Page 58 of Home With You

I smile hearing him say that. I wish I could say the same for my own mom.

"She struggled as a single mom," he says, "but I always had what I needed. She put me first, sacrificing her own needs for mine. I wish she'd done more for herself." He pauses. "How's the pizza?"

"Wonderful," I hear Gladys say. "Why don't you see if Raine would like some?"

"I would but I'm afraid she'd bite my head off just for asking. She's been in a really bad mood lately."

"I noticed that too," Gladys says. "But she loves that sweatshirt you gave her. Sleeps in it every night."

Why is she telling him that? And why are they talking about me? They never talk about me.

"I'm glad she likes it," Miles says. "I'll bring by more tomorrow. I have some just like it I never wear. Or maybe I'll buy her a new one. What's her favorite color?"

"I think she'd like pink," Gladys says, excitement in her voice.

I burst from the tent. "Pink? Since when do I wear pink?" I look at Miles. "You're not buying me anything. And I don't want more of your sweatshirts. And I don't wear that one you gave me every night. Just when it's cold and I need something warm. And I haven't been in a bad mood. I'm just resting in the tent. That doesn't mean I'm in a bad mood." I stop to take a breath.

Gladys and Miles are looking at me like I've lost my mind.

"What?" I ask, my eyes bouncing back and forth between the two of them.

"You shouldn't listen in, dear," Gladys scolds.

"I wasn't trying to, but you guys aren't exactly quiet."

"We'll try to keep it down," Gladys turns to Miles. "So how was work today?"

"The usual." He takes a bite of pizza. "Hours of boring meetings."

I stare at them as they continue their conversation as if I'm not even here.

As I turn to go back to the tent, Miles says, "Want some pizza?"

I turn back, my stomach growling. "I guess I could have some."

"Here." He holds up the box that hasn't been opened. "It's all yours. There's soda in the bag." He points to a plastic sack next to Gladys.

"Here you go, dear." Gladys hands me a soda.

"Thanks." I take the soda and pizza and go back in the tent.

"Some girl at work wants to go out," I hear Miles say, and the pizza I was holding slips out of my hand and lands on my jeans.

"Shit!" I say, louder than I intended.

"You okay in there?" Miles calls out.

"Yeah. Fine," I call back.

"Do you like this young lady?" Gladys asks Miles.

"I'm not sure. I don't really know her."

"Is she pretty?"

"Very. She works for the real estate firm in my building. I see her in the lobby in the mornings. She's always asking me to meet her for drinks after work but I tell her I have plans."

"Miles, you don't need to miss out on a lovely lady to come here every night."

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