Ginny waved a hand at me as she huffed. “Oh, please. Not like anythin’s showin’, or like I’m under any illusions about why you’re dressed like that.”
I was going to be sick. The strawberry tea Ginny had made for us both warmed my hands, but I knew I wouldn’t be able to swallow it if I tried.
“Relax, dear.”
Like that was possible.
At least I didn’t have to worry about talking. Ginny had alotto say. She told me all about what she’d suspected was up with “Bear Bear” lately, and how he’d been “so, so sad,” and it had “honestly made him a bit of a turd to be around,” but she was pleased we’d finally sorted our shit out.
“Well, now that I know about all this, you have no reason not to come to family dinner.” She decided on my behalf.
“Thats um… thank you, Ginny—”
“Ma. I’ve decided it should be Ma.”
“Ma.” I swallowed. “That’s very kind, but it’s… complicated.”
“What’s so complicated about it?”
Explaining things to Benny had been difficult enough. Explaining them to his mother would be even more so. Mymouth opened… and closed again when my mind refused to give me words.
“Do you love him?” Ginny asked.
Where the fuck was Benny and what was taking him so long? I couldn’t even text him because I’d left my phone upstairs and Ginny wouldn’t let me out of her sight.
I swallowed, and nodded.
“Right. And you don’t plan on leavin’ him and breakin’ his beautiful heart again?”
Well, that hurt. I deserved it. I shook my head.
“Then that’s all that matters. If you’re stickin’ around, then you come to family dinner.”
“But… well, the thing is…”
“And if this is about Rach workin’ for ya, then don’t you worry about that. She’ll keep her mouth shut or she’ll have me to deal with. Besides, she’s a terrible gossip, but she’d do nothin’ to harm her brother.”
Those words weren’t as reassuring as Ginny seemed to think they were.
The front door closed, and I exhaled heavily in relief.
“Ma!” Benny shouted from the entry.
“In here, Bear Bear,” Ginny shouted back.
When he rushed into the room to assess the very real threat I was up against, I saw why he’d taken so long. It turned out thesomethinghe was missing for lunch was several bags of groceries, and several bags from various other stores.
His eyes flicked between us, lingering on me, assessing if I was alright before switching back to his mother. “Ma, you can’t just be showin’ up here unannounced.”
“Course I can, Bear Bear, I’m your mother.”
“You can’t use that as an excuse for everythin’ you want to do when I tell you not to”
“’Course I can.” She beamed. “I’m your mother.”
Benny groaned, pacing over and picking off three of his bags to give them to me. “Go,” he whispered, and I didn’t need to be told twice.
“We weren’t done,” Ginny called after me.
