’s my fault and my idea, but Gregory doing the talking will help.
“You want to do it; you tell her.”
“Tell me what?” Shannon asks.
Gregory glares at me before sighing and looking at his mother. “I would like to move in with Dad.” Shannon gasps. “Y’all never gave me the choice and now, I’m choosing. I think you’ll be okay now with Glenn around and I’ll stay with you like I stayed with Dad, but I want to live here.”
Tears well in Shannon’s eyes. “What have I done for my children to not want to live with me?”
“You haven’t done anything, Mom,” Gregory immediately reassures her. “I want a change of scenery and I’m sure Dad has more he wants to teach me about cars. It’s more convenient if I stay here.”
Shannon clearly doesn’t believe him, but she says, “If you want to stay, I won’t stop you.”
“Why couldn’t you be this nice when I moved out?”
Shannon rolls her eyes. “I’ve obviously improved on my parenting skills.”
Gregory stands and walks over to hug her. “Thanks, Mom.”
Clearing my throat, I decide to speak up and tell Shannon about something Gregory and I discussed when he showed up at the shop after school. “Since we’ve been gone for a week, Gregory will spend the rest of the week with you before coming to live here.”
That definitely improves her mood. Now, I just have to wait for Jamie to get home, help her unload and unpack, and enjoy the rest of my night.
I pull into Brent’s driveway and sigh as I turn my car off. Today might just be the longest of my life. I lean my head against the headrest, closing my eyes. After the day I’ve had, I’m supposed to have energy to get out, get my things out of my car, and somehow not immediately crawl into bed? I don’t want to move.
