by Jerry Cole
“I appreciate that,” he told me before leaning in for a kiss.
We had breakfast the next morning with Mari and Becca. They both looked devastated about Mari’s flight that evening, asking us about the pregnant mother once they knew that we met her.
“Vivian is twenty-one and single, but strong. She was working full-time when the accident happened and living with her mom to save some money. I liked her.” I wiped my face with a napkin as Hayden nodded beside me.
“Are you going to visit her again?” Becca asked, reaching for her coffee. Her eyes were red from crying, and Hayden assured me that she’d be a wreck for the next two days. The good news was that Mari had some good leads on local jobs.
“Probably. She’s nice and they’re all alone unless her mom isn’t working. They both work a lot,” Hayden offered as Mari looked fascinated.
“The baby’s okay?” She asked, and I nodded.
“They are keeping her in the hospital for observation, but so far they’re both fine. She said that something ran in front of the car and she swerved. She felt horrible.” I sipped my coffee and looked out of the window.
“That’s crazy. I wanted to kill her when I first saw you on the ground.” Becca shook her head as her eyes flashed. “I didn’t know what happened.”
“Vivian mentioned that.” Hayden and I smiled at each other, relieved that the accident wasn’t intentional.
We parted ways so they could spend a few hours alone after long hugs. I could tell that Mari and I bonded and that Becca liked me with her best friend.
Hayden had to work that night, so we spent most of the afternoon at his place. We were in bed when I mentioned that I’d like us to spend more time at my apartment since Jackson went home. It made me feel better to be close to her in case anything happened, and he agreed. Since I lived a bit further away from the theater, he planned to drive and just come over after work. If we went anywhere, I’d drive and meet him there.
That first night felt strange as I got dinner ready for his arrival. I knew we ate quickly before his shift, and that he’d be hungry. I ordered Thai to be delivered just as he was due to arrive, feeling a bit hungry even though Gram cooked dinner for me.
I went to the outside door when I saw him arrive, letting him in with a smile and a kiss. “How was work?”
“Packed.” We walked to the apartment, and he inhaled as we walked inside. “Is that Thai food that I smell?”
“I thought you might be hungry. You just ate a sandwich earlier.” I shrugged, and he kissed me.
“That smells amazing. Thank you.” He set his keys and a backpack down on the table, looking around. “Gram’s good?”
“She misses Jackson, but yes.” He smiled. “They’re close. Everyone pretty much loves her, but they are especially close.”
“I could tell.” We grabbed plates and beer, sitting on the couch to eat while watching TV. “It’s weird being here, but I think I like your place better.” Hayden shrugged. “I like being here, and at Becca’s, more than my place. Is that bad?”
“You just enjoy being with us,” I assured him, sipping my beer after a smile. A thought crossed my mind, giving me pause for a moment. “How much is your rent?”
“Nine hundred. Why?” He asked, shooting me a curious look.
“Is that a lot of your paycheck?” I pressed as he frowned at me before understanding crossed his face.
“Are you asking me to move in?” Hayden asked as a flush crossed my cheeks.
“I think I am.” His mouth dropped open as he tried to think about what to say. “I like you here. I love you.”
“We’re still new,” he protested as I shrugged.
“You work and you’ll be near Becca. I work from home and take care of Gram. It will work out.” He seemed scared, and I reached over to cover his hand with mine. “I love you, Hayden.”
“I love you.” He smiled and kissed me. “I’ll talk to my landlord. Is there enough room in here?”
“Sure. Isn’t your place furnished?” I asked. He nodded. “You just have clothes to move, and there’s room for that. I also have the guest room for storage, since most people that visit stay with Gram.”
“Are we moving in together?” He asked, and I nodded before our lips crashed together.
“Holy shit. I’ve never thought about this with anyone before you.”
“Neither have I,” I confessed. We shared a few more kisses before getting back to dinner. I could see Hayden looking around the room, making me smile. The house felt full with him here, as opposed to feeling like four walls around me. I was with Gram more than I was here, but she enjoyed having her own space too much for me to stay there. She clung to her last bits of independence lately as she grew older.
After we finished the movie, we showered and went to bed. We celebrated our plans with vigor, making an effort to be quiet. The bedroom was as far away from Gram’s apartment as it could be, but we still felt the need to be quiet. We fell asleep in each other’s arms, waking up to the sun and Gram calling to come over for breakfast.
“Does she always do that?” Hayden asked as I chuckled.
“A lot. Want to call Becca and see what she’s doing?” I asked as he sighed.
“She’s depressed in bed but feeling more hope than before. I usually give her a couple of days to regain her composure after Mari leaves, but we keep in touch.” He smiled at me. “Let’s go to Gram’s.”
We dressed and headed over for eggs, sausage, and biscuits with coffee. I told her the good news, and she smiled brightly before hugging both of us. I knew that Gram would always support what made me happy, often interjecting in the past when she knew that I wasn’t.
Hayden loved the food, telling me in my place later that we needed a good exercise plan and soon. In addition to her cooking, I also brought her treats like chocolate eclairs. I assured him that there was a great running trail nearby that we could use a few mornings a week.
