Page 157 of Loving Ladybug: Part One
“A package?” I frowned. “I didn’t order anything.”
“Do you want me to open it?” Clark offered.
I nodded. “Please.”
Just in case it was weird.
Getting a knife, he sliced open the box and removed something roundish and purple.
A helmet? But I already had goalie masks.
Clark looked at the box and the paper in it and laughed. “Tens sent you a motorcycle helmet. I was going to take you to get one, but this one’s cute.”
“That was nice of him. I like it.” I texted him a picture of me with it. It was all different shades of purple withstars.
Me
Thank you. It's so cute.
Tenzin
You're quite welcome. I just want you to be safe.
Awww. My heart melted.
“Hey. Do you want to go to that Thai place you like for dinner? If you’re hungry, that is?” He pushed his glasses up, which hadslid down his nose again. “Though, first, can we have a serious talk?”
Oh. My belly dipped. “I… I was thinking maybe I should pay the electric bill, since I’ll be around more than you. Or the water bill, since I take so many bubble baths? I don’t mind contributing to groceries. Also, I won’t get my distribution until the end of the month if you need me to move out. Housing doesn’t have any singles, but said they might in a few weeks.”
“Don’t move out.” His look became stricken as he sat back down at the table. “I mean, unless you need to live on your own for a bit to be your best self. I’d support that. Don’t move out because you think I want you to. Did we make it weird at the wedding? I like you living here.”
My heart continued to thump as I joined him. “What? Never. You like me living here? I… I like living here.”
“Okay, then I want you to stay. Um, you don’t have to pay anything. I’m happy to cover everything.” He looked adorably flustered. “That wasn’t what I wanted to talk to you about. Um, do you want to be on my health insurance?”
“You want to add me to your health insurance?” That wasnotwhat I thought this conversation would be about, and I relaxed.
Clark nodded. “Yeah, this way, if you need additional visits to the physio or to see specialists, you can do that. It’s really good–there’s dental and mental health, too. Maybe they’ll have whatever special therapists you need to see, and then you can be in control of it yourself, instead of your brother paying for it.”
My jaw dropped at his reasoning. “That’s so thoughtful.”
I’d been fretting a little about it. I only had the free insurance everyone had–and campus healthcare. The types of people I specifically needed to see were either not available on campus or had long wait lists. But I didn’t want Matty to pay for it.
I stood and gave Clark a kiss. “Can you? I mean, we’re not mated, married, or pack.”
Which were the usual sorts of things extra insurance plans required to cover someone.
He turned the laptop around. “One option is that I can add someone if we cohabitate, prepare and eat food together, and share household responsibilities. That’s us.”
“It is. Wow. I love that.” It also sounded like the setup for a rom-com.
“I was trying to think of ways to help you,” he added.
“Thank you so much.” The school therapists were fine for some issues, but not for truly dealing with what had happened in the lake house. I wasn’t an omega, so I couldn’t get free care through the Omega Center, which was where most of those specific resources were.
I pulled my chair close and helped him fill out the forms.
“Okay, I got pet insurance for Snowball, too. Now, next item.” He submitted it. “Want to be my person?”
