AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“I’ll think about it. But that’sallI’ll promise.”
“That’s all I’m asking for.”
Raine sighs and rests her head on my shoulder again. I try not to feel too hopeful that my plan to convince her to stay will work, but I can’t help it. Until now, she’s never let me hear her music. Until now, she’s never suggested she’d eventhinkabout playing her own music for an audience.
“Are you tired?” I ask when Raine yawns.
“Mm-hmm.”
“Let’s get you home, then.”
She lifts her head from my shoulder. I keep my arm around her waist as we walk back toward the pub.
“What’s your family like?” I ask.
“Well, you’ve obviously met Clara.”
“She seems nice.”
“She is. She’s also... complicated. We were really close as kids, and then we weren’t. But I think we’re coming back around to each other again.”
“And your parents?”
She sighs. “They’re wonderful. Really. I know I make it sound like they aren’t sometimes, but they are. They love us. They mean well. They want the best for us. But they also put a lot of pressure on us too. They have a very specific idea of whatbestlooks like.”
“And it doesn’t look like quitting medical school to become a traveling musician?”
She laughs. “Definitely not.”
“I betbestdoesn’t look like some Irish publican covered in tattoos either.” I don’t know why I say it. I shouldn’t be thinking about Raine’s parents, people I will never meet, and what they might think of me. I can’t help but wonder, though. There’s a part of me that wants to be good enough.
“Actually, I think they’d love you.”
“You don’t have to lie to me, Raine. I know what people think when they see me.”
“I’m not lying,” she says. “They’re very narrow-minded in what they thinkweshould do—school, job-wise, stuff like that. They want us to have every opportunity. But they wouldn’t judge you for how you look or your job.”
“What would they judge me on, then?”
“Well, they love to laugh, and I think you’d make them laugh. That would earn you some points for sure. But even if you didn’t make them laugh, they’ve always said they want us to have people in our lives who are kind and make us happy.”
We arrive in front of the door that leads to the flat. Raine starts to take off my gloves, but I tell her to hold on to them until she finds hers.
“Can I ask you something?” I say.
“Sure.”
“Are you happy right now?”
She smiles up at me, and I’m overwhelmed by the way I feel when I look at her. “Yeah, I am.”
“Good.”
There’s a moment of silence as we look at each other. Raine fights back a yawn. She rolls her eyes when I laugh at her and says, “Are you going to kiss me good night, or what? I need my beauty sleep.”
“I’ll think about it,” I say. I take her by the waist, walking her backward until she’s against the wall. “And you certainly don’t need any beauty sleep.”
“Well, you ought to make up your mind soon,” she says. “I’m tired.”
