Dots and Zeros [Completed]

17. Madeline

'He just left,' Sam says.

'Okay. He could have stayed for dinner.'

'I know.'

I put the grocery bags on the counter. Sam follows me into the kitchen. The blinds hanging in front of the windows are up. They're letting the last rays of sunlight into the room before disappearing completely.

'Didn't you two meet up yesterday as well?' I ask.

They sit down on top of the dinner table. I turn around to look at them. With my back against the counters I observe their face. They're not looking back at me.

'We did. We ate pizza together.'

'That's nice. Anything else?'

'No.'

Sam looks at me from across the room.

'Why are you looking at me like that?' they ask.

'Like what?'

'Like you think you know something happened between me and Eugene. Trust me. Nothing happened. It's not like that.'

'Alright,' I say. 'If you say so.'

I turn back around and start unpacking the groceries. I first organize them by group on the dark countertop. I'll put them in their actual place afterwards. I can see the snack pile grow taller than I thought it'd be.

'If anything, you're the one not telling me things,' Sam says.

'How so?'

I keep organizing without looking at them. Two more bags to go.

'Where were you last night? You didn't come home.'

'I was at work.'

'The whole night?'

'Yes.'

'I don't believe you.'

I can hear Sam stand up from their place on the table. They walk towards me and reach for a pack of cookies in the snack pile. The noise of ripping plastic comes from behind me as I put more snacks on the pile.

'What don't you believe about it?' I ask.

'You didn't come home to sleep or anything. At who's place did you sleep over?'

'I slept at work.'

'I'm not a kid anymore, mom. I know of romance and stuff.'