“Is that an invite?”
“Absolutely not. You’ll make me dirtier.”
He gave her a devilish grin. “You knowit.”
Aida shook her head before rising to gatherher clothes. The bruises on her throat were mostly faded, andconcealer hid the rest, but she still took a turtleneck with her.She showered and dressed before returning to her room, where shediscovered Julian clothed and sitting on the end of her bed.
“I’ll walk you to work,” he said as herose.
She didn’t bother to tell him he didn’t haveto do that; he would insist, and she liked the idea of spending afew more minutes with him. Aida retrieved her purse from the top ofher bureau. She checked to make sure she had her knife and pepperspray before slinging it over her shoulder and leaving the room.Julian followed her into the living room where Kyle was watching acartoon while Cassidy sat cross-legged on the couch beside him withher laptop on her knees.
“Hello, lovebirds,” Kyle said without takinghis eyes off the TV.
“Happy birthday!” Cassidy exclaimed. She sether computer on the floor and rushed over to envelop Aida in a bighug.
Aida hugged her back while Kyle tore hisattention away from the TV and rose to come over and hug her too.“Happy birthday.”
“Thank you,” Aida said.
“You’re going to come in tonight, right?”Cassidy asked her as Kyle stepped away and returned to thecouch.
Cassidy had a thing where she sang “HappyBirthday” to the unsuspecting birthday souls when someone requestedit. Some of them got a husky, Marilyn Monroe version; others got amore upbeat almost pop version, and some a jazz number. Aidasuspected Cassidy had come up with something original for hertonight.
“I wouldn’t miss it,” Aida said.
“Good.” Cassidy hugged her again beforeturning to Julian. “Mom called earlier; she wants to know whenyou’re going to visit.”
“Soon,” Julian said.
Cassidy rolled her eyes before retreating tothe couch. “She’s going to want a more exact timeframe, or she’sgoing to show up here.”
“Don’t let that happen,” Kyle said. “I loveher but the last time she was here, she spent a whole day cleaningthe place; it wasn’t dirty.”
“She didn’t know what else to do withherself,” Cassidy said. “We’re her youngest, and she wasn’t readyfor us to fly the nest.”
“Eh,” Kyle grunted. “Just call her and lether know when you’ll be there, so she doesn’t come here. It doesn’tmake you a hit with the ladies when your clothes smell likelavender and your mom is hanging out at the bar telling everyonehow you used to call your penis Mr. Winky.”
Aida almost choked on her laughter. “Did youreally do that?”
“It only has one eye,” Kyle replieddefensively and scowled at the three of them when they roared withlaughter. “Go ahead and laugh, but I have a ton of dirt on the twoof you too.”
Julian and Cassidy tried to choke back theirlaughter, but Aida didn’t bother. “Oh, please… do… share,” she gotout between her chuckles.
“Maybe some other time,” Julian said as helooped his arm through hers and pulled her toward the door.
“What about Mom?” Kyle called after them.
“I’ll call her in a little bit,” Julianpromised.
“Good and, Aida?”
“Yeah?” she asked him over her shoulder.
“Julian once tried to catch a football in gymwhen he got tackled from behind. He and the other kid skidded intothe bleachers where Julian faceplanted into the lap of the girl’sgym teacher. She yelled at him for five minutes while he turned asred as a tomato and fumbled out apologies. The whole school calledhim Crotch Face for the rest of the year.”
“You’re an asshole,” Julian said over Aida’slaughter. He opened the door and steered her into the hall beforehis brother could reveal any more. “I’ll be back soon.”
He closed the door and walked with her downthe stairs and out the front door. When they stepped onto the busysidewalk, Aida tilted her head back to take in the warmth of thesun. It was a glorious day to be alive.