Chapter Eight
Hayden
Within the week, Becca bounced back to her old self. It didn’t hurt that Mari got a job offer immediately, and she was tying up loose ends.
We went to eat with a bunch of theater staff after work one night, as we often did. Gray was working on a podcast late, so he didn’t join us. He did when he could, and everyone loved him and us as a couple.
When we were driving home, I told her that I was moving in with him. Becca gasped and hurried to her place to stare at me. “How long have you known?” She asked as I winced.
“About a week. I knew you were going through a lot, and I just spoke to my landlord.” I frowned as we headed upstairs to her apartment.
“What did he say?” It was well-known that my landlord was a bit of an asshole.
“Good luck. He’s getting a divorce, so he’s not feeling relationships.” I frowned and shook my head. “Oh, Gram is cooking dinner Sunday since it’s my day off. Want to come over?”
“Yes!” She heard about the great food, though she hadn’t met Gram yet.
“Good. You’ll love her.” We laughed as we leaned back against the couch.
“Things are going to be different. Mari will be living here.” She turned to face me. “You’re going to be living with Gray. Will we lose each other along the way?”
“We’ll make a point not to.” I smiled as a tear slid down my cheek. “This is us growing family, not losing each other.”
We both cried for the change in our relationship. They were happy and sad tears that carried hope for each other. We tightly hugged when I left to go to Gray, and I cried on the way over there.
“What the hell were you doing without me?” Gray asked as he walked into the living room. “Is it a sad play right now?”
“No. We were getting sappy after dinner. Changes and all.” I shrugged as he pulled me into his arms. “We’re okay. It’s just that there’s more than us now.”
“I would never ask you to stop seeing Becca and Mari. You know that, don’t you?” He asked
into my hair, making me cry harder as I nodded.
“I do,” I told him that I invited her for dinner on Sunday night as Gram requested, and he told me that she’d be adopted as well.
We went to sleep after I cried myself out of tears, feeling like an emotional wreck. He held me close, telling me that everything would be fine. When I finally fell asleep, I knew he was right.
I slowly moved things into Gray’s apartment, falling in love with his Gram more every day. She was a strong woman that demanded her space but also loved those around her. I could see that she was getting weaker with age, perhaps a bit forgetful.
Sunday dinner went great. Gram instantly loved Becca, and they were in the kitchen, cooking together as my best friend held on to her every word. I think Becca boiled noodles before that since I did most of the cooking in our friendship. We also ordered a lot of take out.
We sat down to pot roast with a plate of vegetables, salad, and rolls. Everything was homemade and made my mouth water. Gram asked Becca about her life, pleased that Mari would be here soon. She invited her over as soon as they settled.
She talked about her life with her husband and two children, neither of whom she was close to. Gram didn’t tolerate their behavior in life, though she was close to their children. She helped to raise Jackson in addition to Gray, loving them both unconditionally.
Becca was in tears by the end of the meal, wiping her face as she shoveled bites of warm apple pie with ice cream into her mouth. “You two cry a lot,” Gray teased as I wiped at my cheeks.
“That’s beautiful,” Becca said, laughing as we all gazed at her. “Hayden and I never had that with family. It just wasn’t meant to be but you… you raised so many great kids before families were doing that on the regular. That’s a big job.”
“I tried with my own. It didn’t work. I couldn’t see these babies grow up with them, so I tried again. Herb stood right alongside me, too. He was a wonderful father figure.” She sadly smiled as Becca reached for her napkin.
“You’re killing me, Gram.” Gray cleared his throat and ran a hand through his hair. “I am so lucky to have you.”
We offered to wash the dishes while Becca went into the living room to talk further with Gram. I sensed that she needed it. Gray looked at me as he handed me a plate to rinse. “You okay?”
“There’s such a family history with you. I admire it while it also breaks my heart.” I smiled at him. “I think Becca might move in.”
“That’s where Gram would draw the line, but she loves Becca. She raised boys since there are so few girls in the family. I didn’t bring any around. This is a nice change for her.” He wrapped an arm around my waist. “I knew that there was something that night at the theater, but I would never have predicted this. I’m so happy.”
“I’m happy, too.” I smiled as he kissed me, feeling warmth wash over me.
We told Gram good night before inviting Becca to see our place. It was coming together well with our combined styles, and she smiled as she looked around. “I like these places a lot. They seem to have so much more space than mine. I wonder if Mari would want to move.”
“They do have the unit upstairs open if you’re interested. What do you pay in rent?” Gray asked as they figured out it would be the same amount.
“Can I take some pictures of yours? They’re the same?” Becca asked, smiling as we agreed. This apartment was closer to the city as opposed to being walking distance from work. It was in a safer part of town, located near neighborhoods and local businesses.
When we were in bed later that night, Gray laughed as he kissed me. “I can’t believe the girls might live here, too.”
“It’s a great unit for them,” I told him, pressing my naked body close to his. “I love the idea of just running upstairs.”
“You’ll both have to drive to work,” he reminded me as I shrugged.
“We should anyway since we go out with everyone after our shift. We can carpool a lot of the time.” I smiled, sliding my hand down his bare stomach.
