Looking After You

(32) Ages: 21 & 18

Ages: 21 & 18

August 14th was proving to be a bright and sunny day, and James woke with it wearing a smile that could, quite possibly, have put the sun to shame. Despite the circumstances he found himself in that morning, he had hope that all the bad in the last few months would contribute to all the good that was bound to come to pass. After stretching the kinks out from sleeping on the couch, James began making his way to the first floor bathroom. He saw the bathroom light shining underneath the door and began pounding his fist against it. “I need to use the bathroom!” He shouted.

“Use the one upstairs!”

He groaned at his mother’s response, before reluctantly making his way up the flight of stairs. Unfortunately, he found a light shining beneath that door as well and began knocking. He was beginning to wonder if a nice bush in the backyard wouldn’t have been simpler. Against his better judgment, and ultimately because of his desperate need to relieve his bladder, he pushed open the door after seconds of silence.

“Jameson!” Jenny shouted in horror as she lifted the top she holding, in an attempt to cover her body. Unfortunately, the small top didn’t help much as she stood in front of the shower in nothing but her bra and underwear.

James continued to stand in the doorway motionless; his eyes wide like a deer in headlights and his mouth open just slightly in stunned embarrassment.

“Close the door!” Jenny shouted once more and James somehow found his head in order to step outside, closing the door behind him. He leaned against the wall beside the bathroom as a sly smile tugged at the left side of his mouth. “I can hear you smirking!” She yelled through the door as she continued dressing herself with irritated grunts and murmurs.

“How can you hear me smirking?” Unable to conceal his laugh as he spoke, Jenny rolled her eyes while shaking into her tight fitting blue jeans.

“You can’t just barge in on people while they’re taking a shower!”

“You weren’t taking a shower, you were already out of the shower and you were getting dressed.” He stated matter-of-factly, not that it mattered in the least. “Besides, what are you even doing taking a shower in the morning? You never take showers in the morning.”

Jenny opened the door then, with her toiletries in hand, and her curly, damp hair hanging loosely around her face. “You do know how unbelievably strange it is that you know that, right?” She sneered, eyeing him in irritation before walking off down the hall.

“You learn a lot about a person while living with them.” James fired back gleefully, following close on her heels.

Jenny turned to enter James’ room where she had been staying the last few weeks but stuck her head out of the small space between the door and frame to glare at him. “I thought you had to pee?”

“You do know how unbelievably strange it is that you know that, right?” He smiled proudly at himself, but Jenny’s glare only stiffened before she promptly slammed the door in his face. “Love you too!” James shouted to the closed door with an amused grin before turning back around. He jumped slightly in surprise to see his father standing a ways behind him with an arch to his left eyebrow. “Good mornin’, daddy.” Giving a two-fingered salute, James made his way back to the bathroom while humming with every step he took. Richard shook his head before continuing his walk down the hall for his day of work. The new living arrangements were bound to be entertaining, that Richard was sure of.

~

The breakfast table that morning was silent, for the most part, besides the mental bickering between Jenny and James as they played tug of war with the cereal box and started elbow fights for table space. Jenny, James, and Denise all watched as Alison walked around the kitchen like an emotional zombie while using her spoon to stir her small cup of coffee. She was staring out the window, unaware that she had captured everyone’s attention.