I respectfully decline to comment.
She shakes her head, but there’s a tiny smile tugging at her lips.You’re ridiculous.
Yeah,I say lightly.But useful.
For the rest of the evening, we all stay on the sofa, relaxing.At some point, Eddie falls asleep, and her legs stretch out across the couch and onto my lap.I smile to myself and rest my hand on her ankle.
Joey and I decide quietly to watch a hockey documentary on my good friend MaxSpeedDawes.I’ve watched it before but find more delight this time around, answering all of Joey’s questions about Max and the team.I don’t give away any trade secrets, but it’s fun joking about my captain.
When we get to the part where Max confesses his feelings, Joey groans and rolls around on the floor, disgusted.I burst out laughing, thinking about the future and how I can’t wait to watch him explore the emotions of his first crush.
Wait.What?That was a serious thought.My hand stills on Eddie’s leg.A long-term, serious thought.I wait a beat, thinking that my body will catch up to my brain and freak out, but the only reaction I notice is the rapid beat of my heart.It’s not in panic mode.It’s beating fast because I like the idea of being with Eddie and Joey for the long haul.
The thought of being able to experience new turning points with them appeals to me.And I can’t get the idea out of my head.
I want to be a partner to Eddie and support her and Joey through all of life’s big and heavy milestones.And I want them by my side too, supporting me, because who knows what the future holds?I just know I want them with me.
I’m stunned at this realization and let out a long exhale of relief.Eddie stirs at my noise but doesn’t wake up completely.
She’s not gonna like that she fell asleep,Joey whispers, noticing me looking.She always says she has to ‘stay on top of things.’
I’ll take the heat,I murmur back, giving him a wink.Doctor’s orders.
He nods seriously.You’re kinda like a doctor.You know a lot of stuff.
I huff out a laugh.Not even close, bud.I know a lot about the human body from having to train mine in a specific way, but I’m nowhere near as smart or resourceful as a doctor.
He shrugs.You act like one.For us, anyway.
My throat tightens unexpectedly.There’s something so innocent yet so deep in that statement.
Joey, I’m going to be honest with you.Man to man, okay?He nods back, eyes narrowing like he’s steeling himself for bad news.I like your mom.I like you too.And I want to spend more time with both of you in the future and be a friend you can rely on.My schedule is kind of crazy.I travel a lot, but just because I’m not here every day doesn’t mean I don’t care, okay?I’m going to help look out for you and your mom from this point forward.
And we’ll look out for you too, right?
Right.
He thinks about that for all of a second before nodding.Does that mean you want to date Mom?
If that’s something she wants too, then yeah.
Oh, she wants it.I see the way she stares at you when she thinks we’re not looking.
She does, huh.The smile on my face is smug.That’s excellent information to know.
After a while, I check the time and am surprised to see how late it is.I really should go.Morning skate waits for no man, not even one who’s falling headfirst for a tired, stubborn X-ray technician and her kid.Tomorrow is also a school day, and I’m pretty sure we’re nearing Joey’s bedtime.I don’t know much about kids, but I’m sure a fourteen-year-old should be in bed before eleven thirty.
I mention to Joey that it might be time to turn off the TV and wind down for the night, and he agrees pretty easily.I get a fist bump and a wave over his shoulder before he disappears down the hall.
I get a kick out of how comfortable he is with me in the house.Slowly extracting myself from under Eddie’s legs, I debate whether I should move her.She looks cozy where she is now, with plenty of room…so I leave her.After grabbing another blanket off her bed, I cover her with it on the sofa.
Gently, I tuck a strand of hair off her face, noting how soft it is.I’ve wanted to do this exact thing since the moment I met her, and it’s as great as I imagined.She sighs, then readjusts.Giving her a soft kiss on her forehead, I step back and begin tidying up the mess from dinner.
Once everything is done, I check on Eddie one last time.I scribble a quick note and leave it on the coffee table, where Eddie will find it when she wakes up.
Text me when you’re up.If you don’t, I’m coming back with more soup.— S
At the door, Joey appears in sleep shorts and walks me out.
