El didn’t sayanything on the ride to Shawn’s mother’s house.It was the middle of the night, but with everything that had happened, Shawn felt alert and awake.He thought El would have drifted off to sleep on the car ride over, but she had simply stared out the window.
“I’m sorry,” he finally said, for lack of anything else to say.
“Why?You don’t have anything to apologize for,” she said, not turning away from the window.
“No, but I’m sorry that you’re fighting with the others.I can feel your turmoil and pain.”
El sighed and finally looked over at him.
“I guess the anger’s wearing off, and now I’m just upset.I’m upset at them and at myself.I hate having left things on such bad terms.The further away from them we get, the more pain I’m in, physical pain from the separation.”
“Some of Mom’s oatmeal will hopefully help you feel a bit better,” Shawn said, reaching over to touch her leg.
Every time they went to visit his mom, she always made a big pot of oatmeal for them for breakfast.It was one of El’s favorite things, which meant it was also one of Shawn’s favorite things.During the years Shawn had secretly loved El, he had always loved how close she and his mother had been.His mother hadn’t missed a beat the first time Shawn had brought El to visit.As soon as El had gone to bed, his mother had cornered him and asked him when he was going to do something about his feelings for El.
“Mom will be happy to hear I finally acted on my feelings for you, or I suppose you acted on your feelings for me,” he told her.
“Your mom knew?”El asked, shocked.
“Oh yeah.She’s always hounded me about it.”
“I have to admit, as bad as I feel about how I left things with Ryan and Trip, I’m excited to see your mom.I need some normal for a while,” El admitted.
“It’s not bad to do something for yourself, El.”
“I know.It’s just all so crazy anymore.”
El laid her head on his shoulder and wrapped her arms around the one he had lying across the center console.Within minutes her breathing leveled out, and he knew she had fallen asleep.It was close to sunrise, which meant she had been going strong for almost twenty-four hours.Shawn finished the rest of the drive with nothing but the sound of her steady breathing, and that was enough for him.
He had come to respect the triad brothers, and dare he even say care for them, but he was man enough to admit he was thankful for the reprieve he and El were about to get.Since admitting their feelings for each other, and taking their relationship to the next level, they hadn’t spent much time alone.
Shawn eased into his mother’s driveway and carried El up to his childhood bedroom.The bed was barely big enough for one of them, but he managed to fit both him and El on it.Once he got them comfortable, he drifted off to sleep himself.Shawn couldn’t remember a time when he had ever slept so good as when he did with El in his arms.
When he woke the next day, his mother was hovering over top of him and greeted him.
“Mom,” he whispered, looking down to make sure El was still asleep.
A giant smile spread on his mom’s face.He could tell she was bursting to hug him and launch into her million questions, so he put his finger to his lips to ask her to be quiet.As carefully as he could, he eased his arm out from under El and made sure she was tucked under his ancient, yet cozy comforter, before following his mom out of the room.They didn’t speak until they were in the kitchen.
His mom took up her usual spot in front of the stove and began cooking—no doubt making El her favorite homemade oatmeal.
“Oh, my child, so many great things to come,” his mother cooed as she measured out oats.
“Mom, before you start hearing wedding bells just now, there may never be.”
“I don’t care about wedding bells love.Surely, by now, you know who El is,” his mom said, turning to give him a pointed look.
Shawn’s stomach took a quick dip at the thought that his mom could possibly know what was going on with El, but quickly dismissed the idea.
“I know she’s the one, but that doesn’t always mean wedding bells.”
“Oh, quit being cow, Shawn, she’s your mate,” his mother scolded him.
“Wait, what?”Shawn barked, regretting having raised his voice to his mother.
His mom turned around with her wooden spoon in her hand and pointed it at him.
“Child, there’s no point in playin’ the fool with me.I know who El is, I’ve always known.I have been waiting for you two to figure it out.”
