“So your dad is pushing from behind, and the car starts going, and the freaking back door is open. Why, you might ask? Because he had to run andjumpinto the moving car! They had to let it run for a while once it got started, or it would stall again.”
Everyone at the table was cracking up. I couldn’t keep a straight face, either.
Maria continued, “So he’s running alongside the car like a maniac and finally catches up. He goes to leap into the backseat, and he smacks his head off the car! He falls backwards onto the road. I nearly had a heart attack!”
By that point, everyone was in hysterics. I don’t think I ever laughed that hard. There were literal tears in my eyes. “Were you hurt?” I asked.
Maria waved her hand dismissively. “It was a lump on the head, a hole in the backside of his pants, and a very bruised ego.” She looked at my place setting and said, “You don’t have juice.”
“I can do it,” I said, while rising from my chair. “You should sit and eat.”
“Sit, sit, sit! Anywho, that old car was a deathtrap, but it made me fall in love with your father.”
“How?” Reggie asked. “You got a thing for dudes with lame cars?”
Maria rolled her eyes. “No. I’ve got a thing for dudes whomake me laugh.”
“It is a pretty funny story,” I added.
“And, I’ve been Maria’s clown ever since,” Anthony said, winking at Maria.
I looked at Theo and saw him staring at me with an unreadable expression on his face. I cocked my head in a questioning manner, and he snapped out of it, clearing his throat.
“How did you boys sleep?” Maria asked.
Theo and I both said, “Great,” with a little too much gusto. We looked at each other, then quickly looked away.
Does he know I was snuggling up to him like a kitten?
“I can still sleep on the sofa,” I said.
“No! I mean…” Theo cleared his throat again.Is he coming down with something?“No, it’s cool. I didn’t notice you at all.”
“Okay, good.”
Theo looked at his food for a bit before his eyes slowly trailed back up to meet mine. “Did you notice me?” he asked.
“Not at all,” I said, shaking my head. Theo looked visibly relieved by that.
“See? It’s a big bed. You boys are fine.” Anthony did his little “meeting adjourned” table knocking thing before adding, “Well. I’m off to work. See you all this evening.”
Everyone said their goodbyes to Anthony. Maria served more eggs to everyone, and soon the twins left too. It was just Theo and me at the table, shooting the shit. Soon, Maria came and sat next to us and joined the conversation. She was genuinely interested in everything we had to say. It felt so foreign.
It felt wonderful.
The laughter, the affection - it was all just effortless. They all radiated warmth. I’d only arrived the night prior and was already feeling their love seep into my bones. That sick feelingin my stomach started to dissipate. There was no tension in my shoulders like there was at home. Everything at the Morettis’ house was lovely.
I just hope they don’t get tired of me.
Theo
It was Saturday night, and I had just picked up Asher from his shift at the restaurant. He was taking a shower while I fiddled with my phone on the bed. It was already late, and Asher was tired. I figured we could just chill for a bit and go to bed.
To be honest, I was tired too. Between the fight at Asher’s and the panic attack from waking up with my dick in his ass, my nerves were fried.
What even was that?
I started thinking about stuff, which I absolutely fucking hated doing. Especially emotional shit. It was a total boner kill. But since my dilemma involved my boner, I guess some deep thinking was necessary.
