Oreo

Chapter 61: Worry

Orion's POV~

We ended up not really staying at Ro's mom's place more than a couple hours at best.  There wasn't terribly much to talk about save for Angel and what the whole plan with that was.  Truth of the matter was, Avra wasn't seen healthy enough to care for him on her own and would be receiving help from Monique.  Those two apparently already had things somewhat figured out, though of course they've had the time to.  We just had been completely left out on the matter from the start. 

There was also that very distinct vibe I could sense from Romeo that meant he was upset, or getting frustrated.  That was when I had decided to call it a day for us and we left.  It was nice seeing Angel healthy and happy, but that was about as much as we could cope with for the time being.

We were walking down the street, not wanting to loiter outside the house waiting for an Uber.  Romeo was quiet, eyes casted into space with the weight only his thoughts could carry.  Those thoughts had his line of vision aimed down, as they seem to do.  The expression on his face is... blank?  No.  Sad?  Angry?

"... Romey," I started softly, reaching out for his hand.  He didn't pull away, but it took a second before his fingers loosely returned the gesture.  "I won't ask that question you hate, but... What's your opinion?"

He continued to be quiet for a few strides, slow as they were.  Expression unchanging.  "I don't know.  He seems safe with that... woman.  If that's where people think he should be, then I'm fine with it.  I don't want his life to get as fucked as mine did."

I stopped walking but tighting my first gentle gasp on his hand and pulling him back.  "I know you've been through hard times.  You know I've been through hard times.  Like it or not, Ro, everyone experiences them.  No one is spared from the cruelties of life."  I held him to my chest, arms wrapping around his stomach.  "Angel will have his hardships, too.  Maybe not as bad as ours were, but it's a force of reality we can't change."

"... I know that... Sorry, I'm just... My head's crazy right now and I'm to drained to really think much." He said in a low voice.  I could hear how exhausted he was, too.  So was I.

"Well... I was gonna suggest, if that had gone well, maybe we could poke around the town a bit." I confessed.  I let him go so we could keep walking.  "We don't really go on many dates, so I was thinking why not explore?  But if you're not up for it today we can just go back home and sleep, if you want."

This time, he paused in his steps.  I looked back at him to see his brow wrinkle and lips press.  "... I would like to... really... but I don't honestly feel like walking that much, today.  Exploring means walking, and I'm too tired for that right now."

"We could always book a hotel room and do it tomorrow."

He shook his head and we proceeded walking again.  "I dont really want to sleep in an unfamiliar bed... I just want to curl up back at home, in our own bed.  With the cats, and all the fluffy pillows."

"Understandable.  I mean, despite the fact you rarely evem use the pillows." I snickered, then checked my phone.  "It's past noon.  Would you like to stop for some food before we go home?  I think I'm gonna call T to see if she can pick us up."

Ro hummed.  "Sure.  Are their any pho places around here?"

I smiled, now unlocking my phone.  "Probably.  I'll google it."

"I swear, I'm never letting her talk me into coming back out here like that again..."

~

"-Ssssooo, because of that your brother is stuck in foster care?" Tessy questioned.

We had had filled her in on everything on our way back to Oregon.  She came to pick us up from Seattle because she was taking Lita out for a girl's day.  That really meant that as an excuse and was just spoiling the shit out of her, because she could.