Page 167 of Chaos

“You know she did.”

Right. Yeah. They’ve got a code, woven into that parentified older sibling bond of theirs. They won’t keep important things from each other, not when it’s about the rest of us. I’m surprised Lux didn’t spill the beans the moment my slip happened—I only know she didn’t because Jackson didn't cut his honeymoon short just for the honor of lecturing me.

Which he doesn’t do, surprisingly.

He gingerly, unobtrusively asks, “Do you wanna talk about it?”

I shake my head, and he doesn’t push. He doesn’t sigh, all irritated. He just wraps an arm around my shoulders, tugs me into the side, and kisses the top of my head. “Love you, kid.”

“Love you too.”

“I mean it, yeah? Don’t scare him off.”

“I’ll try.”

“And don’t get pregnant.”

I shove him away from me, shaking my head. “Jesus, Oscar.”

“Y’know, maybe we shouldn’t send you two out alone anymore.”

“You know we live together, right?”

Jackson groans.

“Don’t worry.” I aim a set of knuckles at his ribs. “I’ll wait until I’m almost twenty-four.”

About five seconds after I hear the front door creak open, a figure appears in the doorway of Alex’s bedroom. Leaning against the doorjamb with a hand propped on her hip, Grace glances at the little boy I’ve been tasked with babysitting, snoozing on the bed I’m leaning against, before whispering, “Care to tell me why Jackson just welcomed me home by throwing a pack of condoms at my head?”

I snort quietly. “Be grateful it wasn’t a chastity belt.”

Grace snickers as she creeps into the room, careful not to disturb our nephew as she drops down to sit on the floor beside me. “I’m guessing the safe-sex lecture means things are going well with you and Finn?”

“Shockingly,” I answer in the same lilting tone she uses, “I haven’t destroyed my relationship in the ten days since I saw you last.”

“Relationship.” A nudge, a pinch, and a gentle coo. “I could cry.”

“Please don’t.”

Grace whimpers playfully, but her attention shifts, landing on the knitting needles in my hands and the wool they’re weaving. “What’s this?”

Dragging my knees up to my chest, I try to hide the semi-formed project I’m cutting awfully close to its deadline. “None of your business.”

With those damn athlete reflexes, Grace snags the swath of dark red wool and holds it aloft, eyes gleaming as she assesses it. “Looks like a sweater. A mighty big one.”

“Shut up.” I snatch back what may or may not be an unfinished sweater and tuck it behind my back. “How was your life outside Serenity?”

“None of your business,” Grace teases except she must also be kind of serious because she changes the subject—changes it back, I should say. “Did Jackson really catch you and Finn screwing in his truck?”

“No,” I hiss a decibel too loud, glancing back at Alex to make sure he’s still asleep. “Jesus. Did Eliza tell you that?”

Grace doesn’t confirm, but her face does.

“Jesus,” I huff again. “There was noscrewing. Thereisno screwing.”

“Huh. He knows you’resober, not celibate, right?”

Oh, he knows. We might not have hadsexsex yet, but there’s been nothing celibate about the past couple of days. Not a damn thing.

---