Page 72 of Chosen Road

Ruby tilted her head to the side. “I don’t even know. I think it’s because I’m afraid if I’m too much of a burden, I’ll run people off.”

I linked my fingers with hers. “Not everybody leaves.”

You’re just like me.

This was true. Not everybody stays, but not everybody leaves, either. I still wasn’t sure which category I fell into. Either way, I’d never leave Ruby.

“I won’t,” Minty promised.

“Me neither,” Ruby and I promised at once.

“I’m here for you guys through thick and thin,” Ruby promised.

“Thick and thin,” I agreed.

Minty reached out to both of us, and we clasped her hands.

She smiled.

“Thick and thin, sick and sin.”

Chapter 23: Flip-Flops and Fuzzy Socks

Gus

On Saturday, Amber came over to the house to be with Yiayia so I could take Alex out for the day.

Alex barreled in first, dropped his stuff at the front door, and headed to Yiayia’s room. Amber stepped out of the car, her bare toes peeking out of her flip-flops. She twisted over the passenger seat and grabbed her bags as well as the ever-present stack of files. Spying that pile of files ignited a spark of annoyance for a split second before I remembered my vow.

When she reached the door, I took them from her arms while she removed her coat and her flip-flops.

“Flip-flops? Still?” I smirked.

Bent down to shove them into the corner, she twisted her head to look up at me and smiled. “I have my fuzzy socks in my bag,” she said as she stood up and reached for her files.

I backed away a step and she hesitantly dropped her arms. “I can’t wait for you to squish your flip-flops on over those fuzzy socks.”

She barked out a laugh. “I’ve done it before.”

I chuckled, remembering. “Oh, I know. It snowed that day. You lasted about two steps. And who had to carry you to the car?”

“Was it such a trial?” she asked softly.

I felt my eyes widen. Was she flirting with me?

“I’d hide all your shoes if I could,” I murmured back.

She looked down with a small smile as her cheeks pinkened.

“Ela, koritzaki mou!” Yiayia called delightedly.

Amber met my eyes and we smiled while I mouthed, “Cock blocked.”

When Alex was an infant, he seemed to have an extra sense that detected and then neutralized any effort of mine to get into his mother’s pants. I called him our resident cock-blocker and it looked like we had another one. Not that we needed one at the moment.

Her eyes lit with mirth, and she laughed out loud.

“Hi, Yiayia mou. Ti kaneis?”

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