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“Fine. But you tell me if this happens again. Okay?” he demands, sounding deadly serious.
“Okay,” I answer, but I don’t plan on getting sick again.
It must be something I ate. I’m fine otherwise.
With one more squeeze of my hand, Tyler drops it as we head out of the bathroom. And I don’t have to worry that my kids will be concerned. I’m sure they will be too busy teasing Tyler and me for our disappearance, the two of us not doing much to beat the allegations that we “like each other.”
CHAPTER19
TYLER
“They're going to love you,” I reassure Maria as we step into my parents’ house, the lively sounds of my family filtering in through the screen door.
“Let's hope so,” Maria responds with a nervous smile.
I'm confident that they will adore her. Who wouldn't? She embodies kindness. I'm almost tempted to consult a dictionary to see if her picture accompanies the word's definition.
“Feeling alright?” I ask, making sure to check in before we join everyone.
Ever since she fell ill at the Museum of Science, I've been concerned about her well-being, despite her attempts to reassure me. She claims there haven't been any issues since, but I still can't help but worry about her health.
“Yes, you don't need to worry,” Maria tells me firmly, though I know she secretly appreciates my concern.
As I slide open the screen door leading to the back porch, it's almost comical how quickly everyone's heads turn toward us.
“You guys are here!” my mom exclaims, leaping up from her chair and circling the table to envelop Maria in a hug. “It's wonderful to meet you.”
“You too,” Maria replies with a smile, and I'm certain my mother's warm greeting has helped ease her anxiety some.
“I'm Beth, and this is Tyler's dad, Philip, and his sister, Monica,” Mom introduces, guiding us to the two available seats at the table.
“Sadly,” my fifteen-year-old sister grumbles, earning a chuckle from Maria and a playful smirk from Monica herself.
“Traitor,” I playfully whisper into Maria's ear.
“So, Maria, what's the issue? I mean, you're with Tyler, and I can’t imagine him being anyone’s first choice,” Monica remarks, drawing a glare from me across the table.
“You know, Jared said something similar. Maybe you two are more alike than you think,” I suggest, causing Monica to visibly recoil at the notion.
“Never say that again,” she warns me with an intense tone before shifting her gaze to Maria, her demeanor instantly brightening. “So, Maria, what's your line of work?”
“Yes, I'm curious too,” my father interjects.
“I'm a preschool teacher. That’s sort of how Tyler and I met. He was gracious enough to agree to volunteer at my school.”
“You allow Tyler to be around little kids?” Monica calls out, smirking. “How is that working out?”
“He’s great around kids,” Maria replies easily. “He recently helped chaperone a Museum of Science visit.”
“I went to the Museum of Science back when I was in elementary school,” Monica chimes in.
“Why did everyone go except me?” I ask, racking my brain to recall my past school outings.
“Guess you're too old,” Monica teases, eliciting laughter from Maria.
“That's exactly what I said,” Maria adds quickly, and the two girls share a giggle at my expense.
“Well,” my mom declares, rising from her seat and giving me a pointed look, “I should order the pizza now. Tyler, could you grab the drinks from the kitchen?”
