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“How did you know?” It was so similar to what Paxon told me about Cal and the kissing.
“She’d get mad if we really did stop. She’d scream bloody murder as we tickled her, but as soon as we stopped, she’d get really upset.” His voice softened the more he talked, warmth entering back into his voice. He had a small sad smile, but it was a smile either way, and that was a win for me.”
“And your mom?”
“Liked to dance. She’d lift us up and spin around, dancing like a crazy person. One time she accidentally spun me so much I threw up. It could also have been because I had eaten nearly a tub of candy.”
I laughed, imagining a little Justin doing that. I didn’t have too many memories as young as that. I had some, but nothing solid. Justin seemed to have had a lot. He had been five when his life changed. Yet he had such sharp memories of his mom and sister.
“I don’t have many memories from being so young like you do, and I have even less happier memories of my mother. I do remember a moment when she was pregnant though. She had been sitting on the couch with something forgettable on the TV. She was sitting there, rubbing her belly, and humming. I had never heard her hum before like that. Lindie wasn’t a singer. She never sang ever. But that moment, she hummed a soft, gentle toon. It was probably the kindest I had seen her before. For a moment, I saw a mother.”
“And you loved her for that moment.”
“I did,” I admitted. “Just like you loved your dad for those moments too, the ones you remember but won’t talk about.”
Justin grimaced.
“You don’t ever have to tell them to me. But I know they’re there. Moments when you saw a father.” I turned onto my street and squinted at the vehicles in Seth’s driveway.
No one should have been there. I felt awkward staying there on my own with Seth gone, so I spent minimum time there—mostly to take care of Bebe and make sure he had all the attention he needed, but I didn’t sleep there.
The vehicles became familiar as we got closer, including Seth’s behemoth truck, which should have been in his garage. “What’s going on?”
“Looks like everyone is here,” Justin remarked, seeming just as confused as I was.
Instead of pulling into my house, I went over to Seth’s, parking next to Paxon’s car. As I got out slowly, everyone piled out of the house.
“What’s going on?” I asked.
Toby practically bounded down the steps and tackled me into a tight hug. “Black Friday!”
I wrapped my arm around him, barely able to look over his shoulder at the others, focusing on Seth as I gave them all confused looks. He was back already? Wasn’t he coming home over the weekend?
“What about Black Friday?” I dumbly asked, realizing how much I had missed Seth. More than I realized.
“We’re going to go explore,” Bryan said. “My treat.”
I blinked. “Your treat, what does that mean?”
He shrugged. “Do you want to drive or get a ride with someone?”
I looked around. Toby was already going to Seth’s truck. Paxon was by Bryan’s car. “I guess I’ll get a ride,” I mumbled.
“With me!” Toby called out, waving me over to the truck.
“I’ll go with Bryan,” Justin said. He pulled me into a hug and whispered, “Thank you for being there with me. For protecting me.”
I squeezed him, taking in a deep breath. “I don’t feel like I did much protecting.”
“You did more than you think.” He kissed my cheek, gave me a shy smile and went over to Bryan’s car.
“He’ll be okay,” Seth said.
“We’ll make sure he’ll be okay.” Determination slipped into my voice.
“Definitely.” Seth wrapped his arm around me. “Let’s try to bankrupt Bryan.”
“What?” I frowned at him. “And why didn’t you tell me you were coming back early?”
