Page 77 of Brew
Olive stands, planting a kiss on her mom’s cheek. “You’re the best, but I’m gonna leave you two alone and go show Nova what I just learned.” She skips off as Erica stares after her.
When she turns to me, she says, “What did she mean by that?”
I pinch the bridge of my nose. “Apparently, we’re not as conspicuous as we thought.”
She grips the back of the chair in front of her. “Did she say something?”
“Yeah, she said she’d be okay if we dated.”
Erica’s eyes widen, one hand flying up to her throat. “Oh, my goodness.”
I smirk. “She’s not dumb,Sparky.I didn’t say shit, she’s figured it out all on her own.”
“I think she’s more observant than I give her credit for,” Erica says. “That was really great of you; showing her some new words. She’s really getting into this ASL thing.”
“Well, it’s a good skill to have.”
“Listen, I’m sorry she came in here looking for you. I know you’re busy.”
“It’s fine. I was an ass the first time she signed. I was caught off guard. It isn’t her fault.”
“She’s nosy.”
“Yeah, and smart.”
Erica goes to leave. “I’d better get back to?—”
“When can I see you again?” I ask. While I wanted to climb into her window after Olive had gone to sleep, I thought better of it. I think Erica may have needed some time by herself, so I granted her that. But now I’m itching to see her again.
“I-I don’t know.”
“Are you havin’ second thoughts?”
“No- well, I don’t know.” She pauses, gathering herself for a moment. “Not aboutus.Just… It’s a process, Brew. I may have been out of the church for several years, but I grew up in a religious background.”
“I told you the solution to that.”
“And I still maintain you’re crazy.”
“Not if we’re husband and wife.”
She swallows, her eyes agog as she stares at me. Her cheeks are slightly pink, and I see how her breathing changes. In a whispered voice she adds, “We can’t do that… Not just so we have permission to have sex.”
“It wouldn’t be like that.”
“Why would we get married, then?”
I frown. “All those reasons I said last night. For better or worse. In sickness and in health. For richer or poorer. Never gonna be poor, by the way, but you get the idea.”
She laughs, shaking her head. “You’ve lost your mind.”
“Maybe.”
“When two people get married in the eyes of God, they have to…”
I stay watching her, intrigued as to what she’s going to come out with next.
Her tone lowers once more. “They have to love each other, and it has to be real. You can’t just proclaim all these vows and not feel it in your heart.”
