Page 18 of Feel It All

I want to ask so many more questions. I want to know about his family, what his childhood was like. I need to know more, but I don’t want to pry either. We haven’t even clarified what this is between us.

“Man, it is midnight, I’d better get out of here and let you sleep. I’m not going to force my night schedule on you.”

“It’s okay, I wouldn’t be sleeping right now even if you weren’t here. My dad calls me his moon baby because I would never sleep. I still don’t sleep very well. Plus, I don’t work on Mondays. You can still go if you want to though.” I try not to sound too clingy, but I want him to stay. I like him being here.

“Yeah, okay. I’ll stay.” He looks at me and I feel everything: the butterflies, the heat—our chemistry is tangible.

“Okay, good.” I force myself to turn away from his gaze. It’s for the best, I remind myself.

We watched the TV for a couple hours. I don’t remember drifting off, but I woke up the next morning on the couch covered up with a throw and Graham was gone.

I check my phone. It’s eight in the morning, and I already have several messages from both of my sisters. I push off replying to them. I want to enjoy how I feel this morning. I have never fallen asleep so easily. Usually I am tossing and turning until I tire myself out. Even after I fall asleep, I usually don’t sleep that deeply; my bed usually looks like I did flips all night.

I am in such a good mood, I get all of my daily to-do list done within the hour and then do an hour workout on the porch, while Blackjack sunbathes next to me. Around midmorning I hear another knock at my door. I know it is not likely Graham, but my heart beats a little faster at the idea of seeing him again so soon.

I answer the door and it is none other than my sisters and mom in tow.

“Hey, I didn’t realize we were having a party,” I say as I let them in.

“Well, we didn’t actually plan this, I actually pulled up at the same time as your sisters. I was in town and wanted to get some Winry time. I don’t know what these strays are doing here.”

We all gather in the living room; Mom and I take the couch, and my sisters take the love seat by the window.

“Oh, Winry knows what we are doing here. She keeps ignoring our texts. Why is that, Winry? Is there something you don’t want to tell us about last night?” Waverley has always been the pusher of the group, always so nosey.

“What happened? Are you okay?” Mom panics.

“I’m fine, Mom. There is no need to worry. Waverley is just being a brat.”

“But something happened last night?” The panic still hasn’t left Mom’s tone.

“It’s nothing really, Waverley is making something it’s not, Mom. My neighbor Graham just came over last night and hung out. Nothing happened.”

“Her neighbor that is beyond gorgeous and totally likes her,” Waverley sings.

“But remember, Waverley, he has a girlfriend. Right?” Wyla looks at me for confirmation.

“Well, actually he doesn’t. He came over here last night to tell me they weren’t together and apologize for how terrible that dinner was.” I try to contain my smile by biting my lip, but it slips.

“Hold on, I feel like I am chapters behind. Winry, aren’t you still with Flynn?”

Poor Mom, I hadn’t told her about any of this because I knew she would worry, and she can’t keep a secret from Dad. I knew she would end up telling him about his new cop that his daughter is interested in. I spend the next ten minutes filling Mom in on everything that has happened this past week.

“Well, first, I am glad things with Flynn are over. He just wasn’t the one; your dad and I knew it right away. And second of all, Winry, why don’t you pursue thigs with Graham, I agree with your sisters that he likes you too. If you are worried about your dad, don’t be. You are both adults, Win, he wouldn’t be weird about it.”

“I would be weird about it. I mean, let’s just say we do get together…”

“Which you should,” both Wyla and Waverley say.

“Even if, what if we break up? We live next to each other. It’s not like with Flynn where I may run into him in town once in a blue moon. No, there is a high chance that I would run into him every day. Plus, with him being one of Dad’s guys…Mom, you know Dad, he would so be weird about it, especially if we broke up. The man can’t hide his disdain for someone well. We still can’t talk about Genevieve Lewis without him talking about how he doesn’t like her because she didn’t invite us to her tenth birthday party.”

“That is a good point,” Wyla agrees.

“Thank you.”

“Listen, honey, I get it. You’re scared to put yourself out there, but you can’t live your life off of what ifs.” Mom holds my hand and gives it a squeeze.

“Guys, I am not going to pursue Graham, we will be friends, and that is all.”

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