Ethically Speaking

4.5

•- Quincie Jackson -•

I can hear his heart pounding in his chest as we lay comfortably on his bed. Elijah's soothing deep breaths keep me grounded as he softly brushes my hair to the side.

"I'm sorry."

Elijah chuckles and my body vibrates with him. "You've said that about a dozen times since we came home, Quincie. I promise you everything is quite alright."

But nothing is alright. Today would go down as the worst day of my life and somehow I've managed to explode both my own and Elijah's lives.

"You lost your job, Elijah. I'm the reason you're unemployed."

His body shifts so he's no longer under me but rather lying on his side. I turn to face him and we comfortably lay looking at each other.

"You're the reason I'm happy. I loved my job because I got to see you every day. Did you know when you know an answer to a question but don't want to raise your hand you nibble on your pen caps? And when we're discussing something you find really exciting you get a little dimple right here." He pokes my cheeks and it brings a smile to my face.

"It's a miracle we weren't caught until today."

Elijah laughs before pressing a gentle and fleeting kiss to my lips.

"Loving you has been my favorite part of every workday. I don't care that I've lost my job, Quince. As long as I don't lose you."

I nuzzle into the crook of his neck and breathe in his scent as if it's the last time I'll ever smell him again.

We lay like that a while longer just enjoying the small caresses of the other. We're both too somber to start anything and while I allow my thoughts to wander to the worst of possibilities I don't allow them any substance.

A knock at the door brings us from our safe haven and Elijah gets up to answer it.

His professional clothes had been long discarded and somehow he looked just as handsome in a t-shirt and sweats.

Max perks up when Elijah passes him on the couch, but he only lays back down with the kind of disgruntled sigh a dog could pass off because his life is just oh so terrible.

I'm content with what feels like a small and happy family that I've found in Elijah and Max. I had come straight here after my meeting with my father and Elijah and I'd been here since. Besides a quick text to Grace, I had been contentedly curled into the arms of Elijah.

I can't see who is behind the door when Elijah pulls it open but the familiar voice of my mother rings out against the walls of his apartment and echoes against my ears. I'm sat in fear momentarily.

Elijah ushers her in and hanging on to either arm are my siblings as the three of them enter Elijah's apartment.

I move off the bed and flatten my hair as quickly as possible before greeting them suspiciously in the living room.

"Mom? What are you doing here?"

Junior and Lucy let go of her hands before turning towards me. Either sibling grabs a side of me and refuses to let go. I missed them more than I thought.