The Delacours: Part Deux

fourteen.

The sun was starting to come up as I heard Ella waking up Braylen so they could head over to the Wolf Den for their run. Chris followed me downstairs and we said goodbye to Braylen and Ella as Odie and Noah walked to them to backyard. We watched them run through the backyard and into the woods as Noah and Odie came back inside.

"Good morning," I said, roughing through Noah's hair. He had bags under his eyes. "Did you two get any sleep?"

"...Maybe," he said, yawning.

"Oh? So you weren't up playing video games all night? I could've sworn I'd heard the TV on 'til just a few minutes ago."

"It was just background noise, Momma." I didn't believe him and my facial expression showed it. "Okay, okay. We weren't sleeping."

"Why don't you try to and get some sleep for another hour or so? Momma and Poppa won't be up til later." He slowly walked up the stairs, yawning as he went. I heard him close the door his room and throw himself on the bed. Odie was standing up, leaning against the kitchen counter, his arms crossed across his chest.

"Everything okay?" Chris asked as he had to reach around Odie to grab a coffee cup from the cabinet.

"How did you know?"

"How did I know what?"

"How did you know that you loved Moms?"

"Well... I'm an idiot and it took me a long time to realize your mom was even into me..." I nodded my head. "But once I knew she was... it was like... how could I have not realized it. Once we got together it was like... everything aligned. There was no way we couldn't be together. And then when we met Val... and Zane... I will admit it took me a while to get used to the idea, but now? I couldn't imagine it any other way."

"Why are you asking, Odie?" I said, taking my cup from Chris.

"Ella and I were talking last night..." I raised an eyebrow. "About our future and stuff. I know we're only fourteen. But I think I love her."

"Did you tell her that?"

"No... I was too scared. I don't know if she feels that way back."

"Why don't you get some sleep too?" Chris said, putting his arm around his shoulders. He nodded, getting off the counter and walked up the stairs. Chris put his arms around my waist, and kissed my neck.

"Did you have a good birthday?" he asked.

"Yeah. I did. Thank you." He squeezed around my waist. "When are you going to Cali?"

"The earliest flight I could find leaves this evening."

"Do Val and Zane know?"

"Well... I didn't exactly do much talking with either one of them." I pulled away from him. The box of pictures was still on the table. I opened them and looked through them. I found the picture of Chris and I surrounded by the smoke and laughed to myself.

"What?" he asked. I showed him the picture. "Oh, that was a fun night."

"Yeah? Not for me."

"What? Why not?"

"Because you left with that girl. What was her name, Starr, or some other hippie name?"