to live for the hope of it all.

Chapter 53

February 23rd, 2024

"And all the pieces fall,
Right into place..."

Beckett

"Bailey," my mom starts. "Could you cut up the onion that's in the fridge? I don't trust Delilah with a knife yet."

"Yes ma'am," my girlfriend says, falling into place with my mother after grabbing the onion and a knife.

My girlfriend.

I marvel at my two of my favorite girls as they work, but eventually my mother shoos me out of the kitchen for making "googly eyes" at Bailey.

Whatever.

Walking into the living room, I collapse next to Grandpa Matt on the sofa.

"They kick you out?" He laughed.

"Yup."

"Figured, how's school going, boyo? All caught up?"

"Just finished catching up actually, but I think I'll be good until finals come around," I answer, taking in his form. He has bags under his eyes, and his posture isn't his usual straight one. Bailey said he's still coming out of whatever he caught last week, and it's showing. "Are you doing alright, old man?"

"Yeah you know how it is," he waves off. "Just coming off the aftershocks."

Red flag, Beckett.

"Yeah," I said, and even I could hear the skepticism in my voice. "How's the leave going?"

"I'm loving it, I'm just soaking in all the time I have left with Bailey before y'all leave," he smiles tiredly. "Can't believe you youngins are graduating."

"I can't either," I sigh. "Feels like just yesterday we were fixing up my truck and taking it test driving."

"You're telling me," he laughed. "Years flew by."

"Dinner!" My mother shouted, and it echoed through the house. I stood to head to the kitchen, but stopped when I heard Grandpa Matt groan behind me.

"Christ," he mumbled, standing to his feet and heading to the kitchen. He made it to his chair before wrapping his arms around himself. "Is it cold in here?"

"It's on 72," my mother said, eyeing him carefully. "Are you cold?"

"Freezing," he said, turning to me. "Boyo, would you mind running next door and grabbing me a coat from my closet?"

"I can go," Bailey said, setting the knife down.

"No, Beckett's got it," he smiled at her. "Finish chopping that onion so we can eat, you can separate from your boyfriend for 5 minutes."

I smiled when her cheeks blushed as she ducked her head to do as he said.

"They're all hanging, I just did laundry," he told me, passing me his keys. "Take your pick."

"Yes sir."

Grabbing his keys, and telling Beau to stay put, I ran next door to his place before going into his bedroom. I'd never been in here, but it was painted the same color as Bailey's. Like her, he had a bookshelf on one of his walls. Unlike her, it only had a few books.

The rest of the space was taken up by framed pictures, all with Bailey and some with Wren too. I smiled when I saw the most recent one of him and Bailey that they took before homecoming. They were glowing, and she wore the smile she only wore for him.

Remembering what I came here for, I spotted his closet in the corner before opening it.

"They're all hanging, I just did laundry," he told me, passing me his keys. "Take your pick."