“Be nice to your brother, Star! We haven’t seen him in forever, and this is how you start?”
I tried to hold in my laughter, but it seemed Moon was losing the fight worse than I was. “I think that’s pretty valid. El had to step in at least a hundred times to make sure Cres didn’t accidentally poison us.”
Dad piped up from the end of the table. “I think he got those skills from me, or lack thereof, I guess.”
“I was scared the first time he made dinner for us, but honestly, he isn’t that bad anymore. No fires yet, anyway.” Elio turned his head to me with a smile—a true, genuine smile I’d missed seeing against the backdrop of this house.
We walkedthrough the halls quietly, both of us trying to ignore the myriad of strong scents clouding them. It was quiet, everyone having gone to bed already after a long day of hanging out, catching up, and a whole lot of hugs.
Elio was stuck, standing in front of a dresser that sat in the hallway with trinkets and framed photos on top of it. “My god, we were so small here.” He lifted one of the frames, staring at it with awe in his eyes.
“I know. That seems so long ago, but also not. Youknow?” I wrapped my arm around his middle, pulling him close to me. “Time to make new memories.”
He leaned his head against me. “New memories with new meanings. And lots of kissing.”
“Oh, yes. Lots of kissing.” I leaned down, taking the moment to make this one of them. Just before my lips touched his, though, I heard a throat clearing from behind us.
We both jumped, pulling apart. I turned, finding Mom, who was standing awkwardly with her hands tucked in front of her. “Sorry. I was wanting to talk to Cres for a minute if I could.”
Something a lot like shame and guilt swirled deep in my gut. I looked to Elio for guidance, sort of hoping he’d want me to stay. “Go ahead, honey. I’ll wait in your room for you. Our bags are already in there, right?”
“Yeah. I’ll see you up there.”
I followed Mom into the living room, looking around, peering into each corner. Nobody was lurking around, but I did notice a couple of shadows.
She plopped onto the couch. “Sit down, son.”
That never failed to make me more anxious. I did as she said, sitting beside her. “What’s up?”
“You have your earbuds in. Want to tell me why?”
Shrugging, I tried my hand at master evasion. “Because I just wanted to listen to music. That’s all.”
The sound of my mother’s sigh was deafening. It echoed, bouncing off the walls and straight into my heart. Iwasa liar right now. Doing exactly what the voices always accused me of. “Cressy, I’m your mother. I know when something isn’t right. Have you really not reached out to another therapist?”
“Mom, please. I’ve got it all handled, okay?”
“It’s okay to need help, baby. If your spirit is disrupted, it can mess everything else up.”
“Mom.”
“Cressy.”
We stared at each other helplessly. She knew, and she was worried. I just didn’t want help if I could deal with it on my own, which I was sure I could. I had to.
Another sigh, long and drawn out. Even heavier than the previous one. “So, what’s going on with you and El? Does he know?”
“We’re dating, I think. I mean, we’ve gone on a date, plan to go on more, and all that stuff. He doesn’t know about my past with the depression, but I don’t think I want to tell him just yet.”
“He’s been through a lot. I understand. I actually have something he could carry around for?—”
“No, Mom. We’re good. Thank you. Elio doesn’t need any crystals or anything like that. He’s in therapy.”
She nodded, a slight frown tugging her face downward. “Well, okay. I can’t say I’m surprised you two are together. It was either that, or I truly thought you wouldn’t date anyone.”
Shifting on the couch, I tried to stay comfortable. But there was a figure right in front of us, staring down at me. If I didn’t look, it might go away. If I did, it might stay. “I think I’m in love with him, Mom. It’s a little scary. I think I always was and just didn’t know.”
“It doesn’t have to be scary. It’s Elio. You know him. You trust him. The person you date, or spend the rest of your life with, is supposed to be your best friend. You already found that.”
