The Boy in My Basement

Chapter 3

I lay on the couch snacking on some chips when I heard the front door open; I turned my head to the side and looked down the hallway towards the front door.

"Lexi you better not be eating chips in my couch." My mother called out.

"Hi mommy." I said innocently, Savannah and David chuckled as my mom walked past me with a disapproving frown on her face. After Toby and I came home, Toby challenged Dylan to a duel for my hand and is currently in the backyard play fighting. I sat up and brushed the chip crumbs off my lap before heading into the kitchen, as I walked in I noticed the three adults putting away groceries. I hopped up on the counter and looked at the time on the oven; it read twenty past six, as if on cue my stomach grumbled loudly.

"Mum, what's for dinner?"

"Why don't we order something? I don't feel like cooking today, are you okay with that?" she asked looking at the two other adults in the kitchen.

"That's fine. Oh, Lexi where are those two troublemakers?" Savannah asked.

I looked out the window at the two boys and laughed.

"They're outside battling for my hand in marriage." I said nonchalantly. They all stopped what they were doing and looked at me.

"It's a long story." I jumped off the counter and helped them put away the groceries, once we finished David went outside to join his sons and Savannah went into the living room. I watched my mom order Chinese and dreaded the moment she would get off the phone, I needed to tell her that I had another panic attack. She hung up the phone and looked at me.

"What is it?" she asked. I softly laughed; my mom and I have always been close. I practically consider her my best friend; she always knows what's wrong with me before I know myself.

"I had another panic attack yesterday." She sighed and gave me a warm hug; I relaxed in her embrace as she stroked my hair.

"What caused it?" she asked softly.

"Toby, I was washing dishes and I thought that he would make a cool younger brother."

She pulled away and rubbed my shoulders, "Even when he's gone your father still..." she paused as she felt me tense up.

She smiled sadly at me and kissed my cheek, "If you want Toby to be your brother, you can just marry Dylan."

I looked at her shocked, "Mom!" I cried. She winked at me and walked out of the kitchen; I leaned up against the counter and reluctantly thought about the past.

"Lexi where is the ice?" I looked up and watched Dylan walk into the kitchen holding his jaw.

"Um I'm pretty sure it's in the oven, everyone keeps ice in there." I said sarcastically.

"Haha, very funny."

"What's wrong with your face?"

"Never underestimate Toby, he landed a pretty good punch." I looked at the bruise forming on the side of his jaw and burst out laughing.

"So I'm guessing Toby won the right for my hand in marriage?"

He winked, "Don't worry I'll run away with you on your wedding day." I rolled my eyes, grabbed a rag and walked up the fridge.

"Next time you want ice, go into the freezer like a normal person." He looked away and blushed a little; I laughed and put a couple of ice cubes in the rag. Walking up to him, I grabbed his chin and placed the rag on the bruise.

"Ow, can't you be gentle?" he complained.

"Stop being such a baby and hold the rag." His hand replaced mine and held it gently against his face. He opened his mouth to say something but was interrupted when Toby came barreling in.