Making a Play

by Abbi Glines

  It couldn’t have been more perfect for me, though. While they were down in Dad’s office, Ella would go up to take her long bath with a book, and I would be free to sneak out. The last thing anyone except Hunter would do would be to come check on me.

  I’m leaving my house now.

  The text came from Ryker. Smiling, I waited five minutes, then went quietly out the front door and headed to the road. It was 8:27 when he pulled up to the side of the road across from my house with his headlights off. I ran over to him and saw him get out to meet me at the passenger-side door. His truck was higher off the ground than Hunter’s. Ryker seemed to think he had to always help me up. He took my hand, and I used it to boost myself into the truck. We didn’t speak since we were in a hurry to get away without being caught by my dad. Ryker was back in the truck and turning around in the neighbor’s driveway within seconds. We then headed toward town.

  It was dark, and we couldn’t talk while he drove. His hand reached over, and his large one took my much smaller one in his. The pleasure from a simple touch made everything that was wrong right. My dad, the game, everything. This was worth it. Feeling this way. Being with him.

  He drove past the turn for town and toward the road we had taken to the field. Instead of going farther down the dirt road, he stopped at a house. Lights were on inside. A silver Toyota and a red SUV were parked in the driveway. He put his truck in park, then turned to look at me as he turned the light on so I could see his face clearly. He then signed, “This is my house.”

  He’d learned something new in sign language, and I was smiling so big I had to lick my lips when the stretch made their dryness obvious.

  He grinned, pleased he’d done it correctly. He then said with his words, “I’d like to introduce you to my family. Then we could go to the den and talk. Mom won’t let us go to my room. Even if I’m eighteen and moving out this summer. In her house, it’s her rules.”

  I panicked. He wanted to introduce me to his parents. I wasn’t expecting that. He also had a sister, Nahla. I remembered him telling me about her while texting one night. What if they didn’t like me, or my being deaf was weird for them? Ella was so awkward with me still. Did they know I was coming inside? Was he going to just surprise them with me? Oh God.

  “It’s okay. You went pale,” he said, squeezing my hand, then lacing my fingers with his to bring my hand to his lips. After he kissed it, I sighed and relaxed a little. Not completely, but a little. “My mom is excited to meet you. I don’t bring girls home. She is happy I want to bring you here. Dad also wants to meet you, as does Nahla. She’s annoying and eleven. I apologize in advance.” He said all this with a smile in his eyes.

  I took a deep, slow breath, then nodded. “Okay.” I used my voice. I had to decide now how to handle talking to them. They didn’t sign, and although Ryker was trying, he didn’t know nearly enough to be our go-between. I couldn’t trust they could read lips. It wasn’t something that was easy for most people. Writing or texting would be awkward.

  All I knew to do was read their lips and use my voice. That made me so nervous my stomach knotted up. Ryker was what mattered, and I used my voice with him. He was okay with it. He said he liked it. If he liked it, then I should be okay using it with his family. Right?

  Ryker leaned over and pressed a kiss to my lips. I felt his breath against my skin, and I knew he’d whispered something, although I had no idea what it was. He had to have been talking to himself. When he leaned back, he winked at me. “Let me get your door. My momma is probably watching from the window, and if she sees you get out of this truck without my help, she’ll chew my ass about it later.”

  I laughed, then nodded. He ran around the front of the truck and was opening my door within a matter of seconds. I had hoped it would take longer and give me a moment to prepare for this. He wanted me here, and I wanted his family to like me. I had to make this as comfortable for them as I could. Talking was all I knew to do to ease them. It was their normal, and people were only at ease with their normal. That was something I knew all too well.

  You’re Way Too Pretty for My Brother

  CHAPTER 27

  RYKER

  I held her hand firmly in mine, and the slight tremble of her body as I opened the door to the house told me she was nervous. I didn’t want her to be. I hated that she was so worked up about meeting my family. But I wanted them to see why she was so important to me. How I’d gotten so attached to her so quickly. This would help both my parents understand my feelings for her. At least that was my hope.

