Page 20 of The Perfect Spiral
Having an anxiety attack over something so small to everyone else but so significant to me, I closed my eyes and tried to focus on calming my rapid breathing. Then I heard the click of the door and the sound of footsteps approaching.
“I’ll be fine, I just need a minute,” I said, not caring who had come out to check on me. All I was focused on was controlling the rollercoaster of my emotions.
I bent my arms and slowly leaned against the wall, my forehead touching it. The cold prickling sensation of the wall helpedme focus on its texture rather than my heart rate, which was pounding out of my chest.
“Our moms sent me out to check on you,” a familiar voice said.
I turned to see Knox. What? I widened my eyes at him, causing him to chuckle while maintaining eye contact with me.
“You are the last person I expected to follow me out,” I said, laughing.
“Like I said earlier, I’m nice,” he smirked, causing me to smile a little and shake my head.
“You’re nice to everyone but me.”
He shook his head. “Not true.” I gave him a skeptical look.
He laughed again and retorted, “I just like getting a reaction from you. It’s the only time you pay attention to me,” he winked.
I laughed at his ridiculous comment and looked back at the wall. After a few deep breaths, I finally felt calm. We stood in silence for a moment, listening to the distant sound of cars passing by.
“So, are you good, or do I have to get Andy out here to give you a pep talk and drag you back in? I don’t think she’d appreciate me cockblocking her time with Kyle. And I know he wouldn’t appreciate it either,” he teased.
I nodded and smiled up at him. I liked this nicer side of him. This was a different person right now.
“This will be the final time I express my gratitude, so savor it,” I said, pointing at him with a look that clearly said, You’d better appreciate this.
His smile was immediate and warm. “Anytime, baby doll. Although, there are other ways you could thank me,” he replied, his eyebrows wiggling suggestively.
And there he goes again, I thought, ruining the moment. It was nice while it lasted. I rolled my eyes, gave him a playful smack onthe shoulder, and walked around him to push open the door.
We returned to our seats. My mom shot me a look, silently asking if I was okay. I responded with a reassuring smile, letting her know I was better.
My grandma’s smile was warm and welcoming, as if she was genuinely happy I had returned. I was happy too. We went through the usual Thanksgiving rituals—expressing our gratitude, reminiscing, eating, and so on.
Afterward, we all migrated to the living room to watch a movie. The kids were tucked into bed, and the older adults were outside, engaged in conversation and enjoying their drinks.
As our guest, Andy had the honor of choosing the movie. She picked The Proposal—a fantastic choice. Ladies, you know what I’m talking about.
We were all engrossed in the film. I was sandwiched between Andy and Sam, with the boys occupying the other end of the couch.
“Fuck, he’s hot!” Sam blurted out, earning a head shake from Tyson. “So, so hot!” Andy agreed, which made me laugh. “I couldn’t agree more!”
“Some people say I resemble him,” Kyle chimed in, glancing at Andy as he flexed his biceps.
I rolled my eyes at him. “Just because Mom told you that once doesn’t make it true, Kyle,” I retorted, causing everyone to laugh.
“I don’t know, Al. I can kind of see it... from a distance... in the dark... behind a wall,” Sam teased, which made us laugh even harder.
Kyle huffed and crossed his arms over his chest. Knox patted him on the shoulder, assuring him it was all in good fun.
When the scene of him stripping on the balcony came on, the three of us simultaneously exclaimed, “Dayum!” Knox chimedin, “He’s got nothing on me! Right, baby doll?”
He winked at me, and I turned my gaze back to the screen, catching his smirk from the corner of my eye.
I’m not sure when I drifted off to sleep, but I woke up leaning on someone’s shoulder—probably Andy’s. I felt someone lift me up, and I snuggled into them.
It was probably Kyle. He used to carry me upstairs when I fell asleep downstairs as a kid. I heard the thud of his footsteps on the carpet, the kick of the door as he opened it, and the slight bang of the door as it bounced off the wall.
