Yes, Sweetheart

Chapter 16

By "home", I'm not sure what I was expecting. I didn't want to go to my empty house, which was apparently evident, since Levi drove me to the brothers' house.

"Let's just go inside for a bit, ok?"

He got out of the car and pulled out house keys, before smiling reassuringly at me. So far, he didn't seem to be patronizing me, but I was still very stressed.

Following him out of the car, I took a look at what I actually threw on this morning - a white t-shirt and jeans. Ok, so I wasn't that bad.

Levi looked in a similar position. The sweatshirt he had thrown on was a gray one, a little wrinkled, but that was likely my fault. I was in such a hurry to leave to see my friend that I hadn't bothered with appearances.

Unlocking the door, Levi entered the house, and threw the keys down onto the coffee table. I shut the door behind me, and turned towards the living room. He sat on the couch, and I sat down beside him.

"Tell me about Kari."

What?

I met his eyes, and he was staring sincerely into mine.

"Talk to me."

Feeling my eyes tear up, I knew what he was doing - trying to distract me.

"She's strong. Really strong. She's this spitfire, with a feisty nature."

"How'd you two meet?"

That did bring a small smile to my face.

"We were in middle school," I started. "I was reading in the library, helping the librarian check out books, when all of a sudden this girl bursts in and demands to know what the newest books are. I listed a few, probably five, and she said she'd take all the books."

I chuckled, reliving the memory.

"When I told her it was customary to take out three, she swore at me and said she needed them for a long trip. It was really for distraction, because her boyfriend had just broken up with her and she needed not to think about him. So I checked them all out for her, and told her I'd only do it if she'd read them in the library so I could use them too. I hadn't gotten a chance to read them, and the librarian typically let me read new books before they were catalogued yet. She agreed, and we read those books together, forming a friendship. After we finished those books, she invited me to her house so that we could read more. That's how it all started."

I smiled, tears starting to dry on my face.

"Don't worry too much right now, ok? Paul said she was doing better, I just got a text as I walked in the house. She's tough, she'll be alright."

I nodded, trying not to dwell on the idea too much. Otherwise, that would stress me out far too much and I'd have a total breakdown.

Like the one you just had in front of Levi twenty minutes ago? Damn it all.

An arm snaked around me, curling into my side.

Levi gently pulled me closer, against him.

Oh shit. Is my face red? It better fucking not be.

"We'll wait a couple hours, maybe until late afternoon or so, then we could go back and visit Kari, if you want?"

I nodded, and he gently squeezed my side before letting go.

What the fuck was that?

"If it's alright with you," he questioned, "I might take a nap for awhile? Probably just using the couch. Just for an hour or so, I'm still a bit tired."