Accepted Hearts

Chapter 8 / Plus One

Chapter Eight
Plus One

After another thirty minute struggle, Nolan proudly finished taping closed another box.

This one contained all the awards he'd gotten in high school and even into his early years of college. He couldn't help chuckling at some of them as he had put them in, knowing the chess club or debate team weren't ever things he had really been interested in. His chuckles died down when he realized, subconsciously, he joined activities he didn't truly care for just to spend more time away from home.

He shuddered, finished taping the box, and ignored the pit in his stomach that reminded him that this move was another way of avoiding home. And how temporary it truly would be.

"Nolan, I thought you already taped these boxes?" his mother asked as she came into the room, holding a bowl of soup.

Nolan hadn't been feeling well this morning, and he knew that had more to do with moving out so quickly than any sickness his mother believed him to have. He didn't bother correcting her or saying no to the chicken soup she offered to make him.

He took the bowl from her hands, and as he did so, he noticed how unsteady her grip was. The bowl wasn't heavy, but it was still fairly warm, so he assumed the temperature was what was bothering her. He didn't want to allow himself to think him leaving was taking a physical toll on her. The guilt would be too much, and then he'd never leave.

That's selfish. I'm being selfish.

He quickly shook the thought away, distracting himself with a spoonful of soup before answering his mother's question. "I didn't tape it correctly. I had to redo a few."

Michelle chuckled under her breath, moving to softly run her fingers over one of the taped boxes. "You are so meticulous, Nolan."

"I am not," he denied after another spoonful. When she raised a disbelieving brow, he added, "There's just a right way to do things, and I like to do them that way."

She still looked like she didn't believe that, but she stood quiet, opting to smile as she said, "Okay, my son. Whatever you say."

He playfully rolled his eyes at her, then sat on the bed, continuing to have his soup. Michelle walked through the room, taking in the now empty shelves and drawers. He watched her take a breath in, before she seemed to brace herself and face him. She smiled, but it didn't quite reach her eyes, and he looked back into the bowl of his almost finished soup.

"At least I know that your apartment is going to be spick and span." Nolan smiled before looking up, catching his mother's teasing smile. "Not one thing will be out of place over there, and that truly brings me comfort."

Nolan chuckled, placing his spoon back into the bowl as the mattress softly dipped from his mother taking a seat.

"Who's apartment?"

His happy mood vanished once he recognized the voice. Slowly looking toward the doorway, he saw Olivia standing there, phone to her ear and a confused look on her face. That confusion morphed into annoyance, and Nolan was sure that was because his own guilt at never telling her his plans showed on his face.

"I'm sorry, I'm gonna have to call you back," she began to say into the phone. She paused as whoever she was talking to replied. Her annoyance turned to worry in a flash. "I promise, I'll call back. I need to talk to my brother real quick. I told you I just got home."

Nolan's hands tightly gripped the bowl. He'd never met the guy Olivia was seeing, but it was safe to say he already disliked him. The way Olivia acted when they were just on the phone—so submissive, so small—pissed him off beyond belief. But he had to cool his feelings, knowing very well that Olivia easily shut down and shut him off whenever she felt attacked. If she knew how Nolan truly felt, she'd never confide in him about this guy, and he'd surely never get the chance to meet him.