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“Sterling,” Mom whisper-shouted when I stepped out of the bathroom. I flinched and quickly stepped back from her, my heart hammering against my breastbone at not only being frightened by her sudden appearance but also because she had used that voice on me. She didn’t move though—just stayed where she was. “You can’t just walk around someone else’s house with only a towel, hun.”
“Just need to get dressed,” I mumbled, trying to swallow down the panic attack that was looming over my head.
Her face suddenly softened, and she backed up two steps, giving me even more space. I quickly rushed into Graham’s room and sank back against the door, swallowing thickly to get rid of the icky feeling in my throat. My heart was racing to the point it hurt. All she’d done was say my name in that scolding manner, but I’d already felt too vulnerable by being out in the open like that without clothes, and it’d nearly sent me over the edge.
Graham was suddenly cupping my face in his hands, his eyes boring into mine. “Breathe, Sterling,” he gently commanded. He stroked his thumbs over my cheeks. “Just breathe. You’re safe. I’m here.”
I wrapped my trembling arms around him and clutched him to me, releasing a shaky breath. He combed his fingers through my hair before slowly leading me to bed. We tumbled down together, the towel coming loose. But he just tugged the blanket over us and continued holding me.
“Just stay here with me,” he coaxed. “It’ll pass.”
I nodded and burrowed even further against him, my heart rate calming. When the trembling ceased, I flopped onto my back and blew out a harsh breath. “I forgot clothes, and then Mom said my name in that mom way that moms have,” Graham chuckled, “and I kind of freaked out.”
Graham ran his hand over my chest. “You’re safe here,” he promised me, continuously saying those words because he knew I needed it. “You want to get dressed?”
I nodded and slid off the bed, prowling to my bag we’d brought in earlier. Once I was dressed in a pair of sweats and a long-sleeve shirt, I crawled back into bed next to Graham. Immediately, he wrapped his arms around me and rested his chin on the top of my head. “Don’t go to sleep without taking your medicine,” he warned me.
“Took it before the shower,” I quietly informed him. “Now hush and let me sleep.”
Graham laughed softly and pressed a kiss to the top of my head. The soothing, rhythmic stroking of his hand down my spine lulled me to sleep.
Where no monsters could touch me anymore. Instead, my dreams were always filled with Graham.
Because with him, I was always safe.
There was so much food. I had no idea why mom went all out like this every single year, but this year, she’d managed to outdo herself. Every kind of food you could imagine for a Thanksgiving dinner was placed on the counters and the stove and lined up on the kitchen table, too.
“Mom,” I groaned, staring at all the food. “This isa lot.”
“You and Graham can take some back to campus with you,” Mrs. Hurley told me, speaking for her. “Besides, I know my son, and he’s going to eat as much as he can.”
Well, I couldn’t argue with that.
“Your son’s stomach is a parasite.”
Mrs. Hurley laughed, her shoulders shaking. “That’s the best way I’ve heard anyone describe Graham’s eating habits,” she snickered. “Honey, you hear that?” she called to her husband. “Graham’s stomach is a parasite.”
His booming laughter filled the house. Graham stepped into the kitchen, and his mouth dropped open just as the parasite in question began to rumble with hunger. “Oh, this looksgood,” he groaned. “Can we eat? I’m starving.”
Mom laughed. “Help yourself, hun,” she told him, handing him a plate. She handed me one too, and I grabbed a little bit of stuffing, a little bit of turkey and gravy, some mashed potatoes, green bean casserole, and a roll. My boyfriend, however, grabbed one of everything, even going as far as getting a second plate to continue heaping food.
“I don’t know where you put it all,” I told him once we were settled on the floor of the living room with the coffee table in front of us.
He rolled his eyes at me. “I’m a growing boy, Sterling.”
I snorted. “All of that is going to catch up with you when you’re old.”
He winked at me. “As long as you continue to love me, I don’t care.”
I sighed. “I could never stop loving you, Graham,” his eyes got all melty on me, “but I will hound you about your health,” I warned him.
He waved me off. “I can put up with anything as long as you love me,” he reiterated. “And speaking of love,” he began digging in his pockets, making me frown at him. Finally, he held up a small ring. It was black with a multi-colored band splitting it. A soft smile tilted his lips. “I’m not asking you marry me yet because I’ve got goals to reach before then, but I am making you a promise.”
My eyes welled with tears. Mom had both of her hands over her mouth to hold in her squeal, jumping up and down. Mrs. Hurley was smiling at us. I stared back at Graham, my throat working as I tried to swallow down my tears.
“I love you, Sterling. I love you with every fiber of my being. I want to always be your home. Your safety. I want to always continue being your reason for the rest of our lives. By giving you this ring, I’m promising to always be yours. To be the support you need. To give you a bright future and always be a safe place for you to land when life gets overwhelming.”
He drew in a deep breath, his own eyes shimmering with tears, his hand shaking. “So, will you please accept this ring as a symbol of my promise to you?”