  Mom met us as we walked into the living room. She was smiling, and I could already tell by her expression she understood the physical attraction. Aurora was beautiful, and I didn’t think she had a clue just how stunning she was. I’d be lying if I said her looks hadn’t been what had caught my attention first.

  “Hello,” my mom said, glancing at me for approval of her speaking, then back to Aurora. I’d assured them all Aurora could read their lips just fine. I wasn’t sure, though, how Aurora was going to communicate back. Shit. I hadn’t even thought about that. Before I could ask her if she wanted a piece of paper or something, she spoke.

  “Hello, it’s nice to meet you.” I was sure my heart squeezed, because there was no other explanation for the feeling inside my chest at the sound of her voice. She didn’t like using her voice, and the trust she was displaying right now shocked me speechless.

  My mother’s grin was something I noticed but couldn’t focus on at the moment. She was pleased too. She hadn’t been expecting her to talk either. Although I didn’t think she understood the huge deal this was. Or the gift she was being given.

  “Ryker has told us a lot about you. I’m so pleased he brought you here. Can I get you something to drink?” Mom was talking slower than normal, and I was thankful for that, because my momma could rattle off so fast it was hard to understand her sometimes, and I could hear just fine.

  “Thank you for having me over, and yes, some water please,” Aurora replied. At her words my mother was completely relaxed now and extremely pleased. She’d been prepared for something difficult. Aurora was making it easy for her, and if my mother hadn’t been in the room with us, I would have grabbed her and kissed her.

  Mom started to turn to go get the water, and I called out, “Cherry Coke. There is a bottle of it on the bottom shelf. I hid it behind the unidentified butter container yesterday. It’s her favorite,” I explained.

  I glanced down at Aurora, who was looking up at my mouth, and when her mouth curved up at the corners, I knew she’d understood most of what I had said.

  Mom didn’t say anything else, but neither of us was looking at her. The pleased twinkle in Aurora’s eyes made me want to go buy all the damn Cherry Coke in the state of Alabama. I’d grabbed it when I got gas yesterday, thinking I wanted to have her over soon. Now I was thinking I should have been giving her Cherry Coke every day. Greeting her with it at school in the mornings.

  “I want her hair.” Nahla’s voice interrupted us, and I lifted my gaze to see my sister coming in the door from the hallway. “Seriously, I wish I was white just so I could have that hair.”

  I smirked and gave a shake of my head before placing my hand on Aurora’s waist and turning her to face my sister. “Nahla, this is Aurora Maclay.” Then I looked down at Aurora, who turned her head to study my lips. “My sister Nahla. The one I warned you about,” I added for Nahla’s sake.

  Aurora turned back to Nahla. “It’s very nice to meet you.”

  Nahla’s eyes widened in surprise at Aurora’s voice, and my damn chest acted up again at the sound of her words. She was going to talk to all of them. Not just my mother. She was using her voice to make them feel at ease. They had no idea how important this was, but I did.

  “You’re way too pretty for my brother,” Nahla said as if she were talking to anyone.

  Aurora smiled softly. “Thank you, but I don’t agree.” She turned those green eyes to me, and the softness in them was
almost more than I could take. I was battling grabbing her and hauling her off like a possessive idiot so I could have her to myself. “Ryker is the most beautiful guy I’ve ever met.” She’d never said those words to me before.

  When she turned back to watch Nahla and see her response, I was still studying her. Unable to take my eyes off her. Not giving two shits my little sister was seeing me like this. Completely owned by a girl.

  Nahla’s eyebrows were both up as high as they could go, and she shook her head. “I’m gonna have to disagree with you on that one. I’ve seen your brother,” she told Aurora.

  That got a laugh from her, and just hearing it had my hand tightening on her waist. I’d never heard her laugh that loudly. I wanted more of it.

  “I have drinks and cookies,” my mother announced as she walked back into the room.

