AllFreeNovel
Share Us
He glowers at me. “You know what I mean.”
I sigh. “Yeah, I guess so.” I drum my fingers again. “You know what, you’re right.”
He looks up at me in surprise.
“I mean, I don’t know what you’re feeling. I know it’s strange, and I know it must be uncomfortable. You know who might be good to talk to?” I ask. Benji shakes his head hesitantly. “My brother.”
“Mom’s Lewis?” he asks in surprise.
I nod. “Yeah,” I agree, though it’s strange to think of my brother as anyone’s someone. “We have the same mom but different dads. Our mom married my dad when Lewis was about your age. It’s a different situation, but I’m sure he had big feelings about it.”
Benji considers that. “Are you marrying my dad?”
My eyes widen, and I nearly choke on nothing again. “No! I mean, not right now? I mean, never? I mean… the point wasn’t the marriage. Just that Lewis knows what it’s like to have big family changes at this age.”
Benji grumbles something I can’t hear under his breath. I give him an awkward smile. He sighs.
“Dad seems to like you, I guess,” he says, and I think that’s as close to approval as I’m getting.
Thankfully, Angie and Alice come barrelling down the stairs at that exact second. They’re smiling at each other, which bodes well for this night.
Angie rushes over to show me a doll.
“Her name isMallory,” she says very seriously. “And I love her.”
“Wow!” I examine the doll. “Fabulous.”
“Fabulous!” She sings the last syllable. Even Benji cracks a smile.
“Miss Laura?” Angie asks as she clambers into the chair next to me, petting her doll. Alice is sliding into the seat next to Benji and looking very pointedly at the abandoned dessert on his plate.
“Just Laura is fine,” I say quickly.
Alice snorts. “Losing authority already? Not wise.”
I roll my eyes at her and focus on Angie. “What is it, sweetie?”
“I think if you want to babysit me some time, that’s okay.”
My heart swells. “Wow,” I say earnestly. “How lovely!”
“I think you’d be okay at dolls,” she continues.
“I’d certainly try my best.”
We’re all sitting around the table, and when Alice and I catch each others’ eyes, we have a private conversation just through micro-expressions. This is something we managed to learn a long time ago, and I never eventhoughtabout how convenient it is to use while surrounded bykids.
Alice narrows her eyes:Do you have any idea how much I love you and your terrible dating decisions?
I lift my gaze to the ceiling and then back at her, unamused:You know you don’t think he’s that awful.
She lifts one shoulder:Whatever.
I pop my neck and smile at Angie:Besides, the kids are cute.
Alice pinches her lips together:FINE, that’s true.
“What are you guys doing?” Benji interrupts.
