Chapter 23
Chapter Twenty-Three
GRANT
“You up?”
“Go away.”
“It’s the first day of school. You need to get up.”
Luke groans, rolling back over and burying his head under the pillow. “Leave me alone.”
I flip on his light as I leave his room. “Ten minutes or I’m coming back down here to get you out of bed. And try wearing something other than a hoodie.”
Another groan.
I knew today would be hard getting him up for school since he’s had all summer to laze around, but he clearly isn’t ready to go back.
It feels like we barely had any time this summer to do anything.
Back in LA, he’d be playing baseball, but not this year.
I’ve been so busy with the team, getting settled here, and spending time with Georgia, that I feel like I haven’t done much with him.
Even if he had wanted to, it would’ve been hard to pull him out of the basement where he’s been locked up playing video games.
I head up to the kitchen and pour myself a cup of coffee and start making him eggs.
I remember these days of heading back to school. I was always playing baseball during school and loved getting to go in early and hit the gym. Being on the team made it easy to make friends. Something I worry about with Luke now.
He’s the new kid in town and I want him to make friends and be able to go out and do things.
I hate that he’s always texting with friends back home.
It’s not like he can fly down and see them every weekend.
Hopefully he has a good first day—I doubt he’ll tell me about it, but maybe he’ll open up to Georgia.
He stumbles upstairs in a blue T-shirt and jeans, hair still a mess.
“Couldn’t run a brush through your hair?” I ask.
He glares at me before going to the fridge and pulling out the orange juice and drinking straight from the bottle.
Probably shouldn’t comment on his manners this early or he might yell.
“Are you ready for your first day of school?”
Using the spatula, I pile eggs onto Luke’s plate. I didn’t want him scarfing down a bowl of cereal.
“Kind of,” he says, plopping down on the barstool at the counter.
“High school is a big deal,” I say.
“Daaaad,” Luke groans. “Please don’t.”
“What? I just want to make sure you’re ready.”
“I’m fine.”
“Fine is not an answer,” I say.
He rolls his eyes at me. “The bus is going to be here soon.”
“Soon,” I point out. “Finish your eggs, please. You need a good breakfast to learn things today.”
“We don’t actually learn stuff,” he says. “It’s all going over classes and finding your seat.”
“I remember we jumped right in on the first day of school. I had a pop quiz in algebra to see how much I knew.”
“Was this back before electricity was invented?” he chirps.
I nod. “Oh, yeah. We did everything by candlelight. Had to dip our feathers in ink to write.”
“Oh my God. You’re so embarrassing.”
I give him a cheesy grin back. “If you think that is embarrassing, I can really up my game if you want.”
“Daaad.”
I ruffle the hair on his head. Luke finishes his breakfast before dumping his plate in the sink and grabbing his backpack.
“You’ve got riding lessons with Georgia after school, and you’ll take the bus out there—”
“I know, Dad.”
“Georgia will bring you home since I have practice, and we’ll all have dinner together, okay?” I finish, not letting his interruption get to me.
“Sounds good.”
He goes to the bathroom to brush his teeth and—thankfully—wets his hair down so it looks more presentable.
He pockets his phone, stuffs his feet into his tennis shoes, and heads down the street to where the bus will pick him up.
I’m still sipping on my coffee as I watch him talk to one of the kids standing out there.
I don’t know why I’m so worried. I’ve been the one getting him on the bus since his first day of kindergarten—Kari was always too busy with one thing or another. But somehow, it doesn’t get easier.
With Luke being in high school, I’m hit with the realization that his days at home are numbered. Before I know it, he’ll be going off to college and leaving me. It’s what all parents want for their kids. To go off and do great things in the world.
But as the bus pulls up and Luke steps onto it, it’s hard to come to terms with him leaving. It’s not like I’ll be all by myself. I’ll have Georgia and our baby, with more of these days to come.
I don’t wave goodbye as the bus passes, missing the days when he used to turn back and smile at me as he got on. I never thought I’d have more kids, but I’m looking forward to the day where I get to do this with Georgia. Hell, we’ll both be emotional wrecks when that day comes.
I guess that’s what parenthood does to you. I’ll savor each moment I get with each of my kids because before I know it, these days will have gone by in the blink of an eye.
And I’ll cherish every single one of them I get.