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As I’m walking by the bathroom door, he opens it a sliver. “No, Mom, I’m not drinking.”
“Didn’t think you were,” I say, walking away. Damn, that picked up my heart rate though.
I’m putting the laundry in the washer when my phone dings. I pull it out of the hoodie pocket and see a number I don’t know.
Lose the number creep.
I laugh to myself and finish starting the laundry.
The phone rings with the same number.
“It’s me, Ben,” he says before I can say hello.
“I was joking.”
He doesn’t laugh, and he’s quiet for a moment. “I have to clean up after the party today. Will you give me some incentive to get it done early and go out with me tonight?”
I think about Clayton and how I don’t ever want him to feel abandoned. And he doesn’t want Ben over here just yet. But a big part of me wants to see Ben.
“I’m not sure I can tonight.” As I say that, my phone dings with a message. “Hold on.”
I bring my phone down and see a text from Clayton asking to go to the movies with friends tonight. I guess that makes my night free, so I text back and tell him he can go.
“Turns out I am available,” I tell Ben.
“Great. Do you want to meet somewhere? I know you don’t want people knowing about us.”
“Um…” I think about what Clayton said, and he’s right. If I hide this relationship, what does that say about my faith in Ben? “You can pick me up.”
“Are you sure?”
I nod, but he can’t see me. I’m still convincing myself. “I’m sure.”
“Great. I’ll pick you up at six.” The excitement in his voice puts flutters in my belly.
“Okay.”
Bruce calls Ben in the background as though he’s a teenager again. I love Bruce.
“Gotta go, the drill sergeant calls.”
“Okay, bye.”
“Bye.”
I hang up and press the phone to my chest.
“Oh man, are you going to have that look on your face every time you talk to him?” Clayton’s wearing only a towel, droplets of water dripping from his hair.
“Where are your clothes?”
“In the hamper.” He points to the empty basket on the dryer.
“You have no clean clothes?”
He shrugs. “I wanted to wear my football shirt tonight.”
“It’s in the washer now. Surely, you have something to put on in the meantime.”
