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“Keep pushing that lip out.”
In true Milo fashion, he pushed it out farther. She reached for his lip, grabbing it between her thumb and forefinger. He tried to talk but couldn’t form a complete word. He held his hand up in surrender, and she let go with a smirk.
“Ow,” he moaned.
“I warned you.”
Harper took the ice cream and went into the living room. She had four hours to get four glasses done. She got to work, and Milo joined her. He sat on the couch, and she checked her phone for any matches. Nothing. Even online dating was turning out to be a waste of time.
“Are you checking that stupid app again?”
Harper put her phone down. “Maybe.”
“I don’t understand why you have this sudden need to meet a man.”
“If I have a family of my own, my mom will know I won’t be able to rescue her. She’ll have to sober up.”
Milo glanced at her. “Do you honestly believe that?”
“I have to. What’s the alternative? She never changes, and I spend the rest of my life making excuses for her? I can’t do it. I can’t. I won’t.”
“Finding a man isn’t going to fix your mom, Harp.”
“No, but at least I’ll have someone to lean on.”
“And what about me? What have I been for the last ten years? Haven’t I given you a shoulder to cry on? Arms to hold you when you can’t bear the weight on your back anymore? Haven’t I given you an ear to vent to?”
“Yes, and it’s not fair to you.”
“Why don’t you let me decide what’s fair for me and what’s not.”
“You don’t see things that way. Your heart is too damn big, and it blinds your judgment.” She shrugged. “I don’t want you to one day realize all that you’ve done for me and be left wondering what was it all for?”
“You’re my best friend. I would never question why I do anything for you.”
“Maybe you should.”
“Maybe you should start painting and let me worry about me.”
She stuck her tongue out at him, then picked up the paintbrush and got to work. Milo turned on the TV and flipped channels until Jasper came home. Jasper plopped down on the loveseat, and they settled on another documentary about earth.
Four hours later, her neck stiff and back hurting from sitting with her legs crossed and hunched over, she was done. Jasper had gone to bed, having to get up extra early for a meeting with his principal, and Milo was passed out on the couch beside her. Half his body was thrown over the arm and the other half was curled up with a blanket.
He looked so peaceful, and she thought about leaving him there, but there was no way he could be comfortable at that angle. She shook his shoulder, and one dark eye popped open.
“I’m awake,” he said.
“No, you’re not. Go to bed.”
He sat up. “Then who is going to keep you company?”
“I’m finished.”
“You’re done? All four?”
She nodded. He held his hand up, and she high fived him, happy she could go to sleep with one less thing to worry about. Milo headed off to his room, and she cleaned up, making sure to put all the glasses in a safe place. The last thing she needed was one getting “accidentally” broken.
Tired but unable to turn her mind off, she got ready for bed. She checked the dating app, but there were no new matches, and every profile she came upon in scrolling was nothing to be desired. She sighed and dropped her phone. “Another lonely night,” she said to herself.
