held her shoulders. “That’s a lame-ass reply. And you shouldn’t lie to your brother.”
Behind us, Murphy materialized and jumped up on the counter. “I’m straight,” Rimmel said, this time in a low voice, which I think was meant to be like mine.
I shook my head sadly. “That’s just terrible.”
She smacked me and turned to grab Murphy and hug him to her chest. “I’m not lying. I really am fine.”
“But…” I cajoled.
She looked away as she stroked the cat without thought. “But I miss him.”
I nodded. Rim kept herself busy with the shelter, prepping for class, and working part time this summer on campus at the business office, but I knew not even all that was enough to distract her from Romeo not being here.
“It’s just weird.” She went on, setting the cat down at her feet. “He just became like the sun to my planet, and while I’m so happy he’s living his dream and I’d never ask him to come home… it’s just weird here without him.”
“Yeah.” I agreed, understanding perfectly. “Planets need their sun.” I miss him too.
Rimmel smiled slightly and picked up the paper sack. “I got you a couple breakfast sandwiches.”
“Hells yeah.” I grabbed the bag and stuck my face inside to inhale the scent of greasy bacon and cheese.
Clutching the bag, I dropped low, scooping her up, and spun her in a circle. “Best sister ever.”
She laughed. On the counter, her cell chimed with a text. Her attention abruptly switched to the phone.
I put her down with a chuckle. “Tell Rome I said hi.”
She snatched the phone off the counter and leaned against the island, completely focused on the message he’d sent. I knew from the smile that instantly graced her face whatever he said made her happy.
Thinking fast, I grabbed my cell, snapping a pic of her standing there all engrossed and in love with her phone. I shot it off to him in a text with the message: She still loves ya. Every time U text, she looks like this.
I set my phone aside and turned to the coffee maker. “You want some?” I hollered over my shoulder.
“Uh-huh.”
I poured two mugs, got out the creamer, and then sat at the island with my sugar and grease for breakfast. It went really good with caffeine.
Rimmel looked up a few seconds later, her face still all smiley.
“Come on.” I patted the stool beside me. “I’ll share my bacon with ya.”
Rimmel took the coffee I poured her and climbed onto the seat beside me and went about adding in some creamer.
“He doing all right there?” I asked, setting the food aside.
She nodded. “I think so. At least he acts like it to me. How do you think he sounds when you talk to him?”
“The same.” I agreed. “Maybe a little stressed about his arm.”
She nodded, concern dimming her features. “His arm is going to be a worry for a while still,” she said softly. “He’s been throwing, though. Says his arm is almost as strong as it was. And he’s gotten even better throwing with his left. He’s pushing himself too hard.” She paused. “But he says he thinks he’ll get to play this season.”
He did push himself, but that wasn’t ever gonna change. I did talk to him, mostly about football and guy stuff. I asked about his arm once, and he said it was fine. I hadn’t asked recently because I figured if there was a problem, he’d say so. I also never asked him about his schedule. I figured he’d come home when he could. “When’s he coming home to visit?” I asked.
Rimmel’s face lit up. “He thinks he can come home next weekend.”
“Hells yeah,” I said and grabbed a donut to hand to her. When she took it, I snagged another and held it out. “Cheers.”
We bumped the pastries together and then took a bite. My bite was like three times the size of hers.
I polished off what was in my hand and then grabbed up my coffee. Rimmel was still pecking away at her breakfast, her phone screen having gone dark a few minutes ago. I took that as a sign
Behind us, Murphy materialized and jumped up on the counter. “I’m straight,” Rimmel said, this time in a low voice, which I think was meant to be like mine.
I shook my head sadly. “That’s just terrible.”
She smacked me and turned to grab Murphy and hug him to her chest. “I’m not lying. I really am fine.”
“But…” I cajoled.
She looked away as she stroked the cat without thought. “But I miss him.”
I nodded. Rim kept herself busy with the shelter, prepping for class, and working part time this summer on campus at the business office, but I knew not even all that was enough to distract her from Romeo not being here.
“It’s just weird.” She went on, setting the cat down at her feet. “He just became like the sun to my planet, and while I’m so happy he’s living his dream and I’d never ask him to come home… it’s just weird here without him.”
“Yeah.” I agreed, understanding perfectly. “Planets need their sun.” I miss him too.
Rimmel smiled slightly and picked up the paper sack. “I got you a couple breakfast sandwiches.”
“Hells yeah.” I grabbed the bag and stuck my face inside to inhale the scent of greasy bacon and cheese.
Clutching the bag, I dropped low, scooping her up, and spun her in a circle. “Best sister ever.”
She laughed. On the counter, her cell chimed with a text. Her attention abruptly switched to the phone.
I put her down with a chuckle. “Tell Rome I said hi.”
She snatched the phone off the counter and leaned against the island, completely focused on the message he’d sent. I knew from the smile that instantly graced her face whatever he said made her happy.
Thinking fast, I grabbed my cell, snapping a pic of her standing there all engrossed and in love with her phone. I shot it off to him in a text with the message: She still loves ya. Every time U text, she looks like this.
I set my phone aside and turned to the coffee maker. “You want some?” I hollered over my shoulder.
“Uh-huh.”
I poured two mugs, got out the creamer, and then sat at the island with my sugar and grease for breakfast. It went really good with caffeine.
Rimmel looked up a few seconds later, her face still all smiley.
“Come on.” I patted the stool beside me. “I’ll share my bacon with ya.”
Rimmel took the coffee I poured her and climbed onto the seat beside me and went about adding in some creamer.
“He doing all right there?” I asked, setting the food aside.
She nodded. “I think so. At least he acts like it to me. How do you think he sounds when you talk to him?”
“The same.” I agreed. “Maybe a little stressed about his arm.”
She nodded, concern dimming her features. “His arm is going to be a worry for a while still,” she said softly. “He’s been throwing, though. Says his arm is almost as strong as it was. And he’s gotten even better throwing with his left. He’s pushing himself too hard.” She paused. “But he says he thinks he’ll get to play this season.”
He did push himself, but that wasn’t ever gonna change. I did talk to him, mostly about football and guy stuff. I asked about his arm once, and he said it was fine. I hadn’t asked recently because I figured if there was a problem, he’d say so. I also never asked him about his schedule. I figured he’d come home when he could. “When’s he coming home to visit?” I asked.
Rimmel’s face lit up. “He thinks he can come home next weekend.”
“Hells yeah,” I said and grabbed a donut to hand to her. When she took it, I snagged another and held it out. “Cheers.”
We bumped the pastries together and then took a bite. My bite was like three times the size of hers.
I polished off what was in my hand and then grabbed up my coffee. Rimmel was still pecking away at her breakfast, her phone screen having gone dark a few minutes ago. I took that as a sign
Similar Books
