She let out a sigh of relief.She untangled her legs and gently set Mildred on the floor.The dog trotted toward the door with Lenni following right behind her.
The two of them left the room—I was slower to get up.I turned off the music and then headed downstairs.
Lenni was sitting next to Archer on the couch when I came into the living room.She was muttering to him, and I couldn’t hear what she said.I went to the stove and lifted the tea kettle.It was nearly empty, so I filled it.
Out of the corner of my eye, I watched as Archer held out his arm.Lenni looked at it for a moment and then inched up next to him for a hug.
I looked up at the ceiling, trying to stem the flow of my own tears.
“No more work today,” Archer informed us.
“Good,” I said.“Time to couch rot.”
“Couch rot,” Archer repeated.“What’s that?”
Lenni and I both stared at him in shock.
“You’re kidding, right?”I asked.
“It’s where you change into your pajamas and don’t move for hours,” Lenni informed him.
“Okay, but what do wedo?”he asked.
“Nothing,” I said.“That’s the whole point.”
He rubbed his jaw as he pondered.
“When was the last time you had a day where you did nothing?”I asked.
“I don’t have days like that,” he said.
I looked at Lenni and raised my brows.“Should we teach him the ways?”
“Yes.”Lenni got up off the couch and pointed to his bedroom.“Go change into your jammies.”
Archer stood slowly.“So, what does this mean as far as baked goods go?It would seem that couch rotting and junk food go hand in hand.”
“You’re not wrong,” I said, looking forlornly at the door.“But I don’t want to trek back outside for snacks.”
“I’ll hit up Sweet Teeth before they close,” he said.“Put in your orders now.”
“Tell Gracie our plan,” I suggested.“And let her pick.She has a knack for it.”
“Aye, aye, captain.”Archer grinned and it was completely adorable and boyish.“What are we watching?”
“I think Lenni should decide,” I said.
Her brow furrowed for a moment and then smoothed out.She smiled.“How about aLord of the Ringsmarathon?”
Archer made a face.“Hobbits?Seriously?”
She crossed her arms over her chest and gave him a sassy look.“We could watch Disney movies instead.”
He sighed like a man who knew he was beaten.“Hobbits, it is.”
He pulled on his boots and grabbed his coat and was out the door with a mutteredfucking Frodo.
The tea kettle began to whistle, and I moved it off the burner.
