Page 59 of Taking Care of You
Ethan: You okay? Did he say something? You need me to come pick you up?
I smiledown at the phone, loving how he cares about me. It’s making me fall for him even more.
It’s scary, to be honest. It’s like I woke up one day and saw him in a new light, and I can’t unsee it. To me, he’s perfect. The perfect friend, perfect boyfriend, perfect protector. I’m not sure there’s anything he can do wrong in my eyes.
Me: No, it was nice, I think. Just weird. I haven’t spoken to him in a while. I shouldn’t feel weird about talking to my dad, right?
Ethan: No. I’m really sorry, creep. You need me?
Me: I’m fine. Thank you though. Why do you have your phone? Water break?
Ethan: Coach let us go early. If you want me to come pick you up, I will.
Me: I’m okay. I have homework to do before the break.
I tossmy phone onto my pillow and pull my school books out. We have one more day of school, and I want to have all my assignments in before the break. My grades won’t suffer if I don’t, but I don’t want to start slipping up now. I’m almost out of here. I don’t want anything holding me up or any reason for USC to revoke my scholarship. I don’t know what I would do if I had to stay here, away from Crystal, Ethan, Mitch, and Elle while they go to the West Coast and live their best lives.
Thanksgiving morning rolls around quickly.Thank God. It’s weird and a little freaky how much I missed Ethan. We’ve been apart two days and I feel like it’s been two years.
He texts me that he’s outside and I have to stop myself from racing out the door. I don’t want to wake my mother.
I walk softly instead, bag over my shoulder, and step out into the morning light. It’s chilly outside, getting cooler with each passing day. I breathe in the cool air and hop down the steps of my porch, jogging over to Ethan’s car. When I slide in and put my seatbelt on, I’m enveloped in his arms, a kiss landing on my lips before I can say hello.
Ethan runs a thumb over my cheek and gives me one more kiss. “Good morning, creep. Sleep good?”
Nodding, I loop my arms around his neck and bring him in for another kiss. Going by the sound he makes in the back of his throat, I surprised him. Join the club. I didn’t plan to do it, but Ireallymissed him.
Ethan takes over, deepening the kiss, his tongue moving languidly over mine. I relax in his arms, my fingers rubbing the back of his neck lightly.
When he breaks the kiss, he chuckles and moves back over to sit more squarely in the driver’s seat. He puts the car in drive and pulls away from my house. “Did you miss me?” he teases. Instead of answering, I stick my tongue out at him, making him snicker.
Walking into his house is like coming home. It’s only been a couple days, but I feel more at ease here than the house I grew up in.
Hearing us walk in, Grace rounds the corner of the kitchen and smiles at me. “Koby. Good to see you, son.”
A lump forms in my throat as I look at her.
Son.
It’s been so long since someone has called me that. Even talking to my dad the other day, he called me ‘kid’. I mean, he’s always called me that, but still. It’s nice that someone is acknowledging me as such, even if she doesn’t mean it like I want her to.
After clearing my throat, I say, “You too. Smells good.”
“Thank you.” She comes over and grabs my hand while kissing Ethan on the cheek. “Come. You two can help me, then I can get you something for breakfast.”
I give Ethan a frightened look and he laughs at me. I can’t cook. I can cook enough so I don’t starve and get all my vitamins, but that’s about it. Anything else and I’m sure it will be burnt or inedible.
“Don’t worry, creep. You’re not cooking anything.”
Thankfully, he’s right. Grace has us cutting carrots, potatoes, celery, sweet potatoes, and shredding cheese. Then she has us setting the table, cleaning the kitchen and getting out dishes to transfer food into. As soon as we’re done, she kicks us out of the kitchen, and we go to the theater room to hang out.
Frank comes out from their wing about twenty minutes later, and he and Ethan sit and talk about the football game that’s on. I sit back, legs tucked under me, and watch how animated the two of them are, since they’re not rooting for the same team. It’s all in good fun because they keep smiling at each other when they’re supposed to be trash-talking. It makes my heart squeeze, but I push it away. My father and I don’t like football, so this isn’t something I wish I had with him. We liked wrestling, something I haven’t watched in years.
After another hour or so, Grace calls us in for a small breakfast to hold us over until dinner. Thank God, because I’m starving. It’s around eleven, and she said dinner would be ready by two. We all sit in the living room, Ethan and Frank still talking shit to each other, while Grace and I give them long-suffering looks.
Dinner is ready at exactly two o’clock. We all gather in the dining room I’m not sure they use often and dig in. Grace is an excellent cook. Besides the turkey and ham, there’s sweet potatoes, turnip greens, fresh green beans, baked chicken with all the fixings, homemade cranberry sauce, and cherry pie. I’m not ashamed to say that I have a little of everything…twice. No one says anything about it because I’m not the only one going back for seconds.
After we’ve eaten, instead of going back to the theater room, we sit at the table and talk. It’s very comfortable, Frank and Grace asking questions to get to know me. I really like the two of them. They’re high school sweethearts, got married while in undergrad, and have been happy ever since. They’re basically the perfect couple, devoted to each other and their respective careers.
