On quiet steps, I head back to the couch where blonde locks are splayed across the pillow. It’s taking everything in me to not cuddle up beside her. I pick Maisie up the same way I have before and just like last time, she immediately cradles into me. I feel her warm breath on my neck as she rests her head on my shoulder.
“You’re going to be the death of me,” I say in a whisper.
We make it to the bedroom and I lie her down where I have her comforter folded back and get her settled in. She somehow doesn’t budge and stays asleep.
I watch her sleepily snuggle into her pillow. I pause, wishing it were me instead. I never knew I could find jealousy over a pillow until this moment but I push that aside and pull her comforter over her, tucking Maisie in.
I don’t want to leave but I know she needs to rest. Quietly, I lean down and place a kiss on her forehead before walking out the door—a gesture I find myself doing often.
This is now the second time I’ve found myself in this situation and I hope it’s not the last.
24
MAISIE
The sun peaks through my bedroom window waking me up as I tiredly open my eyes. I have no idea how I got here. The last thing I remember was laying on Henry’s lap on the couch and closing my eyes. I have no recollection of actually falling asleep and gettingintobed.
Did he carry me in here? Again?
Did he stay?
Before I get ahead of myself, I slowly turn over to see if he’s sleeping next to me. I feel a sense of relief but also sadness that he’s not there. I shouldn’t be having these feelings toward. I can’t do a summer fling, I’m not aflingtype of person.
But if I was, I would want it to be with Henry.
Grabbing my phone from my purse that’s on the floor next to my nightstand, I see an unread message from the man I can’t stop thinking about.
Henry
I had the best day with you. Thank you for letting me intrude.
Also, I stole your house key to lock the door behind me when I left. I know I put it under the door mat last time but that’s a house intrusion waiting to happen.
Let me know when you’re awake so I can drop it off.
So he did in fact carry me to bed… again.
I should be scared of the butterflies in my stomach, the smile inching on my face. Day after day, I am finding myself getting more and more entranced by Henry.
The same Henry who won’t be here for much longer.
The same Henry who agreed to being just friends.
The same Henry I don’t think I want to bejust friendswith anymore…
Shaking the thoughts away, I text him that I’m awake and will be at my Mom’s house next door if he just wants to leave my key on the porch.
After about thirty minutes of getting ready for the day, I walk across the lawn to my mom’s.
I knock on the door as I turn my key, knowing she’s going to yell at me for knocking in the first place.
Stepping inside I barely make it two steps in before I hear my mom yelling from another room, “this is your house too! You don’t need to knock, darling!”
I slip off my shoes and set down my keys before I make my way to the kitchen. I can already smell the chocolate chip cookies she’s baking for her party coming up.
“It smells good in here, Mom.” I slide onto a barstool and rest my elbows on the island table with my head in my hands.
“When I was going through some old boxes, I found one of Grandma’s cookbooks and thought I’d try out a cookie recipe.”
