Page 53 of Finding the Forward: Part Two
Creed
Ugh. Sorry. It’s probably a good idea. You have a lot to work through.
Me
True.
I’d been texting him a lot about how to move up the bonding timeline while being a responsible guardian to Mercy.
“This all?” AJ said as he carried some of my plants. His limp was more pronounced than usual.
Mercy held up her console. “I’m going to see if I can save this.”
“Go for it. If you think of anything, we can try to come back,” he said.
I nodded, as I looked around one last time. “We’ve got a few days until the storm. If it’s bad will you be okay with us there, too?”
“Of course that’s okay. You’ll feel better if you’re snowed inwiththem.” AJ grinned as I locked up.
“Oh, yeah. Otherwise, she’d be trying to get to them in the snow to make sure they’re okay. She was a hot mess in Hawai’i.” Mercy snorted, two bags over her shoulder as we made our way down the stairs, her leading the way.
AJ took my arm. “Let’s go to the store. I know this is a lot, but you’ll feel better after a home-cooked meal.”
“That’s the last of it.” Mercy set bags on the counter of the guys’ kitchen, which was littered with sacks and containers.
As was their glass dining room table. The fancy washer in their laundry room hummed away. We’d dropped off our nicer clothes at AJ’s favorite dry cleaners. Both of us had things lying all around the living room and dining room to dry. My plants occupied the hall bathroom and the laundry room. My sourdough starter sat by the stove.
When AJ mentioned heading to a store for essentials, I’d thought we’d just go to Swoop, which was a buy-everything-but-still-discount store. You know, where you could buy everything you neededin one swoop.
After that, we’d gone to Hardwick’s, an extremely upscale department store. While I loved Hardwicks, especially their gourmet food hall, I hadn’t been expecting that. Especially since he paid for everything.
We’d also gone to a very cute Middle Eastern grocery that made me miss my grandfather. Baba’s omega dad had always been my favorite. Growing up, I’d endure visits to Baba’s family in Bayside solely for him. His death a couple of years back had crushed me. He was one of the few people who saw me for me.
“Great. Mercy, let’s see your room first.” AJ headed upstairs.
I hadn’t been upstairs here, and Mercy had only been to their place once when we’d exchanged Christmas presents.
“I still think you need a coat rack next to the shoe rack.” Mercy glanced at the elevator as she grabbed her backpack.
“We have a coat closet.” AJ shrugged. “Didn’t you have one where you grew up?”
I thought for a moment. “We had pegs and cubbies by the door with everyone’s names on them. The hall closet was full of sporting equipment.”
“A coat closet is so formal. A coat rack is easy to grab and go. Where will I put my umbrellas?” she prodded.
Did Mercy have an umbrella?
“We have a bin for them in the closet. So, the upstairs is a work in progress. We really only use the gym. Well, Jonas uses the library. Though we do like the terrace when it’s not freezing,” AJ said as we passed a landing full of boxes.
A library? If I promised to be nice to his books, maybe he’d let me use it.
We stood in a living area with a couple of overstuffed couches and chairs, along with a TV and some lamps. A small bar area was in one of the back corners. The carpeting was soft, and the couches were stuffed with pillows in earth tones. It looked over onto the main living area and was bright and airy. Cute art hung on the walls, including a beautiful painting of a cabin in the woods.
“Dean did this area up in the colors he thinks are your favorites,” AJ said to Mercy. “If it’s not your style, we can fix this however you like. We just wanted to fix up a space so you can have friends over and play video games. We hardly ever use it anyway.”
“Oh.” She frowned a little and turned to me, questions in her eyes.
I put my hands up in surrender. “This is all them. All I did was mention to Grif that I’d talk to you.”
