Page 64 of Quake

“I’m not sure if it’s that. I kind of think that maybe he’s taking baby steps with me in a way. Like maybe he thinks he’ll scare me away with his particular brand of unstable.”

She snorts at that. “Well, if that’s how you feel, youobviouslyhaven’t told him about your mom.”

“I have, just not in detail. I’m not ashamed of what happened to her. She was struggling with a mental illness that was out of her control. Do I wish she had taken her medication and gone to therapy? Of course I do, but that doesn’t make her crazy.”

“I never said it did,” she whispers. “I just meant that if he thinks you’re going to be scared off by whatever demons he’s supposedly got tucked away in that handsome head of his, he’s seriously misguided. Though I am curious how your mom came up at all.”

“I feel a little confused. I’m developing feelings for him that feel so much deeper than they should, and we aren’t even dating.”

“I’ve got a couple of questions to hopefully unpack that a bit,” she says, almost hesitantly.

“I’m ready when you are. Unpack away.” I chuckle.

“Alright, first question. If you aren’t dating, what exactlyareyou doing?”

“Not entirely sure, actually. We’ve never discussed it, really. We’ve been sleeping together, and he’s helping me try things on my kink list that Tyler made me feel guilty for even thinking about, but it feels like more than sex. For me, anyway. I can’t ever be too sure where his head is at.”

“So maybe start there? Try to clear that up so you’re both on the same page?”

“I’m not so sure about that just yet. It may be a little too soon to discuss dating, and I don’t want to scare him off. If I’m right, and he really is opening up to me, I want to be that safe space for him for as long as I can be.”

“I think that maybe you can be a safe space for each other. I have a good feeling about him,” she tells me softly.

“I do too,” I say into the dark room. She squeezes my hand before rolling over and stealing most of the covers.1

1. All The Small Things – blink-182

Chapter thirty-five

Lark

Wednesday, April 2, 2025

“We’re still going to Gloria’s for book club, right?” I ask my best friends as they head off to work.

“Yep, I love Gloria! I want her to be my new mommy, honestly.” Kira laughs.

“Same, she’s incredible. She and I have actually been working on some new merch designs for the last couple of weeks,” Madison pipes up.

“Ah, I see you’re digging those old graphic design skills out of the depths of your brain,” I tease.

“I am, and I kind of love it, honestly.”

“That’s great, Mads. I’m glad you’re picking that up again. You were also so good at it,” Jade encourages.

“Thanks, Jade,” she tells her, then turns to face Kira and me. “We should head out though. I can’t be late since it’s just me today.”

I walk them out, my heart feeling full from the night spent with some of my favorite people.

***

“Hey, Daddy-O, are you free for dinner tonight?” I ask my dad as I head out of the clinic. For once, I’m actually getting out early.

“For you? Always, little bird. Takeout or do you wanna meet somewhere?” he asks me, sounding excited for some quality time together.

“Mind if I grab the dogs and head to your place? We can do dinner at the house with whatever you want,” I tell him as I get into my car, buckling my seatbelt.

“Sounds like a plan. See you soon, and Lark?”

---