Reunion

Reunion Part 10

Awareness dawns on me slowly. It is dark and quiet. Andy's warm body is wrapped around mine. It's so cozy, I could stay like this forever.

I snuggle deeper into his arms and sigh contentedly as memories of the day drift back. The simple domesticity of running errands together. Talking and laughing. Ending up back in the hotel room.

The hotel room.

I'm in the hotel room. Oh God, what time is it? I extricate myself from Andy's arms and grab my phone.

It's after midnight and I've missed a lot of messages from my Dad asking where I was. I scroll through them seeing his rising agitation and feel the panic rising within me as well.

Thankfully at the bottom is a message from Jacob. He told our parents that he spoke to me and everything is ok. I owe him big time for that. I sit on the edge of the bed and calm my breathing.

As quietly as I can, I get dressed and leave a note for Andy by his phone. I'm sure he would want me to wake him up so he can walk me out. He's a gentleman that way. But he just looks so peaceful I can't bear to disturb him.

I reach down and run my fingers through his hair and press a soft kiss to his forehead. He stirs slightly but stays asleep. I watch his chest rise and fall with each breath and force myself to leave the room.

. . . . .

I pull into the driveway with my headlights off like I'm some sort of criminal. This is ridiculous. The house is dark except for Jacob's room. I may have gotten away with it.

Very quietly I make my way inside the house and up the stairs, holding my shoes in my hand. Again, ridiculous. Light shines from under Jacob's door and I knock softly. He pulls the door open, and I step into his room. A violent looking video game is paused on his computer.

"Thank you so much for covering for me tonight. I owe you."

"Don't thank me yet. You have to deal with them in the morning," he says yawning.

I sigh, resting my forehead against his door jamb. "Sneaking around is exhausting. How do you do it?"

Jacob shrugs and swivels his chair towards me. "I haven't met anyone worth going through much trouble over. I like to think that if I met someone special, I would tell Mom and Dad, they'd be cool with it, and I wouldn't have to hide."

I scoff. "Right. You know how they are. They would not be 'cool with it'." I pull sarcastic air quotes.

"You could try it and see." He smirks at me. "Be the penguin."

I laugh. It's a running joke we have had since we were kids. Penguins are known to push one of their own into the water to see if any predators are lurking. One of us would act the role of the penguin with our parents to test their reactions to an idea. I never wanted to be the penguin and this time is no different.

"I'd rather get eaten by a seal," I say with a sigh. "Thanks again." I give him a squeeze on the shoulder and head to my room.

I sit down on my bed. It's so cold and empty compared to where I've been. I allow my thoughts to drift back to Andy's hotel room. The feeling of his body pressed into my back. The tickle of his whiskers on my neck. His breathing gentle and comforting in my ear.

I could get used to that.

. . . . .

Dad is on the war path this morning, slamming cupboard doors and grumbling under his breath. I eat my breakfast at the kitchen table trying to act like nothing is out of the ordinary. Like I didn't sneak into my house at 1 a.m.

I woke up to at least a dozen missed messages from Andy from the early morning when he discovered I had gone. He apologized and wished I had woken him up, just like I expected. I can't help imagining what it would be like to wake up next to him...

We would stir, still tangled up in each other, and greet each other with sleepy grins. His hair would be a mess and I would brush through it with my fingers while he sighed contentedly.

He would kiss my nose, then my lips, then my neck and move downward...

I'm jolted back to the present by the sound of crashing dishes. My mom is watching me over her cup of tea. A strange expression on her face. I hop up to help my father.

"Dad, let me." I take the frying pan out of his hand.

"I can never find anything in here! Where is my special pan?" He continues opening and closing cabinet doors.

"It's up here." I indicate an upper cupboard where we store rarely used items. "What do you need it for? I can't even remember when you used it last."

"Always moving things. Never where they are supposed to be." He grumbles loudly. "I can't find anything. I can't find you. Where were you last night?"

"I lost track of time. I'm sorry you couldn't find me when you needed me." I move behind him attempting to put the kitchen back in order.

"You should be here."

"I know, but I am an adult and have a life." That earns a grunt in response. "What did you need help with? Can I help you today?"

He waves his hand dismissively. "It is done." Still grumbling he heads towards his home office, the special pan forgotten. I sigh and sit back down to my breakfast.

"You're never out that late," Mom says quietly.

"I know, I'm sorry."

"You've been out more this week than usual," she continues.

"I guess so," I shrug and stand up from the table. I can feel my mom's eyes on my back as I try to exit the kitchen at a normal pace.