Page 39 of Full Body Hit: Part 2
A smile crept onto Chase’s face, chest loosening. “I did take a few, actually.”
Chase sent them over, the conversation devolving into talking about forts, and nests, and sleepovers—something Chase hadn’t done as a kid.
It was what Chase had been searching for. Just a normal conversation. He didn’t need to becomforted. He was fine.
Still. It was nice to just sit there and listen to his Daddy talk—about sleepovers when he was young, the mischief he got into. Things that Chase would never have dared to do.
He closed his eyes and let Aunix’s voice blanket him.
***
In the end, his mom stayed for three days.
And so did Sammy and Noah.
It was kind of fascinating to see Sammy and Chase’s mom interact. Everything she said bounced right off him. If she suggested there were too many people in the apartment, Sammy deflected about how thankful he was to have such a generous friend to let them stay. If she wanted to watch tape, Sammy could act as if he were about to faint if he were presented with another minute of hockey and then put on a movie about a talking dog.
And Chase’s mom just…let it happen. Chase could tell she didn’t like it—her narrowed eyes, the way her jaw ticked—but she didn’t fight Sammy on it, too polite to outright say anything.
Chase was used to just going along with what his mom said. He didn’t eventhinkto oppose her.
Not that he would even if he wanted to—it wasn’t as if she had any bad ideas. Maybe just…bad timing, what with always wanting to talk about Chase’s game, even when he was exhausted.
Sammy even accompanied them to the airport to drop Chase’s mom off, chatting for the full forty-five minutes it took to get there.
Chase wasn’t sure if he evenbreathed.
Chase’s mom gave him a curt pat on the shoulder and an even curter ‘goodbye’ to Sammy as they parted, and that was it.
His mom was gone.
Chase felt almost dizzy on the ride back, as if he’d been carrying some giant weight, had gotten used to the shape of it, only for it to be suddenly lifted off him.
He drove Sammy home to his very much not water-damaged apartment, idling by the entrance.
“You guys didn’t have to do that, but…thanks.”
Sammy ruffled his hair. “We all need a bit of backup sometimes. You good? Want to come in?”
“It’s okay—wanna just…”
“Rest a bit. I get you. I’ll see you tomorrow, then?”
“Yeah.”
Samy gave him an air-kiss and went to open the door before pausing. “Oh, wait. Um—did you tell Auston about your mom?”
“That she was here?”
“No—about the whole…medication thing. And her kind of stressing you out.”
“She doesn’t stress me out, she just—”
“Okay, okay. Sorry. I mean…did you tell Auston about your mom?”
Chase frowned. “No?”
“Really? Because he was the one who told us to go over to yours. He was freaking out, begging us to make up an excuse and not leave you alone with her.”
