Reagan's Readings

Chapter Eleven

My apartment was getting too small for this many people.

That was the only thought going through my head as my three boys sat in various places in the living room, with me on the couch trying to watch TV and drown out their voices.

I wasn't really watching TV though. My mind currently had no interest in the shitty reality show flitting across the screen. What is was interested in thinking about was where we had just come from.

Yoshi decided to work on Venice's skills that day, so he took us all to a place he felt would really help Ven get accustomed to lots of different feelings all at once.

He took us to a hockey game.

I, for one, had never been a big sports fan. I watched the occasional basketball game and Superbowl, but I didn't keep up with players names or current champions or even the rules for that matter. My brothers, though?

When Yoshi showed them the tickets, I don't think I had ever seen Legend smile so hard. Venice wasn't totally sure what going to see a hockey game entailed, but his brothers mood was enough to send him cheering and running around in circles.

I was just happy to see them happy.

The game itself had been an interesting experience. There were a lot of emotions, that's for sure. I hadn't realized just how violent and passionate hockey was. Venice really did benefit from all the different feelings hitting him all at once.

That wasn't the reason it was still on my mind, though. The whole situation had a very... domestic vibe to it. That didn't cause a good feeling to settle in me. I hadn't realized how serious Yoshi was about breaking down my walls, but I was beginning to think he was getting there, little by little.

I was startled out of my thoughts when an arm bumped mine. My eyes shot up to find Yoshi's hand holding out a glass to me. I took it cautiously and sniffed the contents.

Jack and coke. He knew I was a simple girl.

"Thanks," I said gratefully, taking a tender sip.

His now empty hand skimmed the top of my head affectionately in response before he sat down in front of me and leaned back against my legs. One thing I had learned was that Yoshi had no understanding of personal space. I sighed, regardless, and continued to sip at my drink.

Yoshi stayed a while. He finished talking with the boys about hockey, and before I could say a word, he told them to go grab their homework and proceeded to help them with it. It had been a long time since I had a break from homework duty, and though I was relieved, a part of me was terrified at the role he was beginning to play in my life. Our lives.

When he helped Ledge and Venice finish up their work, he got them both tucked into bed and met me back out in the living room with a lazy smile on his face. He had a few drinks with me already, but they didn't really seem to be affecting him all that much.

I, on the other hand, was definitely feeling the buzz, something that was apparent as my mouth opened and the words, "You can stay here for the night," dropped from my lips. My eyes widened as my brain caught up to my words and Yoshi laughed.

"I'll actually take you up on that if you really mean it."

Shit. I couldn't just take it back. I stared at him, and he stared back, still wearing his lazy grin, eyes lit with humor.

"Yeah, you can stay on the couch," I sighed. "Let me grab you a pillow and blanket."

I went to the closet to grab the things for his makeshift bed and rejoined him.