“You’re terrible, Hay.” He chuckled, and I kept moving.
***
Summer slowly turned to Fall. Mari moved to Seattle into the two-bedroom apartment in our building within three months. I made the full move to Gray’s apartment a week before my old building burned down. It was shocking, and when the paper reported it to be arson, it made me wonder if the owner needed the insurance money.
Two people ended up getting fired at the theater due to not working as hard as needed, and Lisa was one of them. I felt relieved that I wouldn’t have to deal with her any longer, but it would add to my job for a time until she was replaced. Becca even helped out around the theater before serving coffee, and we increased our hours for the next few months.
As a result, Gray picked up more work and spent long hours working with podcasts. Mari always worked a lot of hours, and the fact that she was at a new gallery only proved to be the same as before.
It felt like I saw Gray at night when we were both exhausted. I knew that working so much was a good thing so that we could put away some money for the future. We still made a point to have family dinners on Sunday, and it seemed as though Gram loved having two daughters.
I left the theater surprisingly early one night when it turned out to be slower than expected. Becca was out with Mari, and I knew that Gray was working with a new podcast. I headed down the street to grab a drink at a bar I used to frequent, thinking I could order some food as well. It felt a bit like the old days as I ordered a beer and a burger, taking a seat in a booth to surf the net on my phone.
I thought about how much life changed over the last few months as I ate, greeting some familiar faces as they entered. Friends came over to join me, asking what I was up to. The apartment fire was brought up, and I was surprised to hear that it was intentionally set. It started in my downstairs apartment as well.
“Were you threatened by anyone?” I tried to think, considering the things that Ryan said to me.
“Not really,” I replied, sipping my beer. “I didn’t even live there anymore.”
“Where are you now?” Jake asked, and I smiled as I told him all about Gray. They congratulated me as we made a toast, making me miss my old friends. I used to get wild with these guys in my single days, and they still seemed to be the same way. We visited for a few hours before I headed out to go home, bumping into Ryan just outside of the bar.
I could see that he was drunk, slurring his words as he held onto the building. “You’re not supposed to be okay,” he murmured as I stared at him.
“What the fuck are you talking about?” I asked as one of his friends came out to help him into a car.
I walked to my car, wondering if Ryan did set the fire, and why? We broke up a while ago, and there didn’t seem to be any resentment that would lead to that. He was extreme at times, but I never took him to be violent.
I went home, seeing that my apartment and Becca’s was dark. I guess I’d be back alone for a while, knowing that Gram was asleep for the night. I walked in, locking the door and grabbing a beer before sitting on the couch with my laptop.
I woke up on the couch in the dark as someone crashed into the kitchen table. “Gray?” I asked as I sat up, looking through the dimly lit room.
“It’s me,” he said in a low voice as I rubbed my eyes. “I tried to be quiet. I’m sorry.”
“What time is it?” I asked, watching as he dropped his keys on the floor.
“Late. We had some beer and started talking. Time got away from me.” He wasn’t looking at me, making me worry.
“The guys from the podcast?” I asked as he nodded. Gray finally looked at me.
“They’re cool. We got a lot done, but I’m beat. Want to get some sleep?” I shrugged, locking the house up and following him to bed.
“We’re working too much,” I told him as I wrapped my arms around him. Gray shifted, and I opened my eyes to look at him.
“I have a few more clients now. I don�
��t see it stopping.” He sounded tired, and I held him closer. “You’re working more hours, too.”
“We might hire some help. I told them I’d like to be home a bit more.” I hadn’t said that yet, but I would for him.
“Let’s talk about this tomorrow. We can go to lunch.” I heard him start snoring, feeling rejected even though I knew that he was just tired. So was I.
We only managed to have a short lunch before he got called to work, and it was that way for the next few weeks. We had dinner with Gram and the girls like clockwork on Sunday, but Mari and Becca talked most of that time. Gray and I were both distracted with work, and I couldn’t stop thinking about Ryan and his words at the bar.
I headed to the bar again one night after work. Becca was meeting Mari at some event at the gallery. I knew Gray wasn’t home. I walked in to see Jake and the guys at the bar, smiling as I joined them. “You’re back.” He hugged me, and I nodded slowly.
“I just finished work, and thought I’d stop by.” We made small talk until I felt my phone vibrating in my pocket. Pulling it out, I saw that it was Gray. “Hey, babe. Are you okay?”
“Vivian is in labor. They think everything is going to be fine, but she wants someone there for her. Her mom is sick.” My heart dropped at his words. We’d kept in touch with Vivian over the weeks as she waited for the baby’s arrival.
“Are you at the hospital?” I asked, and he told me that he took her there. I got the room number, calling Becca since the girls got to know her. It was past the point of pregnancy that they were concerned about, so the delivery should be fine. “I have to go. I’ll come back.” The guys could see that I was in a hurry, telling me goodbye as I ran out of the door.
I hopped in my car to drive to the hospital, parking and making my way to the area that we first visited her in. Gray stood against a wall, meeting me in the hallway. “She’s close. She told me that we don’t have to be in there with her, but she’s also scared to be alone.” My face paled, and he smiled. “We could be beside her, not actually helping.”
