Page 53 of Night of the Living Manny
“Not comforting.” He needed comfort right now.
“What do you want me to say?”
“I don’t know!” Brenden threw up his hands. “Maybe that we were starting a thing? So I know it wasn’t just me?”
“God. We were starting a thing. I wanted to start a thing. I still do, even though I know you don’t anymore.”
“I never said that. I’m just scared and freaked out. I wish I knew you better so I know what kind of man you are. I want to believe you’re a good one, because the way you are with your kids and me says you are.” Brenden kinda ran out of breath.
Liam looked at him with sad eyes. “I wish you knew what kind of man I am too. I wish a lot of things, but right now I just am trying to be the best person I can.”
“And find that cure.”
“Yeah. Let me wash the rest of this.”
“I can.”
“No, I’m in gloves and all.” Liam scrubbed the Hummer, then carefully disposed of all the waste. “I’ll do my best, Brenden. Maybe I can prove myself to you.”
Brenden thought that Liam would do just that. He prayed so.
“I guess I’ll feed the kids. You want me to call you up for a sandwich? Britt would very much like a family meeting.”
Liam closed his eyes, and suddenly he looked like an old man, like someone who was lost, drowning. “Sure. I can do that.”
“I’ll holler.” Brenden gave Liam a quick hug. “I’m sorry this is happening, hon.”
“You and me both. I swear, I will fix this or die trying.”
“No dying.” He cupped Liam’s cheek. “We have to figure this whole thing-thing out.”
“Our thing-thing, huh?” Liam almost grinned, almost.
“Yes. Our thing. You and me.” Stressful situations and relationships were for movies, but Brenden wasn’t willing to just let it go. He and Liam had felt so right, and the foreplay had been… well, amazing.
“Yes. You and me. Us. Together. Possibly in an adult way.”
“Definitely.” Feeling better somehow, Brenden kissed Liam gently. “Go on. I got the rest.”
“Okay. Make sure you lock up and set the alarms, just in case.”
“I will.” He watched Liam go before checking the whole garage, then setting the alarms on the way into the house.
Britt was busily sorting candy, Peter was putting books on shelves, and Susanna was…. “Where’s your sister?”
“Refilling the generator.”
“By herself?”
Britt started to look worried. “There’s a funnel.”
“Yes, but….” He went to the back, where the teenager was head down, working on getting the generator running.
“You okay?” he asked.
“Yeah. I can’t… I can’t get the cap open.”
He moved closer, and her mascara was running, two of her fingernails torn and bleeding. She was so damn scared.
