Page 68 of Never Stop
Giving her hand a soft squeeze, I assure her I won't.
"Should I jump on you too?" my dad jokes.
"Please don't, old man. You'll break a damn bone." Jett interjects, and we all laugh.
We walk into the kitchen and are all catching up. You'd swear I was gone for a year, but I love that they're always happy to see me and still feel like my home.
"Ander, what's with the smile? You've been grinning like a girl since you got here." Jett says after a while of conversation and arches his eyebrows at me. Everyone's faces turn to look at me, and I exhale a sigh.
I knew they'd sense it. If I'm being honest, that's why I wanted to come here. They understand what losing Via did to me. They witnessed the destruction firsthand. They know how much I've missed her. They've missed her too. I needed to tell them, but damn, Jett, for making it awkward now. I wanted to tell them in my own way. I definitely did not want to talk about it this late at night when they were all too tired to process it.
"Eh, I'll tell you all about it tomorrow. Everything is good, though."
"Oh, what a shit response! Who is it!" Abbie demands, "You've obviously got a girlfriend, so what's her name?"
I stifle a laugh.
"A girlfriend?" My mom asks, seeming confused.
"I don't have a girlfriend, Abbie," I say, laughing.
"Bullshit!" She deadpans.
"Abigail Claire, you watch your mouth!"
Abbie laughs, "Sorry, Mom, but Ander's lying. I can tell! That's the look of someone happy and in love!" Abbie points at me like she's five-year-old tattling on me for stealing her snack.
"Ander?" My mom's eyebrows arch in question.
"I came here to tell y'all, but not likethis," I throw a look Jett's way, and he just shrugs and chuckles.
I run my hands over my face, figuring out how to word this to them.
"I got set up on a blind date the other night—"
"Wait, you're excited about a girl you just met?" Abbie interjects confusion all over her face. I can't help but laugh.
"Do you want to know or what?" She nods. "Well, shut it, and let me tell you."
"It didn't exactly go as planned. The girl, it washer. It was Via."
My mom and Abbie both gasp and clasp their hands over their mouths.
"Holy fuck!" Jett proclaims.
"Yeah, holy fuck is right," I say.
"Oh my god, Ander. How is she?"
"She's great, mom. She's had a hard few years, she's been dealt a shit hand, but she's doing well for herself." I can feel the pride-filled smile taking over my face as the words pour out.
"Wow," My mom looked like a deer in headlights; this was the last thing they expected. Hell, it's the last thing I was expecting.
"How did she handle. . . seeing you?" That is the question I was waiting for.
"It was rocky at first; We were both in shock. I mean, what are the odds? Our mutual friend who set us up had no idea of the history there. It's still really fresh, but I'm hopeful."
As if she couldn't hold them back any longer, the tears started streaming from my mom's eyes as she put a hand over her heart.
