Page 201 of Five Summers

“Really?”

“Yeah.”

"Yeah, I'll give it a try," he says, getting comfortable in the chair and looking more relaxed. I notice that his legs are no longer bouncing up and down. “I can't wait to meet Alex. Can we meet him when we get back?”

Theo, plus all the guys have been so keen to meet Alex. They’ve been bombarding me with questions about Alex since I’ve returned.

“Yeah, I was thinking of inviting you guys over as soon as we’re back home, so you can meet him and see Poppy again.”

"Yeah, I'm in," he smirks in response. “You know, seeing Poppy again, and...”

“Alright, keep it to yourself,” I smirk back, knowing that Theo, always playful and ready to fuck with me, is back to his relaxed self.

"I might give you a hard time, but honestly, I'm really happy for you and I wish I had what you’ve got,” Theo confesses, his leg bouncing up and down again.

“One day, it might happen. You never know.”

“I doubt it. Especially when no one else even comes close, you know?”

“Yeah, I get it.”

“Thought you would.”

Hearing him open up deeply touches my heart. Could Theo’s fear of letting anyone in again be the reason for his flirtatiousbehavior? Is he afraid of letting someone in because of the pain he’s experienced?

Taking a moment to observe him, I offer some advice, “When you write your song, tap into that feeling. Feel it right here.” I tap my fingers against my chest. “That’s your song, man. Write it for Bianca.”

He's giving me the once-over, obviously pondering the suggestion I just dropped.

"Do you think Nate can help?" he asks.

“Sure, you and Nate can come up with the lyrics and I'll help put them together if you want.”

“Thanks, I’d appreciate that. Well, I guess I'll try to get some sleep," he says, getting up from the couch. “You should do the same. We still have a while before we land.”

“Yeah,” I say, fully aware of the fact that we still have over ten hours left until we touch down. “I’m just too excited to sleep.”

Theo walks towards the door, and as I hold my guitar, my fingers effortlessly start strumming. A melody emerges, carrying me away and causing time to swiftly slip through my fingers.

The moment I step off the plane, a surge of excitement rushes through me, reminiscent of the joy I experienced as a child before my mother passed away. It evokes memories of those exhilarating Christmas mornings when I would eagerly rush to see what Santa had brought. I can't wait to see Poppy and Alex. It's like my whole body is buzzing.

On the flight, I’m the only one who hasn’t slept.

The SUV ride home takes forever, but the second Ace puts in the security code to open the gates, I’m bursting with energy, ready to bolt out of the car just to get there faster. This overwhelming desire to be home is an entirely new experience for me, and the wait is driving me crazy.

“Hey guys, come meet Alex,” I say as we start moving through the gates.

"Now," Ace says with a grin, showing how stoked he is.

“Yeah, let’s do it.”

“Hell yeah, I’m in!” Ace says.

Nate and Theo share excited smiles, eager to finally meet the little guy they always ask about.

As the car drives up our long, circular driveway, I can't contain my excitement. Before the driver even opens the car door, I'm already out and rushing up the front steps. I don’t even look back to see if the guys are with me. My only focus is finding Poppy and Alex.

As I step through the front door, I leave it open for the rest of the guys to follow. The air is filled with the delightful aroma of freshly baked cookies, instantly evoking memories of our teenage years when Poppy would often indulge me with her homemade treats.

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