“Just give it time, Mandy. Sometimes you just need time.” Tess stood up.
“I need to leave the bathroom, don’t I?” Amanda asked her.
“Yes, but take your time. No rush. Your parents have another bathroom,” Tess said as she slipped out the door.
Amanda stood up and washed her face in cold water, trying to get the puffiness to go down. Looking into her own face, she saw she was tired, pale, and her face was a lot rounder than it used to be. She looked old and fat, that was for sure. Why had her mom invited Hue today? She didn’t need him to see her old and fat too. But he saw her four days ago, and she was old and fat that day also. And what happened in her kitchen had all been in her imagination, nothing real.
Opening the door, she walked out of the bathroom and went to the living room where her father was, and probably a brother. She was not ready to see her mom just yet. It was likely to be a long day of avoidances.
CHAPTER9
Hue was watchingthe pregame show with Math and his dad, Otto, when Amanda came into the room. She was cute in her orange pants that hugged her curves and her oversized Landstad Tigers sweatshirt she suddenly wore all the time. She was really into school spirit now that she was back.
From his spot on the couch, he couldn’t tell she had been crying, but the murmurs and whispers said she was. She sat on the other end of the couch from him and turned her attention to the TV. But she had sat in his line of sight, so he could analyze her from his position and pretend to watch TV. The show he had been watching had lost all his interest.
So far, he hadn’t heard what her mom had said, but it had sent Amanda into the bathroom for over an hour. It must have been something big. As he watched her, she pulled her legs up under her. Turning her body away from him, she leaned her head against the back of the couch. He loved when she sat like that. She did it when they talked during games on her couch, but she’d face him then.
It made him want to pull her into his arms and hold her as they watched the game. Make her feel better. But he knew she would most likely be mad if he did something like that in front of her family.
Soon, Tess brought her a stiff drink. He watched as she took a sip, then put it on the coffee table and leaned her head back again. Before the kickoff, Math went and got them all another beer, and when he came back, he handed out the beers and then gave his big sister a little side hug before he sat down. It warmed his heart that her siblings were making an effort to make her feel better, but it still hurt that he couldn’t.
Math started to ask him questions and make comments about the game that had started, but Hue wasn’t overly interested in what was happening beyond the woman at the end of the couch. She was in pain, and he could see it on her.
At one point, Julia came and sat next to her and whispered something to her, but Hue hadn’t heard what was said. Amanda nodded, and Julia went back to the kitchen. The football game continued behind her, unseen.
Kit announced the turkey was ready, and everyone jumped to their feet, except Amanda, who barely moved. Her dad and brother left the room quickly since they were there for the food.
Alone in the room, Hue walked up to where she was sitting. “Time to eat, Nordskov.” He held out his hand to help her up.
Turning to him, she took his hand, and he pulled her to her feet. Then he continued pulling until she was in his arms. Hugging her tight, he felt the tension in her body. He also felt her soft curves and an electric current that was always there when he touched her. Just an innocent hug had his body coming alive.
Letting her go, he held her hand as they went to the table. All the chairs were full when they got to the dining room except two. They weren’t even close to each other. Amanda moved to the chair furthest from her mother, so he was next to Julia and her mom for the meal. Not exactly where he wanted to be, but he was happy he was at least there.
Conversations floated around the room as the group ate. But he was watching Amanda on the other end of the table, and she wasn’t talking to anyone. Just eating, but not really doing that either.
Julia leaned toward him and said, “Mom called her fat.”
His eyes shot to her, watching her picking at her food. He wanted to yell at the woman who had given her life. Amanda was not fat. Amanda was Amanda. She wouldn’t be who she was if she was tall and skinny like her sisters. She was bubbly and fun, and he wanted to caress every one of those curves.
“Why?” Holding back his anger, he questioned her little sister.
“Because she’s Mom. She can always tell what your weakness is, and she pokes it.” Julie handed him the rolls.
“But she’s not even fat. She is bigger than you and Kit, but everybody is,” he said.
“I am going to take that as a compliment. For all of us. Thanks, Hue.” Julie handed him the mashed potatoes.
“Where’s Kyle?” he asked about her husband.
“Work. He didn’t want to have to make me come back so he could work tomorrow. I get the entire weekend here.” She smiled. She was the one sibling who didn’t get to come home as often as the others. It had been months since he had seen her.
“I hope you have some fun.”
“I’m going to. We’re going on a trail ride tomorrow,” Julia told him as she handed him the stuffing.
“We?” he asked
“Just the siblings.” Then she laughed. “No kids. Just Tess, I guess. You should come. The more, the merrier. Just no kids.”