Chapter 22
I loved Sundays. They were perfect for laying around, snuggling, and just existing.
I didn’t work Sundays, and on Saturday evenings Ezekiel would come over after work and spend the night.
We’d spend Sunday in bed or on the couch, just us—or sometimes with Scorsese, until it was time for him to go home to get ready for work.
In the couple weeks since making it official, this had become our routine. The Love Below was playing in the background on my speakers, and we were tangled up in each other in my bed.
I wasn’t sure what time it was, but I hoped it wasn’t too late. I was never ready to see him go.
“Ugh.” I groaned, realizing the inevitable.
“What?” Ezekiel was on his side, watching me flip over onto my back.
“I gotta get up and get dressed. I need to go to the store.”
He smoothed out my hair, concentrating on the task. “For what?”
“I saw a recipe in a catalogue for clams and linguine I wanna try.”
“Oh, so you do cook. About time.”
I narrowed my eyes as I faced him. “Excuse me?”
Ezekiel didn’t hold back. “You’re the takeout queen.”
“Is that why you cook for me? Because you don’t have to do all that,” I said.
Ezekiel made a face. “I know I don’t have to, I do it because I want to.”
Now that we were together, it was easy to notice more and more about each other.
Ezekiel could cook, and while I knew the basics, I did like takeout.
I worked more than Ezekiel, and longer shifts, something he recognized and soon alleviated by making me dinner some nights.
And twice more, he came to the shop to take me out for lunch in exchange for Jonelle working my break.
This man treated me so damn good.
“Well, tonight I am cooking,” I announced.
“Good, we need you to cook more. I don’t know if I can trust you yet.”
I almost sat up at his words, completely caught off guard. “Huh?”
He peered over at me. “What if I’m sick and I need you to make me some homemade soup?”
“Why would I make you homemade soup when I can get a can?”
Ezekiel moved away from me, disapproval on his face. “Canned soup?”
“Yeah, what’s wrong with Progresso?”
He put even more distance between us. “You won’t even make a man some homemade soup?”
“Zeke, we’re too advanced in technology for all this stone-age cooking. Come on, now.”
He shook his head. “Wow, you different.”
I knew he was playing, but a part of me felt guilty. “Would you make me soup?” I already knew the answer after knowing him for the short while I did.
“Hell yeah, we’d get you right.”
“Aww.” I reached out for a hug and pressed my chin to his chest. “I mean, I work every day so I do appreciate you cooking me food at the end of the night. I guess it would be fair to switch it up and cook on weekends. Right?”
Ezekiel shook his head, pushing me away. “Nah, that’s not what I’m trying to hear.”
“It’s not?”
“I need you to tell me right now that if I’m sick you’d make me homemade soup.”
“Oh my God.” I pretended to groan. “Okay, okay, I’ll make you homemade soup.”
He came and kissed my forehead. “Thank you.”
“I can use chicken broth, right?”
“Of course.”
“Okay, chicken broth, freshly baked and shredded chicken breasts, homegrown ultra-organic vegetables just for you—”
Ezekiel snorted and shoved me. “See, now you doin’ too much tryna be cute.”
I laughed and hugged him closer. It was still too early, but already I loved us. Us.
We were in pajamas. Me in a T-shirt and shorts, and him in a T-shirt and pajama bottoms. He’d come over with an overnight bag and I liked that.
It was scary how much I liked our weekends.
How a tiny part of me was ready to just give him a key so that he could let himself in since he got off so late.
I wouldn’t bring it up, though. Ezekiel was the first and only man I’d ever been with who felt and seemed like a man.
I was scared. Not ready to fall completely, and I didn’t want to do too much too fast and scare him away, or risk getting comfortable just for the rug to be pulled out from beneath me.
But God, this felt good.
Ezekiel held my face, rubbing circles along my jaw with his thumb before he leaned down and kissed me.
The violent interruption of my phone ringing stirred up the ugliest look on my face as I rolled my eyes. Ezekiel laughed as I turned over and grabbed my phone off my nightstand.
Alannah’s name and number flashed across my screen and I sat up. It was August, school was back in session for Harvard Med, and we hadn’t spoken since our last phone call.
I needed to be a better sister.
So, I picked up and put a smile on my face. “Hey.”
“Hey!” The cheer in Alannah’s voice made me feel terrible for how there was space wedged between us. “You got a minute?”
I looked back at Ezekiel, who was now leaning over his side of the bed reaching out for Scorsese. “Of course.”
