~ L. M. Montgomery
Greyson and I finish our chili and I leave a little early so I can swing by my house to change into something that doesn’t look like I raided the men’s department at a sporting goods store.
Then I pick Mia up from school and bring her home. She fills the van with exuberant stories of her day and I mentally shift gears into my main role in life. I’m her parent—the only one who devotes themselves to parenting her. She is my priority.
Avery’s in the kitchen with Mom, chatting away about dating and saying something about Jonathan next door. Mia runs into her bedroom to change and I make my way to thekitchen where Mom and Avery are downing milk and freshly baked cookies.
“The kitchen smells like heaven,” I say, sinking onto a stool next to them and grabbing a warm chocolate chunk cookie off the plate. “What happened with Jonathan?”
“That man!” Mom says. “Turns out we have the same brand television. I was trying to watch my game shows while I was folding laundry in the front room. The TV kept going berzerk. He comes knocking at the door to see if something’s wrong with our cable. Apparently, he was watching theTodayshow and his TV kept switching channels. Then you know what he did?”
Her question is rhetorical, but I still say, “No. Tell me.”
“Well, he up and points his remote right at my screen, and the darndest thing happened! It flipped channels. My TV. His remote.
“I said, ‘Do that again!’ So he did. Again and again. Then the volume. Then the power. Turns out all morning we were switchin’ each other’s TVs!”
I chuckle.
“Laugh all you like. But I don’t know how I’m going to watch thePrice Is Rightif he’s over there switchin’ to his talk show.”
“We’ll figure it out,” I promise Mom. “... or, you could get your own place. Far from his remote.”
“Ha ha ha. Not so fast, Missy. You know I’m doing you a huge favor being here. Especially with all the running around you’re doing with yourfriendlately.”
Avery’s eyes go wide. “Friend? What friend?”
I glance over my shoulder. Mia’s still in her room.
“I’ll talk to you in a bit,” I tell my sister.
“Oh no you won’t,” Avery says. “We’re talking now. Excuse us, Mom.”
“What do you have to say that you can’t say in front of me?” Mom pouts.
I say, “Everything,” at the same time as Avery says, “Plenty!”
We laugh and head to my bedroom.
I shout over my shoulder. “Only one cookie for Mia, Mom!”
“I’m the grandma. I don’t have cookie quotas like I did with you girls.”
I’m about to turn around to make sure Mom doesn’t over-sugar my daughter, but Avery grabs my elbow and pivots me, practically dragging me into my room and shutting the door behind us.
“Well?” She plops down on my bed.
“What?”
I’m suddenly shy, and questioning whether I should actually tell Avery about Greyson.
When it’s just the two of us—Greyson and me—everything makes sense. But as soon as I enter my real life here at home, I can’t see how or when he fits here. So far, I’ve been able to juggle two lives without getting whiplash.
Telling Avery feels like a turning point—a reminder that Greyson and I won’t be able to keep up this double life forever. I tap a finger to my lip, which turns out to be a bad idea. The touch barely tingles, reminding me of how it felt when Greyson’s lips met mine earlier today. And now I’m thinking of his kisses while Avery stares at me from my bed.
“You are happier,” she muses. “And I have been wondering what’s been keeping you so busy. You barely answer my calls and texts. I was almost starting to worry. But now … a friend? Do tell all.” She rubs her hands together in anticipation of some juicy news.
It’s juicy alright.
