Page 22 of Justus
“Wouldyou mind grabbing her gift while I clean this up?” I gesture to the mixer andchocolate covered beaters. “It’s on the dresser in my room.”
“Sure,I got her something too.”
Surprised,I grin at him. “You did? What?”
“You’llsee.”
Thisguy never fails to surprise me.
Tenminutes later, we’re gathered in the living room watching my mom open hergifts. She oohs and aahs over the ceramic dolphins from Doug. She’s collectedthem for as long as I can remember. Her face lights up at the new e-reader Igot her, stuffed to the brim with all her favorite books. She spends so muchtime in bed or resting now, I know she’ll get a lot of use out of it.
Justushands her a small white box and I can’t help but grin at the shy look thatcrosses his face. It’s so different from that cocky smirk he always wears.Before Mom can say anything, he hands me an identical box. “And this one is foryou.”
Hebought me something? I’m half afraid to open it in front of my family. Knowinghim it’s a sex toy or something, but the box is too small to be anything toonefarious. “You didn’t have to get me anything.”
“Ohh,”Mom sighs, pulling out a pendant dangling from a silver chain. “It’sbeautiful.”
Ifind an identical necklace in my box, but the pendants differ. Mom’s has anengraving of a dandelion seed head with a seed breaking away. The pendant onmine is smaller and shows the solitary seed floating in the air.
“Isaw them and they seemed perfect for you two,” Justus says, shrugging withuncharacteristic doubt. “Sadie is strong and independent, not afraid to fly onher own, but she embraces who and where she comes from.”
Tearsfill my mother’s eyes as she looks between us, and I’m almost overcome as well.“I love it,” I cry, throwing myself into his lap. Without a care for who iswatching, I kiss him and hug him tight. “Thank you.”
It’sthe most thoughtful gift anyone has given me in my whole life. I’m not sure howto feel about the look Mom gives Justus though. It has son-in-law written allover it, and for the first time I really feel guilty for tricking her. Justusand I may end up dating for real, but we’ve led her to believe it’s much moreserious. She’s thrilled and it’s too late now to come clean. I wouldn’t erasethe joy in her eyes for anything.
Afterwe compose ourselves and grab a glass of wine, Doug gets out the Dirty Riddlecards and the game is on.
Momlaughs and covers her face as Doug reads off a card.
Youfind me in a guy’s pants. I’m about six inches long, I have a head, and somewomen love to blow me. What am I?
“Iknow this one!” I cry.
“Youmajored in this one,” Doug scoffs, and I throw a handful of popcorn at him.
“Um…myonly guess is a lollipop,” Mom says.
“Whoblows a lollipop?” Doug laughs, and the rest of us follow.
FlashingJustus a look, I lick my lips and the corner of his mouth quirks up. I loveteasing him.
“Allright, Sweets, what is it?”
“Adollar bill!”
Asusual, the answer becomes obvious to everyone once it’s spoken. It’s gettingyour mind out of the gutter enough to see the answer that’s difficult.
“Yourturn,” Doug tells me, and I read the riddle.What gets longer if pulled,fits snugly between breasts, slides neatly into a hole, chokes people when usedincorrectly, and works well when jerked?
Everyonefalls silent, thinking it through, until Justus says, “Well, the obvious answercan’t be the right one. Choking doesn’t necessarily mean it’s being usedincorrectly.”
“Ohmy god, Justus!” I get to my feet, trying to restrain my laughter. “I’ve got tocheck on the cake.” Leaving them all laughing and talking about a possibleanswer, I remove my cake layers from the oven and set them aside to cool.
Isense him behind me before I feel the heat of his chest on my back. “I wasserious about what I said, Sadist. I like you. I don’t want to stop seeing eachother when we get home.”
Witha sigh, I lay my head back on his shoulder. “I like you too, but I don’t share.I’m not going to be one of the sluts that comes and goes from your place.”
“No.No other women. Just you. And there will be no other men for you either,” hedemands.
