“Not the time,” muses Gillian with a swat to my ass.
“Ronnie McDowell probably sang it best.”
“Definitely a message for you rather than him.”
“Look,” my brother interrupts our flirty exchange by wiggling around a cloth tote of some kind, “I got all the stuff from the school store – they have these pre-made kits and then you can just buy extra shiz, so I did – meanin’ all we gotta do is assemble it.”
“You need our help assemblin’ it?”
“Prolly.” His shoulders innocently bounce. “Ya know I don’t even know what it is.”
“We’ll definitely help,” Gilly informs.
“Yeah,” escaping in a quick agreement is followed by me inquiring, “what all do we need? Like duct tape and a stapler?”
Horror immediately hops onto her face.
“What?” There’s no stopping my brow from pulling together. “That wrong?”
“Very,” she giggles in entertained outrage. “You’re gonna need hot glue and glitter and felt pens and maybe sharpies and…” Her rambling comes to an abrupt stop. “And you’re both looking at me like you don’t even know what that shit is.”
“I know what it is, and I also know I damn sure don’t have it.”
More girlish laughs precede her declaring, “Okay, Groffs. Field trip to my house where Idohave those things and other items we might need.”
“You know a field trip wouldn’t be necc if you would jus’ fully move in already.”
The sassy glare I’m hit with is growing to be a favorite. “You know a realtor?”
“I can find one.”
“Would be a good idea if you want me here fulltime, all the time.”
“Noted.”
“Now, can we get going? I remember this process taking a hot min.”
“You sure you don’t mind us doin’ it there?” Concern cakes my expression. “Sounds like we’re about to make a big mess, and I don’t wanna ruin your stuff.”
“It’s fine…” An unexpected flash of excitement is seen. “I don’t mind. We’ll order pizza-”
“Za for the win, baby!”
“-put it together, and I’ll pack a few more pairs of scrubs for the week.”
Post the three of us collecting what we respectively need for travel, I load up into my truck while Gilly lets Bronny clock a few more driving hours behind the wheel of her car, further fulfilling the mom like role I’m glad he’s finally able to have.
That I helped provide for him.
Truth is, I would’ve figured out how to navigate all this shit without her…but I thank the man in boots in the sky that I don’t have to.
That he gets to have her.
That we both do.
That our little hatchlings someday will too.
Our physical transition from our house to Gilly’s doesn’t take too much time.
