Chapter 32
Elli
He loves me. He loves me. He loves me. He loves me!
I was so pleasantly surprised to hear those words come from Wes this morning, that I momentarily forgot to be nervous to officially meet Jess.
I probably shouldn’t be nervous, but Jess is important to Wes and Luke is important to Izzy and Jess is important to Wes and Luke so impressing her is important. This could be Izzy’s future mother-in-law!
Wes and I walk hand in hand to Ernie’s, which is just a few blocks from his apartment, making tentative plans for our road trip to Utah in three weeks.
Hot steamy, hotel sex with Wes.
Fuck. Probably shouldn’t walk around turned on when I’m meeting important people, but it’s like Wes unlocked something in me. A piece of me that has been kept in a steel box, locked away never to be used.
Now that it’s out, it’s like all I can think about is the next time I can get Wes naked. I still need to ask him to teach me to give him a blowjob.
“Will you teach me how to give a blowjob?” I ask, deciding to just go for it.
Wes stops, looks at me with a shocked expression, and says “Jesus Christ, Elli. You can’t just ask me that when we’re supposed to be meeting my pseudo mom and brother for breakfast! Do you want me to walk around with a hard-on all morning?”
I shrug, “Sorry not sorry babe. I didn’t want to forget to ask again.”
Wes scrubs a hand down his face. “Damn it. Yes, I’ll teach you how to give me a blowjob. But can we talk about this after, please?”
We’ve stopped in front of Ernie’s, so I go up on my tiptoes and give him a kiss on the cheek. “Of course.”
The bell above the door chimes as we walk in, and I see a familiar mop of curly brown hair sitting across from the woman I met at the bar, and they’re both talking to Claudia and an older man with a mustache and bald head, who I assume is Ernie.
“Westley, my boy! So good to see you!” The man says in a thick southern accent, ambling over to Wes to wrap him in a big hug.
He turns his attention to me, “This must be the lovely Elli I’ve heard so much about.
I’m Ernest Johnson Cahill, pleasure to meet you, m’lady.
” He grabs my hand and gives it a peck, his mustache tickling the back of my hand.
“Nice to meet you too, Mr. Cahill.” I say, feeling like I should curtsy.
Ernie waves a hand “Call me Ernie, please, darlin. C’mon, let’s get to eatin.”
We follow Ernie over to a table covered in a family style spread of breakfast foods. Waffles, pancakes, biscuits, gravy, potatoes, eggs, fruit, bacon, and sausage are arranged in the middle while everyone has empty plates to load up on what they want.
Claudia pulls me and Wes in for hugs when we get to the table, and Luke gives me a fist bump. Jess stands and comes over and gives me a hug too, which surprises me since I’ve only met her once.
Ernie instructs everyone to dig in, and we do. It’s strange to not start a meal with so many people without saying a prayer, which I didn’t realize was so ingrained into my psyche.
I load up with a waffle, bacon, those delicious potatoes, and some strawberries. Wes goes for his biscuits and gravy and eggs. We sit around the table, Wes to my left, Ernie to my right at the head of the table, Claudia across from me, Jess next to her, and Luke at the other end of the table.
There’s pleasant chatter, everyone catching up with what’s been going on in their lives. I keep quiet, since I’m the newbie and I don’t really want to insert myself. When the topic of jobs comes up, Jess looks at me.
“So, Elli, what do you do?” She asks.
“I’m in Human Resources. I work at a law firm that has offices in a few different states and I handle the job postings, initial interviews and all the new hire paperwork for them, among other various human resource things..”
“Oh! Isn’t that interesting. How did you get into that?” Claudia chimes in.
“Well, I’ve always wanted to travel, and I knew that
I’d likely be able to be hired as a remote worker with a job like that.
The classes in college were easy, so it was kind of just the most sensible choice.
” I shrug. I know it sounds kind of lame.
I didn’t have a passionate calling towards anything besides cooking.
“Plus, the gossip I get to hear is top tier because it doesn’t involve me. ”
That has everyone chuckling, and I feel giddy at being able to make these people laugh.
Once everyone has had their fill of such a delicious breakfast, everyone breaks up into little groups to get the tasks done. Apparently this is something they do once a month, so they’re all familiar with the way things are run.
“Luke the duke, Wes the mess, you’re on dish duty with me today.” Ernie says, ruffling Luke’s hair.
Jess pulls me aside and asks if I’ll help her make sure all the ketchup bottles are filled, and I agree, although I’m a little nervous to be away from Wes.
We work silently together before Jess clears her throat and I look up at her. “So,” she starts, “I think you’re really good for Wes. I haven’t seen him this happy and inspired in a long, long time.”
I nod, not sure where she’s going with this, but not wanting to say anything.
“I assume he’s told you all about that bitch of an ex of his?
” I nod, and she continues. “He’s had a hard life, Elli.
People were very cruel to that little boy and he didn't have a lot of people in his corner. Lord knows I tried to talk Teresa into leaving Keith and going to rehab so many times I sounded like a broken record, but she just wouldn’t listen.
It was either put up with her shit and be able to keep an eye on Wes or have her cut me off and not be able to protect him from what I could.
“He’s a great man, and I don’t want to see him heartbroken again.
I know you were raised Mormon, and I know they have a lot of rules and standards that my boys don’t exactly meet.
I just want to make sure you’re not just doing this to have a rebellious phase or something.
Same with Izzy. My Luke’s my life. I know he’ll experience heartbreak, but he’s so caught up in your sister that I don’t know what it’d do to him if they broke up. ”
I should be offended by what she’s saying, implying Izzy and I are just having a “rebellious phase.” But it’s a valid concern from a mom and a caregiver that I can’t seem to be too upset.
“I understand your concerns, Jess. And I admire your protectiveness over not only Luke, but Wes, too. I love Wes. He’s the best thing that’s ever happened to me.
I’ve left being Mormon behind, for various reasons, and he’s helped me learn to be who I am without it.
As for Izzy, well, she’s a stubborn soul.
She’s doing her own research about the church to see if it’s something she wants to stay in, but I can tell you she loves your son.
That girl could charm the scales off of a crocodile if she wanted to, but she’s been completely faithful to Luke this last year.
I would know, since I shared a room with her and heard way too many things I shouldn’t have.
” I shudder thinking about all the cringy things I had to experience.
Jess nods in agreement, “Yeah. They’re pretty gross in love, aren’t they? I usually put headphones in when they’re talking so I don’t gag.”
I laugh, the tension in Jess’s shoulders easing having gotten that off her chest. I’m glad I could put her mind at ease with not only Wes, but Luke too.
“Well Elli, we do pizza nights once a month with just Wes, Luke, and I where we catch up on things we don’t want Claudia and Ernie to know, so I’ll have to get your favorite pizza toppings before our next one.
Welcome to our mixed up little family.” She pulls me in for a hug, and tears spring to my eyes at the gesture.
Sure, my mother used to hug me, but it was all surface level. It was never a comforting embrace where you feel safe and protected like Jess’s hug is.
Even if my family doesn’t really want anything to do with me, I’ve found my own little family instead. One where I don’t have to hide parts of myself for their approval.