Page 19 of Forever Focused

“How long will they leave us here?”

“I have no clue because they have never done this to me before, but I can tell you as sure as I’m standing here… their nursing home is getting more and more shabby in the future,” he muttered grimly – only to hear Poppy’s soft giggle in the darkness.

“You love your parents and would never put them in a nursing home when they are older… and we both know it.”

“It’s tempting right now…”

“Because you are feeling cornered and angry with me.”

Michael sighed heavily, feeling the weight of the world slip from his shoulders. He wasn’t sure what to say right now because he was hurt. There had been so much time wasted, so many things that each had gone through, and to just wipe that slate made it feel like all those moments were insignificant. Things could not become ‘All-better-now’ simply because they’d finally given into lust and kissed each other… could they?

“You know, I was angry at you too,” Poppy whispered in the darkness, and he heard a shuffling sound.

“That’s fine,” he scoffed. “I can deal with you being angry… and you can get over it too. That’s not on me if you don’t like something. That’s your problem.”

“I thought maybe we could try starting over or…”

“Why?” he snapped. “So you can get cold feet in front of ‘Daddy’ and blow me off again? No, thank you.”

“I never blew you off.”

“You implied that you loved me and then changed your mind like you were changing your underwear. That’s not love, that is distinctly ‘blowing me off’ in front of your father.”

“Yeah, well, I was also seventeen, scared, and you were leaving for the Academy for several years – but you know what else isn’t ‘love’? Treating someone badly, avoiding them, hiding from them, or acting like a child when you return.”

“So now I’m a child?”

“You’re acting like one.”

“You are, too.”

“Fine.”

“Whatever.”

“Exactly.”

Michael sat down on the floor of the pantry, wishing he could have made it smooth or easy, but instead, the small grunt and pop from his knee reverberated in the silence.

“Are you okay?”

“I’m fine.”

“I heard you grunt, and something made a popping sound.”

“I’m wearing snug jeans, and my knee popped, okay? Wanna know anything else?”

“You don’t have to be a jerk about it.”

“People grunt, make noises, joints pop, and things happen,” he snapped as his stomach growled loudly. “Like that, okay?”

“Maybe you should eat something, so you aren’t quite so crabby?” Poppy muttered and just as Michael was about to say something, he heard cellophane rustling as something hit him square in the head.

“Owww? That was my head.”

“Well, I can’t see… and good!”

“Good? Thanks a lot. What was that, anyhow?”

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