Healing Takes Time

Chapter 20

Chapter 20

If Mom hadn't been there, things would've been really awkward when we pulled apart. As it was, she made the younger siblings go upstairs, and I stayed downstairs. I was kinda worried about what would happen now. Was I still gonna get in trouble for leaving last night? For arguing this early in the morning?

None of the scenarios running through my head were anything like what actually happened. Dad threw himself down on the couch and stuffed some pillows under his head. Connie peeked at us from the second floor and scuttled down the stairs to lay with Dad.

He didn't protest. Connie curled up onto his chest and fell asleep instantaneously. Even though the majority of us in our family were light sleepers, we fell asleep practically on command.

Dad cracked an eye open in my direction. "You wanna join too?" I couldn't tell if he was being serious or sarcastic.

I was about to make a smartass reply when Mom interjected. "No, we're going for a walk. Get some sleep--you need it."

Before he could reply, she grabbed my wrist and dragged me outside. It was a good thing I still had my shoes on. "Is he still having problems sleeping?"

It wasn't exactly new information. For as long as I can remember, Dad's been an insomniac. He usually sleeps one or two hours a night on average. I wasn't surprised by his ability to stay awake every single day--give me some credit; I am a high schooler after all.

"He didn't sleep at all last night." I raised my eyebrows in surprise. "He... was too worried. Thought you'd come back in the middle of the night."

I bit my lip and looked down. Now I felt like shit. Make the insomniac stay awake all night on fucking purpose, why don't ya?

She patted me on the shoulder. "It's fine now. Everything is fine."

"Why was I summoned here again?"

"Gosh, Jean boy, you make it sound like you're a demon I've just summoned."

I shrugged. She wasn't wrong.

She bumped me with her shoulder. "I just thought that it would be nice to have a conversation with my oldest ba--I mean son," she corrected herself.

"You can still call me your baby and whatever, I just don't like being treated like I have the IQ of one."

She smiled. "Okay, baby."

We had passed the mini ten hole putt-putt course and were almost to the play sets. One of them had two swings on them. I kicked off my shoes before we got to the sandy part, and Mom followed suit. We both sat in a swing.

"Marco, huh?"

I stared straight ahead and cleared my throat. "Yeah."

"He seems very nice."

I made an agreeable noise. "He is. Very much so. Too nice, actually."

"How so?"

I sighed. "He doesn't like to say no to anybody, and I think that it'll get him into some trouble one of these days."

"Ah. He's one of those. Is that the reason why you like him?"

Part of me was rearing at the thought of sharing any personal thoughts and feelings, but the other part of me really did want to try to get along. "Yeah, but that's not it," I said finally.

"What else? Tell me more about him."

I bit my lip. "He's got a ton of freckles that I can't count, and his eyes have this innocent look to them, you know? Like most people become cold and hard as they grow up, and I know that I'm getting like that too, but he isn't the type of person to let harshness get to him. He's really optimistic.

"He's the total opposite of me. He's really... calm. And sweet. And kind. He blushes a lot and smiles even more, and he doesn't cuss at all or get mad. He's Freckled Jesus, Mom."

I finally looked at her. She was looking at me weirdly with shining eyes and a trembling lower lip.

I felt heat rise to my cheeks. "What?"

"Nothing, nothing," she said quickly. "Anything else?"

I looked forward again, knowing that if I saw her face while I was talking, I wouldn't be able to keep going.

"He's a fighter. He had that stroke when he was just a kid, and he is glad about it. He says that it's a part of what makes him him, and I totally agree with him. He even has a bad history when it comes to relationships, so he's pretty insecure in that department, but he still jumped in and decided to give me a chance. I even ran away from him because I was scared, but he ran after me. He almost got hit by a car in the process, but that just made his effort more galiant.

"I've mentioned this already, but he has the best personality in the world. He laughs and smiles constantly. He's upbeat and happy. When I was upset last night, he met me halfway up to his cabin. He cares a lot and is mild tempered. It's like somebody rewired his brain to be a ray of fucking sunshine at all times.

"But I think the best thing is that out of all the people he could've chosen the start over again with, he chose me even though I'm not like him at all." I looked down at my feet, feeling bashful from having said so much.

I felt Mom's hand smooth my hair. "It sounds like you two compliment each other perfectly."

I nodded.

After a couple seconds of quiet, she said, "Bring him over tonight. I wanna get to know him more in person."

I looked back at her. "Are you nuts?"

She laughed. "Oh, come on. I won't embarrass you. Besides, I don't have the naked baby pictures of you with me."

Thank God for the little miracles.

"Okay," I said reluctantly. "I'll ask, but I don't know if he'll agree."

"Didn't you say that he can't tell anybody no?" She winked at me.

Why did I tell her that?