Page 65 of Home in the Country
SORREN: You too
OTTO: Say it
SORREN: No
OTTO: Say you love me
OTTO: DO ITTTTT
SORREN: (eyeroll emoji)
OTTO: Say it, brother
SORREN: Yeah man, love you too
I smile and tuck my phone into my cup holder as some of the tension in my shoulders starts to ease.
21
FALLON
“Mamaaa, are we there yet?”
I give Briggs a pointed eyebrow raise in the rearview mirror. “Seriously, buddy, the town isn’t big enough for you to be askin’ me already. Wejustleft the house.”
“Fineeee.” He draws out the words and it’s a whole lot of everything. The drive isn’t long, but between the sighing in the back seat and my already frazzled nerves, I feel like I’ve run a marathon by the time we pull up to Otto’s house.
Putting the car in park, I take a deep breath and slowly exhale.
“Okay, buddy, are you ready?” He nods and unbuckles his seat belt, and I grab the gift bag next to me before climbing out and opening his door.
“Can I knock?” Briggs asks as he races up the steps of the front porch. It’s tidy and bursting with pots of flowers, and you’d never guess that two—hopefully only one after today—bachelors live here.
“Go ahead.”
Briggs knocks on the door and it’s only a moment before it swings open. Otto’s face is painted with confusion that quickly morphs into excitement as he ruffles my son’s hair.
“Hey, Big Rigg, how’s it going?”
“We got you presents!” he yells and does an impatient little dance that has Otto chuckling. “Here.” He thrusts a toy truck into Otto’s hand with a smile. “Now we both have this one! It’s my favorite and Mommy said I could pick one out for you. Do you like it?”
“Thanks, buddy, I love it.” Otto drives it over Briggs’s head, sound effects included, causing them both to crack up.
“We got you this too.” I step hesitantly onto the porch, my eyes never leaving Otto’s as I hand him the bag. He takes it, and I wring my hands in front of me. It’s so reminiscent of the first time I stood on this porch with uncertainty.
He pulls the tissue paper from the bag slowly as Briggs bounces from one foot to the other—the kid is practically never still. I wish I could bottle his energy; even a little bit would be nice.
A full bellied laugh startles me back to reality, and I watch as Otto turns the travel mug in his hand.
“I like that one!” Briggs points at something I can’t see, but Otto nods and smiles as he turns it and takes it all in.
“You tryin’ to tell me somethin’, Fallon?” He waves the cup at me with a grin. Pictures of Briggs and me making silly and cute faces line the outside of a travel coffee mug. It was one of those “aha” and hope for the best finds at the store. I’d cut and taped all the pictures together and then fed the sheet back between the plastic barriers.
“I’m sure.” I bite my lip, and his gaze drops to my mouth before traveling back to my eyes.
“Is that right?”
“It is. And I wanted you to know that I—we’d—be proud to have you show us off.” I nod toward the mug in his hand. His smile is almost blinding.
