The time passes slowly until my phone alarm goes off, announcing that it’s time to wake Willow and leave to get Luke from school. I allow myself a brief moment of pride as I juggle work, parenting, appointments and roommate duties while buckling Willow into Warren’s car.
I figure out how to turn the stereo on, and a CD begins playing a rock ballad that I don’t recognise. They sort of sound like a mix of Rush and Led Zeppelin, but it’s definitely new. I love it. I’ll ask Warren who they are later, or figure out how to eject the CD.Why does this thing have so many damn buttons?
As I pull in front of Luke’s school and spot him, I honk twice before realising most of the kids can’t hear me, including Luke. A teacher glares, and I offer an embarrassed wave in the form of an apology.Eventually, Luke sees me and waves goodbye to a girl who fiddles with her hair as she looks towards him. I smile to myself. Is that a hint of a crush in her eyes as she watches him throw his bag and body into the front seat? Luke waves at me.
“Hey! Who is that?”I ask.
Luke looks at the girl, already knowing who I mean.“Stephanie.”
I pull the car out of the school’s parking lot. I’ve never had to drive and sign before, and I won’t attempt it. Warren’s car outranks most people in his life. I absolutely cannot damage it. I claim my chance to speak at a red light.
“And? Tell me about her.”
Luke blushes.“Warren has a no signing in the car rule.”This could be a convenient excuse, but I take the kid at his word.We drive to get Warren from work in silence, other than Willow’s gurgles from the back.
“Hey,”we all sign in unison as Warren slides himself into the back seat.
“I don’t think I’ve ever sat back here.”
“Did you want to switch?”I sign and speak, turning to the back seat as Warren buckles himself in and pushes up the sunshade on Willow’s car seat to take a peek at her.
“No. All good.”He switches to a silly British accent as he says aloud, “Home please, driver.” I roll my eyes and put the car into drive.
Luke turns over his shoulder, and out of the corner of my eye, I can see him signing to Warren—though I can’t make out what is being said.
I toss the keys to Warren as we all exit the car, and he does a full loop around, scouring for any damage. I can’t even blame him—the fact that he let me borrow his car when I needed to is enough. He won major roommate points today.
“Don’t check the front too closely. I did hit a few elderly people on my way out of the hospital’s parking lot.”
“Mercy kills, really,” Warren replies flatly, his eyes creasing as he struggles to contain his amusement. I snort in response, which is mortifying, but Warren doesn’t react; he’s too focused on the car.
I take the stroller out of the trunk as Warren unbuckles Willow’s car seat. Luke walks ahead, playing the part of a mopey teenager well. Perhaps his conversation with Warren had been a lecture.
“So how did Willow’s appointment go?” Warren holds the door open for me and the stroller.
“Not great. They’re adjusting her medications. Her doctor is worried that her blood pressure is increasing. They’ll need to see her more often. Every Friday.” I look to meet his eyes. Warren has given a lot more than I would have expected him to this past week. I can’t bring myself to ask for more.
“Fridays?” He nods, and I do so in return. “Okay,” Warren says calmly.
“Okay?” My eyes well up with gratitude.
“Yeah—today worked, didn’t it?” Warren is so matter-of-fact it’s as if he’s forgetting the hard and fast rules he tried to put into place two weeks ago.
“Yes. Um, thank you, Warren.” I don’t know what possesses me, but I reach for his hand as we wait for the elevator.
I wrap my palm around the back of his knuckles and give a small squeeze. I have got to stop touching him—it does terrible things to my brain. For example, I was momentarily convinced he was turning his hand around to hold mine before the elevator sounded off and I moved to push the stroller inside.
CHAPTER SIXTEEN
I told Warren not to worry about the noise during his party tonight, that if Willow woke up, I would deal with her—it’s not like she’s a great sleeper anyway—butfuck,his friends are loud.
I take a peek over the balcony, the third I’ve allowed myself since they all arrived. There are six people; Bryce, another guy I saw at the garage on Monday morning but didn’t meet, two ladies and their boyfriends, I presume, since they sit draped over the men’s laps.
One of the women is particularly loud and possibly drunk. She has squealed several times that she wants to “go dancing” and she’s “too hot not to be out on a Saturday.” Ibrieflyfind myself envying Luke.
Warren didn’t seem to know what kind of party he was setting up for this evening, despite it being his own. He ordered a few pizzas and put out a few bottles of cheap alcohol; then a nice bottle of wine and a playlist fit for an indie coming-of-age movie. The wine threw me off the most. Warren doesn’t strike me as a wine guy. He put out a few of my wine glasses too, next to the red solo cups.
I’ve been putting up a good fight for over an hour, but my bladder, once again, betrays me. I check myself in the mirror of my room. I may have put on an outfit that wouldn’t stand out at a party, just in case I was invited to stick around. A long-sleeve sheer black blouse tucked into my best pair of jeans that really show off the curve of my…assets.
