Page 26 of Into the Mountains
Mom’s eyes are glassy with tears and I put a finger up at her. “Absolutely not, Mother. We aren’t doing tears for this. This is not a good enough reason for tears.”
I look at Dad for some assistance only to find him with the same expression as Mom, except with a hint of sadness behind his eyes. Similar to the one I caught a few days ago. “Oh, c’mon you traitor.”
“You’re just grown up, peanut. That’s all.”
Except I know it’s not all. I’m still convinced there’s something they aren’t telling me. They act normal most of the time, but there are moments here and there that I catch them looking at each other when they’re doing the smallest things. They’re doing dishes together and I see them looking at one another like they are about to renew their vows or something. Yesterday, it was at the grocery store. Usually, Mom tackles one side of the store and Dad takes the other. However, this time they stayed side by side the whole time, arms brushing, hands never straying more than an inch away from one another.
I accept his answer with a small smile even though I don’t believe me being grown up is the full reason for the wetness in his eyes.
“Have the best time, sweetheart. Where are you going?” She asked the same question a few minutes ago.
“A coffee shop nearby. I told you that already,” I say gently.
She shakes her head like she’s trying to remember. “Right,” she says, but she’s doubtful.
“Have fun, peanut,” Dad interjects, either to genuinely wish me a good time or to distract from whatever moment Mom was having. Whatever it was, it passes.
Mom opens her free arm and I melt into her embrace as Dad’s other arm comes around me completing the hug. Part of me wants to stay right here in the familiar comfort of them. But I know I can’t.
It’s time to experience something new with someone familiar.
CHAPTER TWELVE
ELIAS
MAY - FIFTEEN YEARS AGO
THE FIRST DATE
Afrustrated groan leaves my lips and I pull off the shirt in one fell swoop.
“That was hot,” Alan comments from his place on my laptop which is perched on the TV stand in my current room. When I got here a few days ago, my friend from high school, Cooper, was ecstatic to find out I had a date. I may have left out the part about who the date was with, but that was for his own good. I know for a fact he also had a crush on Charlotte back in high school and while neither of us acted on it, I finally was. Even if it did start out as a dare. I’m happy it’s finally happening.
My chest tightens at the thought of Alan and Ash’s dare. Should I tell her about it? I mean, technically I’m not even the one who swiped right on her profile and she accepted thinking that it was me that initiated the first contact. Does it reallymatter though now that we are finally going on a date? My conscience says yes, but my gut says to ignore that guy. And I usually go with my gut.
“Shut up, man,” I say to both my conscience and to Alan. “I need help, not jokes.”
“Go back to the black shirt and leave the top few buttons undone. Women love that.”
“Can we just hang up on him? His input is completely useless. Don’t listen to him.”
Fortunately, I’m not dumb enough to listen to Asher’s advice. I was on the Skype call with just Alan trying to figure out what to wear when Ash called and I never ignore calls, so I merged them and I now have regrets.
“Does your friend have anything you could borrow?” Cooper wasn’t ever the epitome of style when we went to school.
“Unless hoodies and sweatpants are considered formal wear now, there’s no chance I’ll find anything in his closet.”
The silence stretches as I go back to my closet for the twentieth time, moving hangers back and forth. Again.
“Wait, go back,” Alan says. “No, the other way.” I slide a few hangers to the right until my hand lands on one that contains a powder blue, button up shirt.
“That one.”
Shuffling comes from Ash’s side as he moves closer to the phone. “Really? That’s the one we’re going with?”
“Shut up, you idiot. That color compliments both his light hair and his dark eyes.”
“Are you the one trying to date him?” Leave it to Ash to never take anything seriously.
