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“I want to. This night has been great, and I’m not ready for it to end just yet.” He pays and gets to his feet. “So, lead the way.”
I’m surprised that Drex is so eager to see the hovel we’re living in. With any other soldier, I’d just assume that he wants to get into my pants, but I don’t sense that from him. He seems sincerely eager to get to know me in a way that none of my hookups or partners ever had before.
When we open the door to the apartment, Isa is already waiting with my mom. She smiles when she sees me, but it tightens as her gaze travels up to Drex’s face nearly two feet above mine.
“Hi,” she says, and then grabs the fitted sheet and turns to Mom. “I’ll lift you while Sophia changes the sheets, okay? I know it sucks, but…”
Mama grimaces. “Please just do it quickly. Better to just rip the bandage off.”
“I can help,” Drex says, and suddenly, all eyes are on him. He shrugs. “I mean, it’ll be less moving around, right?”
“As long as it’s not too much trouble,” Mama replies and then raises her brows. “If I’d known I’d be picked up by a hot Kaleidian tonight, I would’ve brushed my hair and worn my nice nightgown. I’m not even halfway presentable.”
“No trouble at all. And don’t worry, ma’am. I can see where Sophia gets her looks,” he replies playfully as he crosses the room.
Leaning over, he lets her wrap her arms around his neck and worms his own under her back and knees. “Alright, on the count of three. One… two… three!” He lifts her with the same ease that I would lift a baby.
Isa and I make quick work of the sheets, removing the old and replacing the new. “Okay, you can set her down now,” Isa says.
Mom lays her head against Drex’s chest and hums. “No, I think I’m good. This is way more comfortable.”
“Mom!” I exclaim, my face flushing. Leave it to my mother to find the perfect way to embarrass me within seconds of bringing home a guy for the first time.
Drex chuckles and gently sets her down. “Sorry, ma’am, but I only have eyes for your daughter.”
That does something to me. It feels like my heart is doing a gymnastics routine in my chest. I knew we had a special connection, I could feel it, but the affirmation makes me giddy.
“Bianca,” Mama says. “Call me Bianca. Anyone who sees me in my ugly pajamas has earned the right to call me by my first name.”
“I’m Drex.“ He offers his hand for her to shake. It almost entirely engulfs her frail one when she takes it.
“Nice to meet you, Drex. Have you been showing my Sophia a good time? She works way too hard.”
“Mama…” I groan, my face flushing again. Desperate to change the subject, I throw my arm around Isa. “And this is Isa, the friend I’ve been telling you about.”
“Nice to meet you, Isa,” he replies, holding out his hand to shake like he did with Mama.
She stares at it for a moment like it might be a trap before taking it. The sleeve of her shirt slips back slightly, revealing some of the burn scars that cover almost half of her body. “Nice to meet you,” she replies, her voice soft and expression carefully blank.
I know what she’s thinking. He’s just here to get in my pants and give me false hope for a better future. As soon as he gets what he wants, he’ll abandon me to the war.
But I can already tell that Drex isn’t that kind of guy. If I didn’t know before, I certainly did when he helped us with Mom. Underneath that scaly exterior is a soft heart of gold.
With a tight smile and a glance at me that says, ‘We’ll talk later,’ Isa vanishes into her bedroom.
Drex glances between me and Mama in confusion. “Did I say something?”
Mama shakes her head. “Isa’s just protective of us. The war took everything from her, and we’re really the only family she has left.” She lets out a jaw-cracking yawn. “I’m sorry. I wish I could be a better host right now, but my nighttime meds are kicking in, and I’ll probably start nodding off mid-conversation. You two crazy kids have fun… just please don’t be too loud.”
I bury my face in my hands. “You’re impossible.”
“No, I’m your mother. And it’s my right to embarrass you in front of any guy you bring home! Anyway, good night, Sophia. Nice to meet you, Drex. I hope I’ll be seeing you around.”
He smiles gently. “Don’t worry. You won’t be rid of me for a long time.”
We head to my bedroom. It’s barely big enough to fit him, making him look comically huge on my bed. “Well, here we are,” I say as a sudden wave of awkwardness hits me. It’s not that I’m a virgin – far from it – but this is the first guy I’ve brought home. And now he’s sitting on the bed waiting for me to make the first move.
Well, fuck it. We all may die tomorrow, so we might as well live while we can.
