Abel Clearwater's Quest for Love

.THREE.

On his way to the Macon residence, Abel still picked up dinner for his second family. Upon his arrival, he entered the apartment without a knock, set the pizza box gently on the counter, and made a b-line for Carter's room. His best friend was sitting propped up on his bed, restlesssly playing some stupid game on his cracked smartphone with half a cigarette in his other hand. His room reeked of nicotine. He looked much better than he had the night before, the only visible abrasions a black eye and a slice on his left cheek.
Carter glanced up tiredly as Abel clicked the door shut. "Hey, man," he said, chagrin clear in his voice. "Listen, I-"
"No," Abel cut him off. "Don't apologize. It's alright, man."
Abel knew Carter didn't know how to articulate how thankful he felt properly, but it was written all over his face. He'd learned long ago how to read him, and knew that just because Carter had a bit of a temper problem, he wasn't some monster. Quite the opposite, actually. The fight he had started the night before was provoked by another man trying to sexually harass some drunk girl. Carter had seen it and... well, he had seen it and went apeshit.
"Right," Carter said quietly, finishing off his cigarette in one long pull. He jammed it into his ashtray in the windowsill above his headboard. "Thanks." Abel just nodded. He decided not to tell his friend that Lois had seen them last night. Not yet, at least. He needed to cool down a little, and he was embarrassed enough as it was. He reminded himself to text Lois and mention not to say anything about it.
As Carter began to complain about his hunger, Abel's thoughts shifted to Lois. She'd been so brave. She had stepped up and helped him clean the blood off her brother's skin, diligently doing what needed to be done. He wondered vaguely who was giving her a ride home from work.
Shaking his head to clear his thoughts, Abel smacked his friend upside the head, helped him out of bed, and got him a piece of pizza. "Don't eat all of it," he warned. "Leave some for your mom and sister."
Carter snorted. "Mom won't eat more than one slice, and Lois has plans after work. A date or something."
Abel's body went cold. "A...a date?"
"Yes, a date," replied Carter through a mouthful of food. "Remember that Jonathan kid that was like, in love with her all last year? He finally grew a pair and asked her out. I don't like the kid, but Lois can do what she wants. If he hurts her, I'll rip his balls off, and he knows it."
Abel set his pizza down, suddenly having lost his appetite. Yes, he remembered 'that Jonathan kid'. He remembered watching him practically drool over Lois in their shared English Lit class. He remembered the searing jealousy that crept through him whenever he managed to make her laugh. Abel had never acted on this jealousy. She wasn't his possession and all he wanted was for her to be happy. If stupid Jonathan made her happy, who was he to cut in?
"Yeah," he replied, trying to keep the sadness from his voice. "I remember that Jonathan kid."
Carter quirked an eyebrow at him. He was oblivious to his friend's feelings for his sister. "You okay, dude? You look like you gotta take a shit or something."
Just as Abel was about to put his friend in a headlock, his injuries be damned, Lydia Macon made her way into the apartment.
Lydia was a carbon copy of Lois. Or, vice versa. The same twinkling hazel eyes and caramel hair, the same wide hips and short stature. Lydia's eyes crinkled when she smiled, leaving crows feet behind. Abel loved her like a mother.
"Hi, boys," she said tiredly. She unwound her hair from the bun on her head. It fell to the collarbones of her blue scrubs. "Did you order a pizza?"
"Abe picked it up," replied Carter. Abe. That dumb nickname.
"Have some, Miss Macon," Abel insisted. Even after all the years he'd known her and after all the times she insisted he call her by her first name, he still refused.
She obliged, picking up a slice and nibbling on it. Her hazel orbs then zeroed in on her son's face. She gasped, dropping her food onto the counter. "Carter Stephen Macon, what on earth happened to your face?"
"Ah," Carter said, suddenly seeming to remember the blue and green black eye on his face. He smiled at his mom reassuringly. "Got hit with a branch at work. Y'know, job hazards and all that. Nothing to worry about. That's how I got the scratch, too." Abel held back a grimace. Carter was a good liar. But if he had lifted up his shirt, it would have revealed his bruised ribs, which definitely didn't come from a branch.
Lydia believed him, and her concern was quelled for the time being. She returned to her food. Behind her head, the boys shared a relieved look.
Crisis averted.
... ... ...
Abel stayed the night at the Macon's. He didn't even bother telling his parents where he was. They wouldn't care. And it wasn't like he hadn't crashed here a thousand times before. As long as he was on time for day two of his internship at his brother's law firm, all was right in the world.
Just past nine o'clock, long after Lydia had turned in for the night, Abel and Carter heard the front door open and close.
Lois was home.
Abel's heart jumped into his throat. Carter sighed irritably. "Sister's home," he observed. "Let's go find out how her dumb date went." After Carter snubbed his cigarette in his ash tray, the two meandered into the kitchen, where Lois was humming softly, standing on her tiptoes to reach a cup from the top shelf. Abel wordlessly grabbed it for her.
She smiled brightly. "Abel, Carter, hi," she said. She was almost... giddy. Glowing. Abel couldn't speak. Just nodded. She looked so damn pretty it hurt his chest. She had on a simple green sundress, her brown hair hanging straight down her back. He stopped himself from tucking the strand in her face behind her ear. And was she wearing makeup? Her eyes peeled from him to her brother, stopping at his black eye and pausing. She said nothing about it.
"So, how was it?" Carter wasted no time in asking. "Your date with lover boy." God, don't call him that. I can't handle it.
"His name is Jonathan. And... it was really fun. I think... I think we're going to the movies this weekend," Lois said. She blushed.
"Right," droned Carter. "He's kind of a douchecanoe. Did he wear a polo? Some fancy cologne? Gel his hair and shine his shoes?" He sniggered at her. Abel still didn't speak.
Rolling her eyes, Lois filled her cup with water and chugged it. "Whatever, Cart. I'm going to bed. I have to work at eight tomorrow."
"Do you... need a ride?" Abel croaked. He'd found his voice.
"Yeah, that'd be great," she said, smiling gratefully. "Could you give me one home, too?"
"Of course." Of course. He would never deny her anything she asked for.
"See you tomorrow, Abe," she said, and crept quietly into the room she shared with her mother. He could only nod.
Abe. That dumb nickname.