Building A (Strange) Family

Not Uncomfortable

Lilly was laying on the bed, playing on her phone and soon realized David was still mostly asleep when stumbled out of the shower.

She almost warned him she had rearranged things a bit...
But stopped herself.

She watched him go to the dresser on autopilot, open his drawer and pull out underwear.

He dropped his towel and slipped them on and then grabbed a t-shirt.

She held her hand over her mouth as she watched him, screaming internally.

He didn't notice her.
But he did stop once he pulled the shirt down.

"Lilly?"

"Yes my love?"

"... Am I wearing... Satin underwear?"

"...uh huh."

He looked down at the red satin covering him, then up a little to the t-shirt.
Gorn, Star Trek, too nerdy for him.

He continued looking down at the clothes as if they confounded him.

"I don't... Own satin underwear, Lilly."

She snorted, started laughing and couldn't stop.

He turned to look at her, confused and still not fully awake.

"I'm sorry, David. I meant to ask you about it. I moved my things to the higher drawer so I wouldn't have to bend as low to grab my things. I don't know why I didn't think of it before ... I'm Sorry!"
She burst out laughing again.

David nodded slowly and looked back down to the clothes.

"... They're kinda comfortable..."

Lilly fell back on the bed laughing.

Robert found Lilly in the living room, alone on the couch.
Perfect.

He sat down beside her and laid a wrapped package on her lap.
She squinted at him.

"What's this?"

He shrugged.
"It's a day early, but it's from Nick. Happy Birthday."

Her heart ached a little at the mention of the missing family member, but she smiled anyway.

The package was beautifully wrapped in white paper with silver swirls over it.
She found the ends and carefully pulled the tape up.
Robert laughed at her.

She pulled the paper off to reveal a silver book.
Opening it, she found pictures.
Dark night, ocean beach, torches.

"Oh... Oh, goodness... It's the wedding!"

Her hand in hand with David in front of the officiant,
the guys on either side of them, laughing, the kiss.

She took in a shaky breath, caressing the photos.

"Nick ... Nick did this?"

"We knew you and David kind of blanked on a photographer. Nick decided to do it. Nice job, too. And don't worry; I took the camera from him a couple times so he's in there too."

There was one with David on his bike.
It was easy to see the happiness on his face at the moment, but to see it forever immortalized, to see just how happy from an outsiders perspective hit her hard and surprised her.

It was probably the best present she had ever gotten for her birthday, and she couldn't even thank Nick.
She sniffed and pulled the book to her chest before reaching out and pulling Robert to her as well.

"Thank you. Thank you both... Nick will be back, right?"

Robert nodded.
"I'm sure of it."