Page 56 of Break the Rule
His sleep-addled brain is heavy as he trudges to the bathroom to piss and splash cold water on his face. Looking at himself in the mirror, he looks about how he feels—puffy with the corners of his eyes still stained in the eye makeup he didn’t get off last night. Too tired to care, he settles for covering his bedhead with his hoodie and hoping Addy and Ella don’t mention how shitty he looks. Knowing them, that’s unlikely.
Walking out of the bathroom, he makes it all of two seconds before a small body slams into him.
“You took forever to wake up. Forever and ever.”
“Sorry about that,” Eden tells her, lifting her up and giving her the morning hug he knows she wants. Truthfully, he wants it too.
“Momma said I couldn’t wake you up today because you were tired. Why were you tired? Did you get home late? How come you slept in me and Momma’s room? Did you have bad dreams? I like sleeping in Momma's bed when I have bad dreams.”
“Ella, let him wake up,” Addy laughs.
“Heisawake, Momma.” Ella squeezes Eden’s face. “See.”
“Are you awake?” Addy asks.
“I’d be more awake if you gave me a Red Bull.”
“Red Bull is gonna send you to an early grave.”
“The devil would be so lucky,” Eden grins.
“We both know you’re not a functioning adult without one,” Addy remarks, retrieving one of his coveted energy drinks fromthe fridge for him, cracking it open so he can drink it one-handed since he’s still got Ella on his hip.
“Joke’s on you, I’m not a functioning adult with one either.”
“Can I try it?” Ella asks, reaching for the can when Eden takes a drink.
“Nope,” Eden answers, his brain buzzing with happiness from the first sip of caffeinated chemical goodness. “It’s bad for you.”
“Why’s it okay for you and bad for me?”
“Because.”
“That’s not a good reason,” Ella frowns, her small face so very serious.
“It’s for grown-ups,” Addy offers.
“Ugh, grown-ups,” Ella moans. “I don’t wanna be one of those, that sounds boring.”
“Not all of it is boring,” Eden tells her, taking another huge gulp of his drink. He licks his lips, trying not to think about the way Charlie tasted. Fuck.
“Is that why you was out so late?” Ella asks, starting Eden out of his wandering thoughts.
“Ella.”
“What? You said Eden was out late, and that’s why I wasn’t allowed to wake him up. Were you doing grown-up stuff, Eden?”
“You could say that,” Eden answers evasively, setting Ella down on one of the chairs at their dining table. There’s a half-colored page in one of her coloring books along with a glass of juice. Without asking if he wants to join, Ella opens her book to a new page and slides it between them on the table once Eden sits down beside her. “You color with me.”
It’s not a question, but even if it was, Eden would never tell her no.
“Can I have the pink crayon?”
“Uh-huh.” Ella digs for one in her plastic container of crayons. “That’s my favorite color.”
“I know,” Eden smiles. “Mine too.”
Ella holds it out, gasping when she notices what’s on Eden’s wrist. He took off all his other bracelets when he showered last night, but left this one on. He’s not sure he’ll ever take it off again.
