Page 51 of Wrap Around
His hand falls down my arm and slips into mine, entwining our fingers together. I tense, wanting to look around to check that no one sees, but I can't take my eyes off his. Twisting his lips up on one side, he takes a few steps backwards, and I step forward, following him. It reminds me of that day we kissed at the lake, the way he looked at me like he knew the answers and just took control.
Before I know it, Silas is closing the door behind us, shutting out the cold. The warmth of the house starts thawing my skin immediately. Once Silas has removed both our coats and brushed the snow out of my hair, he steps out of his boots and waits for me to do the same. I have a feeling he'd get down and take them off for me but now doesn't seem like the right time to get aroused.
When I turn around, Lily is standing in the entryway to the kitchen, arms wrapped around herself. She looks scared and vulnerable, her eyes red and puffy.
"Nice sweater," I say, nodding to the oversized sweatshirt with the words "Bad MAMAjama" across the front in slightly crooked, off-centerletters.
She huffs a laugh and steps forward to wrap her arms around my waist. I squeeze her back and bend my neck to kiss the top of my head.
"Do you remember what you told me on Christmas?" I ask. "You told me that there was nothing in this world that would keep you from loving me. No matter what."
She looks up, her green eyes stark in her red-rimmed eyes. "I meant it," she says. "I meant every word."
"I'm gonna believe you about that, but I need you to believe me that I feel the same. Whatever truths we're about to unleash on each other, you need to know that. It doesn't matter what the hell is going on, I will never turn my back on you, or love you less, little sister."
Lily buries her face in my chest and sobs. I hold her while she shakes and snots in my sweater. Eventually, she pulls away, wiping her nose and laughing at the mess she left behind.
"I'll go grab you another sweater," Silas says.
"No need," Lily croaks, walking into the kitchen. We follow her, and I have to smile at the craft explosion that is taking up the entirety of their dining area. There are piles of clothes, hats, wooden slabs, and all manner of stuff all over the table, hanging over chairs, and in boxes on the floor. "Don't you dare judge me," she says, pointing at each of us in turn. Both Silas and I hold our hands up in surrender. A hoodie gets thrown at my face. "Don't worry, I did a better job on that one than I did mine."
I laugh and pull off my snotty sweater, tossing it in the foyer near my shoes. I'm actually a bit warm right now, so I hold the new hoodie over my arm while we head into the living room. Silas grabs some glasses and a pitcher of sweet tea from the fridge and asks about Addy. Lily brings a box of tissues and tucks herself intothe corner of the sectional. Silas sits next to her and pulls her into his side. I sit at the opposite end in case I need to bolt.
"She's asleep. I put her down for her nap a bit late so we could have some time to talk."
The room goes silent. Lily picks at her fingernails and I fiddle with the strings of the hoodie in my lap.
Silas chuckles. "Look, I'm the only one that knows the whole story, here. I've been keeping both your secrets because they aren't mine to tell. I know you're both nervous, but I know, love, and trust you both enough to have no doubts that we'll all be in a better place when everything is out in the open. So it really doesn't matter who goes first, here. We can flip a coin if you like, or y'all can arm wrestle, but someone's gotta start."
Lily clears her throat. "What did you think about your hoodie?" she asks me.
I feel a little bad that I'd forgotten to admire her work, but I was a bit distracted. It doesn't feel like the most important detail right now, but if she wants to beat around the bush a little longer, that's fine by me. I'm damn near shitting my pants trying to think of how to say two little words that I've never actually said out loud before.
Holding the sweater up to my chest, I show my teeth in a silly grin, like anyone is taking a picture of me. Silas snorts a little laugh, and Lily looks up at him as if looking for his opinion. He tries to hold back a smile, rolling his lips in and nodding his approval. I guess she really cares about how her projects are turning out…
I look down at my chest, trying to read the letters upside down. My brow furrows in confusion, and I turn the hoodie around to face me so I can make sure I'm reading it right.
G-U-N-C-L-E
Guncle? What the fuck is that?
"I kind of figured it out on my own," she says a little timidly. "If I'm wrong or you don't think it's funny, it’s okay—" Silas squeezes her shoulder, reassuring her that whatever she's saying is right or okay, I don't know. "I was doing something like the t-shirt we gave you at Christmas. This one was originally supposed to sayGruncle. Likegrumpy uncle. I thought it was cute. I wanted to finish it before you got here, so I was working on it this morning, and I was testing out where the letters would fit, and I don't know, it just kind of hit me.”
She huffs a little laugh. “I think part of me maybe already knew, but what you said the other day before you left kind of put all the pieces together," she says, talking to Silas. I wish someone would clue me in, seeing as we are talking about me. Or, at the very least, this confusing-ass hoodie.
"What did you say?" I ask, looking at Silas.Hey, y'all, remember me? I was part of this conversation about ninety seconds ago?
"Right before he left, he was telling me that it was time. That he needed to tell you the truth, or at least part of it, and that I should tell you the rest. I was upset, because I selfishly thought I could take this to my grave, but I realize now how much keeping this secret was hurting him. When I asked him why, he told me you needed to know because he loves you." She sniffs loudly and pulls out another tissue, blows her nose, then pulls out another to blot her eyes. "I don't know how I didn't see it before, but it was always there, right in front of me." She doesn't seem upset about it at all, she's actually smiling. She’s still crying, but we're all emotional. She seems almost happy about it, which I didn't expect.
I look down at the word again and cock my head to the side, like it might help me understand if I look at a different angle.
She said it was supposed to say Gruncle. Grumpyuncle. G-R-U-
Oh.
Oh.
"Gay uncle," Silas says, humor lacing his tone.
