Maybe I’m not entirely fine, but I’m getting there.
Today is just a difficult day, hence why I’m trying to keep my mind busy.
“Is it that time of the month?”
I turn to look at him, hoping I misheard him.
Nope, he's completely serious.
I stare at him, debating whether to laugh or throttle him, because why is it that whenever a woman is even slightly quiet, irritated, or just not smiling like a walking advertisement for happiness, men immediately jump to that conclusion?
Ridiculous.
Honestly, exhausting.
Most guys are absolute idiots.
Well, not all of them—but a concerning number of them.
Unless they're older, tattooed, unfairly good-looking, and make my knees weak every time they look at me.
I’m biased. Sue me.
“I've got a tip for you.” I stand with a huff. “Whenever you get a girlfriend, don't say that shit to her.”
I bend forward again, stretching the ache in my legs till I touch my toes.
“It was a serious question, but alright.”
He clears his throat, and I know he's not done. One thing he's never been able to do is shut up, even when he knows he should.
“I know what day it is, and I've noticed you haven't opened the boxes in your room yet.”
“And I’m not going to.”
Especially not today.
It's already hard enough not being able to celebrate my dad's birthday with him, so there's no way I can read whatever letters he left me, see the cards he had written for my birthday, my wedding and any future children I might have.
They were the things he wanted to see me do, but it was all taken away from him.
I swipe a hand across my forehead when I straighten up.
River looks so much like Elijah. The same dark hair, the same strong jaw, and they both have the same dimple when they smile on their right cheek. The only difference is their eyes. Unfortunately, we got ours from she who must not be named.
I’m sick of the sympathetic looks.
“I’m just saying, they've been there for months now, and it's obviously bothering you.”
Of course, it's bothering me; you'd have to be dead inside if it didn't, but I’m not voicing that out loud because this is the last conversation I want to be having.
I reach out, take his bottle without asking and take a sip.
“I love you, River. But please shut up before this goes over your head.” I shake the bottle before handing it back to him. Hopefully, he gets my point to shut up about it.
He narrows his eyes at me, but I ignore him, spinning on my heel so he can’t start analysing my emotional state again. I have a shift at Beantastics with Quinn, who no doubt will make the day a little easier. Apparently, she's started dating someone, or it's a friends-with-benefits situation. I can't remember.
“My dad cares about you, so maybe opening up to him will be easier than opening up to me.”
