“You see, Paisley, our brother… let’s just say he’s never had much luck with women or really humans in general,” Landon explains.
“He’s such a sweetheart,” she says as she hugs him. “So considerate and nice and funny.”
“Sounds suspicious,” Landon whispers quietly enough I think I’m the only one who hears him.
Ellison holds out the box of chicken strips.
I beam at him as I hold my hands out to receive the gift. “Oh, thank you, my dear.”
He promptly takes them away. Like what did I say wrong now?
“You’re so hard to please!” I realize.
“Really, I’m not,” Ellison says.
“No, you really are. Maybe you’re hungry and that’s the issue.” I aim a spoonful of mashed potatoes toward his mouth, but the look on his face very much tells me that it’s not going to solve our problems and will likely add to them.
The light flickers and I glance up at it, but no one else seems to pay it any mind.
Ellison finally hands the chicken over to me, so I take the box and pull out a couple of pieces before passing it on.
“I was hoping to get to meet Brandon’s parents too, but he said he wanted to take baby steps,” Paisley tells us.
“He should have taken you to a SAVCGEM meeting like I did with August. Get it all done at once,” Landon says.
“Ooh, what’s that?” she asks.
“Our parents’ book club,” Brandon answers.
We all look over at him, eyebrows raised.
“Their… super… secret… book club,” Brandon says, giving us all pleading looks. Like does he not realize he’s a prominent member as well?
“Speaking of books,” Landon says as I begin eating. “Do you like to read?”
“I do!”
Landon’s eyes light right up. “Do you? None of these fools like to read like I do. And Ellison only reads handbooks so he can be all sassy. They’re all so unsophisticated in the fine art of beautiful literature. Please. Give it to me. What’s your favorite book?”
“Well, I really love reading medical books.”
Landon’s hopes and dreams are immediately destroyed. “I… see…”
My attention shifts to the door so I can listen.
“What’s wrong?” Ellison asks.
“Nolan, can you read minds outside this room?” I ask.
Nolan lowers his plastic fork. “I can… why?”
“See if you hear anyone outside the room.”
Nolan is quiet for a moment as he concentrates, but the way his face scrunches a bit makes me stand up.
“I’m… the medication makes it blurry. I can’t hear clearly.”
“Whatcanyou hear?”
