My dad slid his gaze up to Lucian.“You want to climb in here with me?”
Lucian looked highly uncomfortable at the bedside table but had nowhere to run.His eyes fixed on the television while his right arm swung around with my movements.
“What’s wrong with your arm, boy?”My dad’s focus wasn’t on the pie anymore.
“I’ve got a kink in it.”
I smiled down at my father.“Get some sleep.Tomorrow night after dinner, we’ll play games upstairs and listen to music.How does that sound?”
“You fuss too much.I’ve been busy down here all day, peddling that bike to nowhere.”
“Don’t be telling me stories again.You know I can check the mileage and compare it to yesterday’s.”
“That’s because you’re a spy.”He cut into the flaky pastry and took a bite.“Mm-mm.Nowthat’sa delicious pie.Don’t you worry about me none.I’ve got plenty to watch tonight.My shows are on.”
“Good night, Dad.I’ll keep my phone on in case you have an emergency.”
Lucian set the thermos on the bedside table.“I can hook you up with a VR headset that gives a realistic bike-riding experience.”
My father frowned.“A VR what?”
“Virtual reality.”
I tugged Lucian’s hand.“Come with me, Mr.Cross.”
My dad waved with his fork as theWheel of Fortunetheme song came on.
Once the doors closed, Lucian sniffed the air.“What troubles you, female?”
“I feel guilty.”
“Why?”
“I like spending the evening with my dad.Sometimes I bring home work, but we always watch TV in bed while I tell him about my day.He needs that social interaction, especially now that he’s alone all the time.If I get home early enough, we have dinner upstairs at the table.But usually that depends on how he’s feeling.He doesn’t have his old life where he can go places and talk to people, so he looks forward to seeing me every day.I let him down.”
“Because of me.”
As soon as the elevator doors opened, the urge to pee hit me so fast that I yanked the chain.“Hurry!”
Lucian didn’t walk fast enough, and I gave him an icy stare over my shoulder before he jogged with me to the bathroom.Once there, I did a little dance number in the doorway while figuring out the logistics.The sink was on the left wall and the toilet next to it, so I had no choice but to bring him in with me.
When I entered the room, the slack tightened.
“I’m not going in there with you,” he informed me from outside the door.
I jerked the chain.“Yes, you are.”
He gripped the top of the door with his free hand.“If there’s one thing that’ll get me kicked out of my pack, it’s this.”
Clutching the chain, I felt my bladder quivering the moment I glanced at the toilet.“Unless you want me to wet my pants all over my floor, you better get your ass in that bathtub and plug your ears.”
Lucian shot past me, ripped the shower curtain open, and stepped inside the tub.“I can only plug one ear.”
I yanked the curtain closed.“Then sing!”
“I can’t sing!”he fired back.
After lifting my skirt, I desperately yanked down my panties.“You’re not auditioning for America’s next boy band.Now sing a song!Pick anything!”
