SOPHIA
My mom finally gets up, looks at me, looks back at Gunner as he leans against the wall to the kitchen and sighs. “I need to lay down.”
“Anything I can do, Mom?”
She looks at me for a long time. “We’ll talk later, okay? Oh.” She pauses and turns around. “Your dad’s being discharged tomorrow.”
“He didn’t say anything about that today.”
She shrugs. “That’s what he told me this morning. But I’m going to have a conversation with him tomorrow so we’ll see.”
“Mom, it’s … it’s the past. You can’t hold it against him.”
“You should know by now, being with four men, conversations help avoid fights. Better to talk about things that bother you before they build up into something worse.” She taps my nose, wavers a little, then heads to her room.
Gunner pats my head. “Three cosmos.”
“You got my mother drunk to have that conversation?” I put my hands on my hips. “Gunner, if she doesn’t remember-”
“She had a lot more to drink her first night with us, and she remembers every moment of that.” He looks me over slowly. “I missed you today.”
“Don’t start with that.” I point at him.
“Am I in trouble?”
“Maybe,” I grumble.
He arches an eyebrow and motions for me to continue. I don’t know if I’m frustrated with him or the situation. Sighing, I rub my forehead. “I’m going to go process all this until dinner. Then, hopefully my mom will be at least partially sober.”
“Sweets.” Gunner purrs. “She’s going to be fine. Your dad is going to be fine too. They’re adults, and it’s not your job to fix their relationship.”
“Thanks, but their problems seem to find a way into my lap either way.” I pat his cheek, then go to my room.
After a shower and some good music, I feel like I can deal … almost. I glance at my phone and text a friend from back home. She and I have always been the kind of friends that go weeks or months without talking, then pick up like no time has passed at all.
Now I finally have something interesting to share instead of just asking her about her day. I leave the message there, wondering if she’ll answer today or if it’ll take another week. I pull on shorts and a t-shirt, then go downstairs.
Gunner sits on the couch playing some zombie game. He pauses and tosses me the controller. “Let’s go. I need some backup.”
“Do you want to go out sometime?”
He pauses the game and turns the full force of his attention on me. I swallow and bite my bottom lip. “We haven’t in a long time since you and Nick took me out on the town, which was a whole lot of fun.”
He rubs the scruff on his jaw. “That was a good time. I remember your dancing.”
“So … yes?”
“Hell yes. We can go dancing after a movie or something.” He nods. “Bar hopping and going to clubs until I remember that I’m not in my twenties anymore.”
“Hopefully, that won’t kick in until morning.” I tease.
He winks at me but scoots closer. “Still mad?”
“No.” I sigh. “It’s just a lot to take in. Mom and Dad learning about each other, figuring us out, everything going on at work considering I’m not there. I’d really like a break from everything.”
“We’ll figure it out.” He kisses my temple, then turns my head to claim a real kiss. I shiver and press play. “You better pay attention, or zombies are going to eat your ass.”
“And if I win?”