He whipped out his phone right that second and, unlikeme who had taken an entire day to compose the perfect thing, typed something without much thought and tucked his phone back in his pocket.
My phone chimed seconds later.
I checked the screen:
Are you huuungry? I can get you fooood.His text was followed by the winky-faced emoji and the eggplant one, then his address.
I laughed. “I like you so much.”
He wrapped one arm around my waist and lifted me up, pressing his lips to mine as he did. “I likeyouso much.”
He placed me back on the ground, my stomach all aflutter. But then I seemed to come to my senses. “But Elijah…”
“If you have to cancel at the last minute or leave because of your mom, I understand,” he said, reading my mind.
“Thanks.” My eyes stung again and I pointed to my car with the key fob I had dug out of my pocket. “I need to…”
He kissed my cheek. “See you later.”
CHAPTER 30
There was an urgent pounding on the front door later that night, startling me.
“Who’s that?” my mom asked, like I could see through walls. It was almost time for us to start her nighttime routine, which took at least an hour.
“I’m not sure.” I got up and answered the door to see Tara on the porch.
“Hi,” she said. “Can you come out tonight?”
“Um…”
She poked her head into the house. “Hi, Andrea!”
My mom’s face lit up. “Hi, Tara. Come in.”
Tara stepped inside and gave my mom a hug.
Mom immediately turned off the television. “How are you, dear?”
“I’m good. I want to steal your daughter tonight. Can I?”
“Of course.”
“No,” I said, confused at both Tara for asking and my mom for agreeing. “Not right now, Tara, we have a nighttime routine.”
“You and your routines,” Tara said.
“She lives and dies by them,” Mom said.
I opened my mouth to object when Tara said, “Oh!” She pointed to the still-yet-to-be-used scooter in the corner. “These things are so cool.” She put one knee on the raised pad and drove it around the living room. “Is it helping you a lot? Have you mastered it? I bet you have.” She steered it to the couch and then stepped to the side.
“Tara, she…” I started to say she’d never used it, but my mom slid herself to the edge of the couch and then reached for the handles. And before I knew it, her casted leg was resting on the pad, supported by her knee, and her hands were gripping the handles.
“Why is this coffee table right here?” Tara asked. “It’s a complete hazard.” In several swift motions, she had the coffee table tucked into the far corner of the room, out of the way. “Better,” she said. “Now, let’s see your stuff, Andrea.”
My mom tentatively pushed against the floor. I took a step forward to stand close in case she fell, but Tara grabbed me by the arm, stopping me. “She’s fine,” she mouthed to me.
My heart was racing as I watched, worried about her dizziness. I did not want to witness her crashing to the floor. But she didn’t. She moved slowly at first but then with more confidence around the living room.
