My chest is feeling kind of tight, and I’m questioning whether or not I’m feeling tingling in my fingers and toes or just imagining it. Either way, I know I’m riding the edge of a full-blown panic attack.
When I make it to my room, I close the door all the way and head right to my purse. Taking an extra pill will make me sleepy in a few hours, but it will help me make it through lunch without feeling the need to run out of the house.
The pill is tiny in my hand. I debate if I really need it, but then my eyes are drawn to Memphis’ bag on my floor, and I toss the thing back and swallow it dry. I can’t chance my mom noticing anything right now and taking me away from the life I so desperately want.
I pull on a pair of pants my mother picked out and a loose shirt after putting on a bra. Glancing in the mirror, I notice I look stiff and a little pale. I need to relax, or she will know something.
The door clicks open, and I see Memphis’ hand on the wood as he sneaks into the room through the smallest opening he can fit through before he latches the door just as quietly behind him. “What are you doing?” I look at the bed through the mirror, spying the bottle of pills I didn’t put away yet, and hope he doesn’t notice them.
Instead of answering, he walks over to me and cups my cheeks while staring into my eyes. “I need to know you’re okay.”
“I’m okay,” I tell him, and it’s not really a lie.
He huffs out a breath, telling me he can see through my half-truth. “Waylynn, if something is wrong or you’re scared, we can leave right now. We can take care of you. You don’t need to live here or use their money.”
My heart does a whole lot of melting. I almost tear up, but I manage to hold it in while I swallow the lump in my throat. “Memphis…” I shake my head, trying to find the right words. “I’m not scared for any of the reasons you’re thinking. I’m not even sure scared is the right word, and I promise that I will explain everything to you later, but I just don’t want to lose you guys,” I admit, finally voicing part of what’s really bothering me.
He bends his knees so we’re eye level. “You couldn’t lose us if you tried, sweetness.” There’s a part of me, a part that’s a little bigger than it was yesterday, that believes him, but I would be lying if I said I wasn’t worried at all. “I love you, and I’m not letting you go no matter what. Tell me you understand,” he demands.
“I understand,” I say immediately.
“Now make me believe it,” he challenges.
“Yes, sir.” I damn near throw myself at him. My arms go around his back, and my head goes to his chest, where I let out a sigh of surrender. Memphis folds me in his arms, and I feel his lips on the top of my head. The urgency to get downstairs wanes, and I debate just hiding out in here, but I know I can’t.
After a minute or two, I pull back. “Thanks for coming to talk to me.”
“You should know I will always come for you, Waylynn, no matter what.”
“I love you.”
“I know. How else could you put up with me? I love you too.” He kisses me chastely before steadying me so he can grab my crutches. “I’m going to head back down before you, unless you want me to wait?”
“I do, but I don’t want to give my mom a heart attack. I think I need to warm her up to the idea of having more than one boyfriend since I’ve never even had one before.”
Memphis makes a growly sound and slams his lips to mine again, but it doesn’t last long before he pulls himself away and saunters out of the room without another word.
Oswald
“No wonder you love lasagna.”I smack my lips together after wiping my mouth. It’s a damn shame her mom only brought one tray. I could definitely eat more.
“None ever live up to Beth’s,” her mom says, speaking for Waylynn. I’ve noticed her doing it once or twice. Waylynn nods, agreeing with her mom but staying quiet.
Memphis gets up from the table in the dining room we’ve never used and takes Waylynn’s empty plate along with his own. He stops next to me. “Are you done?” I hand him my plate, wishing I would have thought to clear the table. He’s making a better impression than me, and I’m the boyfriend.
“Oh,” Cordelia says when he pauses next to her. “Thank you.” She seems genuinely pleased that he took her dish. Less than half her food is eaten, but she hasn’t touched it in a while, so it wasn’t hard to guess she was done.
“I’ll help you.” Bates stands up, leaving Waylynn and me alone with her mom. The traitor. I’ve never done the meet the parents, boyfriend thing, but I’m sure she’s going to ask me a bunch of questions any time now. Dads are the ones who bring out guns, right? That’s probably just TV anyway.
“So,Oswald, that’s such an interesting name. Is it a family name?”
“To be honest, I’m not really sure. My parents never mentioned where my name came from.” I don’t elaborate on the fact that they were usually too wasted to talk about shit like that.
Waylynn places her hand on mine, and her mother’s eyes track it. I feel her chilled fingers start to pull back, so I capture them before she can tug her hand away.
“Maybe you could ask them?” Cordelia tilts her head to the side.
“Mom,” Waylynn cautions.
