“Can you help me, please?”
He nodded and fetched the liners.
By the time Sonny emerged from the bathroom, his skin still damp from steam and his blonde hair dark, I was dressed and ready to go.
Sonny started pulling on his clothes and I stood, touching the wall for balance until I had found my centre of gravity. I felt the familiar touch of Erik’s warm hand on my side, the slight pressure as he encouraged me to ease over to the side. I followed his lead, adjusting my stance, the way I had dozens of times now.
“There,” he said. “Perfect posture. How does it feel?”
“It feels weird, to be honest. I should have worn it the past few days because I feel like I’m not used to it now.”
Erik nodded. “We’ll take it slow.”
“Is there still snow outside?”
“Yes, but I’ve cleared a path to the car. It might be slippery, though. Don’t worry, I won’t let you fall.”
I took his hand. “I trust you.”
He squeezed my fingers and then stepped back, dropping my hand and taking a deep breath.
I frowned. “Did I do something wrong?”
“No!” He shook his head. “My, um, tentacles have got used to coming out around you both and I’m struggling to control them. I don’t want to freak your family out by suddenly half-shifting in front of them.”
I wanted to reassure Erik that it wouldn’t freak anyone out but, actually, it probably would. They would be shocked to see someone sitting across the dinner table with tentacles. On reflection, I didn’t know why I wasn’t more freaked out. Maybe because I’d seen that octopus in the water, holding Sonny to the surface. Maybe because I knew Erik so well. Maybe because Sonny loved them so much.
Either way, they just… didn’t bother me. I wasn’t as hot for them as Sonny was, but I liked them. They felt good against my skin and I loved Erik. They were part of Erik, ergo I loved them. That was all there was to it for me.
I’d taken too long to reply. Erik glanced down, suddenly unsure again, and Sonny appeared beside me, fully dressed in the clothes he’d been wearing for our date.
“You can get your tentacles out tonight, in Declan’s bedroom. Are we going? I said I’d text Lilian when we were setting out.”
Just as I was about to comply, I paused. “How have you been texting my mum?”
“I used your phone. YousaidI could. Besides, you didn’t say it and I knew she’d worry about us being on the roads in this weather, so I wanted to reassure her.”
Sonny walked out of the bedroom, making that floorboard squeak, and the tense feeling seeped into my gut, so familiar. I’d thought I’d lost that feeling, but no. It was back. The feeling I was about to be watched all day.
Erik moved forward and took my hand. “Are you okay?”
“Yes.”
He raised an eyebrow.
I breathed out. “Fine, no I’m not okay. I-I feel—”
He looked at me, and his expression of concern made my words dry up faster. I hated worrying people and I didn’t want Erik to feel sorry for me.
“It’s nothing.”
Erik frowned. “It’s not nothing if it’s how you feel.”
“I-I just don’t want to go back to my parents’ house forever. Being watched and treated like I can’t do anything. I-I know my mum means well, and she’s just worried about me like Sonny says, but it feels… suffocating.”
Erik ran his hands up my arms and over my shoulders. “I’ll be there with you. You can walk without crutches now and yourposture is…” he gave me a once-over to check, “perfect. There’s no need for her to worry, and she’ll come to see that.”
Sonny poked his head back through the door.
