Page 21 of Minor Trouble
“He’s done that?” I couldn’t pretend it hadn’t happened to me a couple of times, mostly after nights spent with Hannah. “Must be the change of environment, stress and all that.”
Ainsley pursed her mouth. “Or maybe it’s because he doesn’t have his own space and he’s up all night playing video games?”
Hearing her throw the accusation at me stung. “He’s always tired when I go to bed.” I blustered.
“Yes, at around eleven o’clock. Then when you’re not there, he plays games until the early hours. From what he’s told me, he’s probably getting around one or two hours of sleep a night, which at his age really isn’t enough.”
“Shit, I had no idea.” I chewed the inside of my cheek. “I thought he was going to sleep straight after I’d left him.”
“Can I see upstairs, Seth?” Ainsley glanced up at the apartment.
My first instinct was to say no. The place was a mess. Two less-than-house-proud guys living together didn’t exactly make for the front cover ofArchitectural Digest. But I sensed if I didn’t let her, she’d go up there anyway.
“You asked for my help, Seth. And now would be a good time to take my advice.” She stood up and walked towards the stairs.
I followed her, desperately trying not to stare at her ass clad in that tight black pencil skirt. When we got into the living room, the familiar sight of Noah on the sofa, playing his video game and eating cereal out of the box greeted me. I saw it through Ainsley’s eyes, and disappointment coursed through me.I had to be better at this.
“Hey, Noah. Good to see you again.” She smiled at him, and his mouth dropped open, evidently not expecting a home visit from his guidance counselor. “I was just talking to your dad about some of the things we discussed this afternoon.”
“Um, okay,” Noah mumbled through a mouthful of cereal. “Am I in trouble?” He looked at me, fear in his eyes.
“Not at all,” Ainsley asserted. “You said you were sleeping on the couch, but I didn’t realize you were practically living in it.” Her gaze surveyed the boxes around the edge of the room which we still hadn’t gotten around to unpacking. “Is the bedroom through there?” She pointed in the right direction, and I nodded.
“Yeah, there’s a bathroom too.” I added unnecessarily.
“So if Noah moved in there, he’d have some space for himself?”
I didn’t think asking her what I’d do if I brought someone home was the best comeback to her question. It wasn’t something I was planning to do, but Ainsley didn’t need to know that. “Yeah. He’d be able to do his homework in peace.”
Ainsley quirked an eyebrow. “Then that would be a good thing. Wouldn’t it, Noah?”
She directed the second part of her sentence at my son and, as his cheeks reddened, I wondered what that meant. I’d have to ask Noah once she’d left.
“Yes, Miss,” he mumbled.
Letting my son take over my bedroom was something I should probably have realized sooner. I’d simply brought him into my world and dumped him into the middle of it without giving it a second thought. “We’ll get you moved in there tonight, and then sort it out properly over the weekend. Go shopping, really make it yours. What do you say, Noah?”
He flashed me a genuine smile, one of the very few I’d seen since he’d been here. “Cool.”
I breathed a sigh of relief.
“Okay, good to see we’re making some progress here,” said Ainsley. “There are still a few other things to sort out, but baby steps. Noah, come and see me tomorrow before class and tell me how you slept.”
“Sure.” He gave Ainsley a vigorous nod, then got up and scampered off to the bathroom.
“I really should get going.” Ainsley waved a hand in the direction of the stairs. “It’s getting late, and I’m sure you should be sorting out dinner soon.” Her gaze scanned the pile of takeout menus on the coffee table, and I felt her silently judging me again. I was going to have to take Maddox up on his offer of talking to his Aunt Penny to find out what to feed a thirteen-year-old boy.
We went back downstairs, and I pointed Ainsley towards her car. “Thanks for today,” I said. “And for not cutting me off when I needed help last night. It’s all new to me.” I raked a hand through my hair as I admitted my concerns.
“We can talk again later in the week.” She extended a hand. “See how things are going.”
My hand closed over hers, and I experienced that same rush as when we’d touched earlier. She was my son’s guidance counselor, nothing else. As she drove away, it struck me she wouldn’t look twice at someone like me. I wished she would.
Heavy hearted, I went back upstairs to see Noah had resumed his place on the sofa. His demeanor appeared different. Gone was the sullen, almost angry boy, and in his place was a happier version of himself. He didn’t have his headphones on and was flicking through the TV channels instead of playing his game. A rush of love flooded my chest, the strength of it taking me by surprise. I dropped down onto the sofa beside him and tentatively slung an arm around his shoulders.
“How are you doing?” I asked, not expecting to get a reply.
“I like Ms. Coren. She’s nice.” Noah didn’t move his eyes from the TV screen.