“So, I meant to come down there this summer, but things got busy and I didn’t make it,” Alannah started off. I could tell she was speaking with her hands as she seemed to ramble. “School is back and I’m already over it, believe it or not.”
“You’re almost done, Ali, you got this,” I encouraged.
“Thanks, and I know, I’m so close. But it would really cleanse my palate if I came down there for the weekend,” Alannah went on. “I miss you guys.”
My back stiffened and I stilled, knowing where this was going and waiting for her to drop the bomb. “I miss you, too.”
“I mean, I was thinking of just doing that. Coming down there this weekend and introducing Mom and Dad to Oisin. I need to finally come clean about that. I’ve met his folks and family.”
I balled up my fist. “Uh-huh.”
“Nas,” she begged gently. “Can you please do me this favor and come over for dinner with me and O?”
I stood up, pushing a hand through my hair and sighing. “Ali…”
“I know things are rough for you, but I just need you there,” she seemed to plead.
“No, you don’t.”
“I’m scared.” Her voice was soft, and right then I hated her again, for putting me on the spot, for making me feel even worse about myself and our relationship.
I was the big sister. It was my job to look out for Ali, to protect her and make her feel safe. This was her first serious relationship, and she was nervous to do this alone.
“Let me think about it, okay?” I asked.
“Yeah, no pressure. I’m coming regardless, but it would mean a lot if you could be there to buffer. It’s not like Oisin’s a bad guy, but you know how picky Mom and Dad can be.”
“I do.”
“Hey, maybe you can bring someone?” Alannah tried to say.
Bad idea. “Not likely.”
“Okay,” she tried to return to her original cheery voice, but it wouldn’t take. “Let me know whatever you decide.”
“I will, I promise.” We hung up and my hand fell heavily to my side.
Alannah never asked me for anything, and in return, I distanced myself from her and forged a bond with Paisley instead.
It wasn’t Alannah’s fault I didn’t measure up to her in our parents’ eyes.
It wasn’t fair to take it out on her either.
I was happy and ecstatic about my new relationship, but one step back home and I feared that energy would taint it.
“You good?” Ezekiel had moved from his side of the bed, to sitting on the foot, watching me.
“That was my sister,” I said as I faced him. “She’s coming down for the weekend and she wants me to have dinner with our parents while she introduces her boyfriend. This is like a big deal because she’s never really had a boyfriend and she’s nervous.”
“Okay? What’s wrong with that?” Ezekiel wanted to know.
“Like I said, my parents and I are complicated. I dropped out of school and didn’t have any plans, something that my parents weren’t too thrilled about,” I explained.
“We’re picking up the pieces now, little by little.
My dad kind of shamed me for being the way I am, and not like my sister, and it still stings, you know? ”
Ezekiel arched a brow. “The way you are?”
“Lover of love,” I said dryly. “I dated lousy guys and got my heart broken, while my sister focused on her education and career. She’s going to be a doctor and save the world, and I’m going to be…me.”
The look on Ezekiel’s face made me step back and chew on my lip. His annoyance over my father was palpable. “There’s nothing wrong with you. Besides, you’re straight now.”
“Yeah.”
“If you don’t want to go, I get it,” he said, in full of support of the idea.
I didn’t. I could’ve easily hung out with Alannah solo, but that wasn’t what she wanted. She was strapped for time, something I could understand. “I don’t want to, but she practically begged me.”
“This is your baby sister,” he said. “Kinda sounds like she needs you.”
She did and I was going to let her down if I didn’t show up. “I should just do it for her.”
“You should,” Ezekiel agreed. “I’ll come with you if you want.”
My lips parted and I didn’t know what to say as I stood staring at him. “Y-You don’t have to do that. It’s kinda soon.”
“I did sorta drag you to meet my parents on like…day five,” Ezekiel joked.
That was different. “Ezekiel.”
He stood and came up to me, going and taking me into his arms. “You’re my girl.
I’m not letting you walk into any situation when you’re uncomfortable and feel ambushed.
Besides, with me there, it’ll take some weight off you and your sister’s boyfriend’s shoulders.
I look good on paper. I don’t mind taking some heat. ”
I wrapped my arms around him, not even ashamed at the idea of him possibly feeling how hard my heart was beating through my chest.
“Thank you, Zeke,” I said.
His lips pressed to my temple. “I always got you. Don’t question it.”
I closed my eyes and reveled in the sensation of melting. It was terrifying how much I could love him so much so fast so soon.