Page 110 of Devilry

“Mom. We can do it, you don’t have to walk around.”

She wraps an arm around my waist. “I’ve come a long way, honey. I promise I don’t overdo it if I can help it.”

Elijah slips his hand into mine, and for the first time in a long time, I feel like I’m exactly where I’m supposed to be.

* * *

It’s minutes to midnight,and Meghann and Trey have managed to tell Elijah every single embarrassing story of my childhood. Appreciative the conversation was steered safely away from Elijah and me as a couple, I know tomorrow I won’t be so lucky.

“Well, my beautiful family, I have well and truly stayed up past my bedtime. I will see you all in the morning.” It’s obvious the late night has made her body tired, and it takes a few too many tries to get off her chair. Just as I’m about to get up to walk her to her room, Elijah beats me to it.

As he holds out his arm for my mom to take, I call to her. “Mom.”

“Yeah, honey?”

I look down at my watch and then back at Megs. “It’s midnight.”

Right on cue, the four us begin to bellow out an extremely out of tune version of “Happy Birthday”. Like every year we sing it to her, she laughs and then she cries. Elijah goes along with it all, never missing a beat, never feeling out of place. Outside of our time together, it’s the most relaxed and carefree I’ve ever seen him; solidifying that this weekend was exactly what we needed.

Megs takes Mom off of Elijah’s hands and helps her get settled into bed.

“I’m going to go to bed,” Elijah announces.

“I’ll come.” I scoot my chair out, but he places a hand on my shoulder, stopping me.

“Stay with Trey, catch up. You haven’t seen everyone in months.”

Knowing Ineedto talk to Trey, I concede. I tip my head back and he kisses me. Oblivious to why this moment is so significant for us, Trey makes a gagging noise, purposefully trying to ruin it.

He smiles against my lips. “’Night, Cole.”

“’Night.”

I can’t help but watch him till he’s out of sight, already itching to be up and in bed with him.

“So, what is it?” Trey asks.

“What’s what?”

“The reason you didn’t mention him before tonight.”

I bury my head in my hands. “Not you too.”

“Don’t ‘not you too’ me, I’ve known you my whole life. You didn’t even hide your sexuality for fuck’s sake.”

“What about you?” I accuse. “You’re hiding shit from Megs.”

“She thinks that?” The surprise on his face confirms that something’s wrong.

“The only thing she told me was that things were weird and she thought you might be breaking up with her.”

“What?” He jumps up out of his chair and starts pacing the kitchen. “I would never leave her, Cole. She’s my whole fucking world.”

“Well, when was the last time you told her that?”

“I’ll admit,” he says, talking more to himself than me, “I’ve been moody. Yes, we’ve both been snapping at one another, but breaking up with her?” He shakes his head. “The only reason I wouldn’t be with your sister, is if she didn’t want to be with me.”

The statement reminds me of Elijah’s determination to not let us crumble, to not be swayed by the inevitable and the circumstances, but to fight, and to fight hard.

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