  “We have Coke and cookies?” Nahla asked. “Since when? I was looking for a snack earlier.”

  “The Cherry Coke is for Aurora. Ryker had it in the fridge for her visit. Hidden from you. The cookies I bought at the bakery today. You can go fix yourself some milk” was Mom’s response.

  I hadn’t been watching Aurora to see if she was getting any of this, but when she said, “She can have the Coke,” I knew she had caught most of it.

  Mom looked at me then. I had bought a liter of it, so I nodded at Nahla. “Go get you some.”

  She beamed happily and ran toward the kitchen.

  Aurora’s hand touched mine then. The one still on her waist. It wasn’t to get me to let go but more of a pleased touch. She wanted me to know she liked how I treated my sister. The way Aurora used body language and touch to communicate made me feel like we had our own private way of talking. I liked it. I was getting better at noticing it and understanding it.

  I wrapped two of my fingers around hers and held them there for a moment before letting her go so we could sit on the sofa.

  “We have chocolate chip cookies and sugar cookies,” Mom told her.

  “Thank you. I’m starving. My stepmother made dinner, and she’s into healthy organic food. It was terrible.” She spoke slowly, and I wondered how difficult it was to say that much without being able to hear her own voice. She spoke softly, but it was clear.

  My mom laughed. “What did she cook?” she asked.

  Aurora scrunched her perfect freckle-covered nose and replied, “Tofu.”

  “That sounds worse than the things you try to cook,” my dad said to my mother as he walked into the room with his evening cup of coffee. I hadn’t been sure where he was or if he was coming, but seeing him made me a little nervous. I didn’t want him to make Aurora uncomfortable after she’d done so much to ease everyone else.

  “I’m Anthony Lee,” he said, walking over to Aurora with his hand held out. She slipped hers in his and shook it. “Glad you’re here,” he finished.

  “It’s nice to meet you,” she said a little more cautiously than she had with my mom and sister.

  Dad reached down and took a sugar cookie before taking the seat across from us. “How are you liking Lawton?” Dad asked her before taking a bite.

  She glanced at me and grinned before turning back to him. “A lot more than I thought I would.”

  My mom chuckled.

  Dad pointed his half-eaten cookie at me. “Surely not because of this guy,” he teased. His crooked grin said he liked her.

  She shrugged her shoulders. “He might have a little to do with it.”

  “I won’t judge you on your taste in guys,” he said with a shake of his head.

  Aurora smiled, then blushed. The pink was impossible to hide against her pale skin. I had the urge to grab her and take off with her again.

  I nudged her arm, and she turned her attention to my mouth. “Eat a cookie. You’re hungry,” I told her. She was holding an uneaten chocolate chip cookie in her hand, but because she had to watch everyone to know if they were speaking to her, she hadn’t taken a bite. It made me exhausted for her.

  She gave me a soft smile before doing as I said.

  “I like her,” Nahla announced as she walked back into the room. I was glad Aurora hadn’t seen her enter and seen my sister announce something like that. As if we had been waiting for her approval.

  My mother nodded her head in agreement. “I understand now” was all she said.

  Aurora finished her cookie, and I slipped my hand in hers. “Can we go to the den now? Or do y’all want to tell her why she shouldn’t like me some more?” I made sure Aurora could see my mouth when I spoke.

  “Yes, of course. Take the cookies, though. She’s hungry,” Mom said.

  “Wait! Let me get one first!” Nahla called out, running over to grab two cookies. One of each.

  I stood and took Aurora’s empty hand as she reached to take the Cherry Coke with her other. I grabbed the plate of cookies that were left. “Thanks,” I said to all of them.

  Aurora simply smiled at them all, and I led her from the room before anyone could try and talk to her again. It was more work for her, and she’d been amazing. That was enough for tonight.

  When we walked into the den, I set the cookies down on the first piece of furniture we came to, then took her Coke and set it down beside them before pulling her against me and kissing her. She let out a little surprised sound, then eased against me. Her body fitting me perfectly. This week had been the best one of my life. All because of her.

