Page 114 of Need Him Like Oxygen

It didn’t help that neither of them had… anything. Sure, Joel had some clothes and shit in his parents’ apartment, but it got more and more clear each time he needed to do so that he dreaded going back in there. So I finally just gave him some cash to go get new clothes and shoes.

And Lip, well, he literally had nothing but one or two sentimental items he had with him while living on the street. He needed an entire wardrobe, personal care items, electronics, a couch to sleep on, the whole thing.

I mean, the couch was temporary.

It was better than the cushions on the floor, which were better than a box on the street.

But I wanted the kid to have an actual bed. Both of them, actually. In a room, or rooms. Preferably situated a safe distance from my bedroom, so I didn’t feel weird about sharing a bed with Dav, and possibly being overheard.

It was just, you know, a process.

When I’d found some private moments, I’d been looking at listings for apartments or condos that would have enough room for all of us. I even had some flagged to go do a walk-through of.

I just didn’t know how to approach the topic with Dav.

Sure, we were practically living together now. But practically living together and actually living together were completely different things.

And there was also the issue of, you know, taking Joel with me out of this building. Which could, essentially, be seen as a sort of kidnapping.

I’d looked into that as well. Having his parents sign over their rights. But it was complicated. It involved court. And that would mean someone might figure out who I was and what I did. Then no one would let Joel near me.

There was just… shit to work out.

“What’s got you looking so—“ Dav started, but the door flew open, and the boys were making their way in, looking a mix of excited and nervous as Joel brought the box over and handed it to me.

“For me?” I asked, surprised.

I mean, we’d been through a holiday together. And both of the kids had picked up gifts for Dav and I. But that was, you know, what you did on a holiday. This was unexpected and sweet.

I handed the box to Dav, feeling oddly nervous myself as I pulled open the top, then moving some of the packing peanuts out of the way to pull out a mug.

It was white with red blood splatter and little crushed bullets and bullet holes around the words scrolled across it.

Not the worst mom.

“The mug lady triple-checked to make sure we wanted the blood, bullets, and holes,” Joel admitted as, to my utter humiliation, I felt my eyes go all glassy.

“We’re still always a mug short,” Lip added.

I wasn’t exactly good with expressing emotions. Especially of the warm and squishy variety. And warm and squishy were definitely how I was feeling right then with these two kids I was starting to see as mine giving me a gift calling me, of all things, Mom.

“I think we broke it,” Joel said when I let out this strange, strangled sound.

“That’s her ‘trying not to cry’ noise,” Dav supplied just as I practically tossed the mug at him, so I could wrap an arm around each of the boys.

They were equally as awkward with the show of affection, and our mutual ineptitude made it a whole hell of a lot less awkward.

“Thanks boys,” I said, giving them one last squeeze before moving away.

“Now make your coffee,” Dav said, passing the mug to me. “We have a busy day planned.”

“We do?” I asked, looking between the three of them.

“Two open houses and three private showings,” Dav said, nodding.

“Wait… what?” I asked, stiffening. “That wasn’t… in the immediate plans.”

“All the good shit is gonna pass us by if we keep waiting,” he said as the boys moved off toward the living room.

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