  I Was Becoming a Rebel

  CHAPTER 28

  AURORA

  The tension in my body was gone just that quickly. Being in Ryker’s arms and the warmth of his body made everything okay . . . no, it made everything perfect. I’d been working so hard to make his family feel comfortable with me and like me that I hadn’t realized how tense I was. But his magical mouth made it all better. When he pulled back only a few inches, his warm breath smelled like cookies. I leaned in and placed one more peck on his lips. I loved those lips.

  He had been holding me to him, which made having to stand on my tiptoes easier. He held most of my weight and was basically picking me up. With reluctance, he let me back down slowly. I saw his eyes then, and there was something different in them. A depth in his expression. I had seen his cocky gleam and his pleased twinkle, but this was new. It was neither. It was . . . more. It was important. I could feel all those things.

  I reached up and touched his cheek then. Silently we stood like that staring at each other. No words were needed.

  “You used your voice,” he said.

  I nodded.

  “You didn’t have to, and I understand how much it meant that you did.”

  They had all seemed very happy to hear me speak. No one had turned away from me or given any look that showed it had bothered them. It had been a leap for me, but I was thankful I’d done it.

  “I wanted them to like me. I didn’t think writing things down would make it an easy meeting.” Having to write to communicate with people who weren’t used to that never went smoothly. With Ryker’s family, I wasn’t going to make that mistake.

  He took my hand again and lifted the corner of his mouth in a half smile. “I was only concerned with you liking them.”

  He led me over to the sofa, then motioned for me to sit down before going back to get the cookies and my Coke he’d left on the table. I wasn’t as hungry now that we were alone. I just wanted to be with him. Enjoying the moment.

  For the next hour we sat there close, holding hands, watching The Walking Dead on Netflix, and talking very little. It wasn’t needed.

  * * *

  Hunter was making a habit out of being in my room when I got back from being with Ryker. This time I mentally prepared myself before opening the door, and I had been right to. Because there he sat on the end of my bed. His phone in his hand horizontally as if he were playing a game on it. More than likely he was playing Fortnite.

  “What?” I asked him, using my voice. I’d done that a lot today. It was becoming natural. Easy. Something I didn’t think about. I l
iked this new me.

  “Nothing,” he said with an annoyed glare in my direction. “I was staying in here in case Dad or Ella came to look for you.”

  I raised my eyebrow. “And what were you going to tell them if they did?” I signed this, not wanting them to hear me if they were in their room.

  He shrugged. “I have no idea. I thought up a few excuses, but none sounded legit. So . . .” He held up his phone. “I decided to play.”

  Rolling my eyes, I walked past him and tossed my purse on the nightstand. His being in here would have gotten him in trouble, because he would have obviously known I was gone. I turned back to him and signed, “Night before the big game, you should be in bed.”

  He smirked, not in a humored way either. “Ryker isn’t in bed yet.”

  “He will be soon. Go,” I replied.

  Hunter pressed a few more buttons on his phone, then slipped it into his pocket. “Fine. I’m gone.” He started for the door and paused, stood there a minute as if trying to decide what he was going to say, then turned back to me.

  “Where did he take you?” he signed.

  I knew he wanted to ask What did you do?

  Tonight with Dad he had handled things well. The pressure was on him, and it was my fault in a way. Although my Dad’s issues couldn’t exactly be blamed on me. I did feel bad for Hunter.

  “To his house. I met his parents and his sister. They gave me cookies and Cherry Coke.”

  Hunter cocked his head to the side and asked, “Really?”

  I nodded.

  “How did you talk to them?” He asked the obvious. I knew Ryker hadn’t thought that through when he took me to meet them, but Hunter had lived his entire life with my deafness. It was his first thought with me. Which made me realize it hadn’t been with Ryker. He didn’t look at me and see just a deaf girl. I was smiling again.