Eight | Cole
Eight
Cole
The night had taken a turn I hadn’t expected—though I wasn’t sure it was fair to expect much at this point. It wasn’t like any of us had any idea how to navigate this new life we were all being forced to live. Things were hard on everyone, and grief was a nasty bitch that made it that much harder.
I got Ben and Kara situated in their rooms, set my expectations for them again, and wished them sweet dreams before locking the front door.
It was a small town, and the house was on a ranch out in the middle of nowhere.
Even if they decided to sneak out in the middle of the night, they would have acres of cornfields to get through before they reached town.
Lyric came into the living room as I was going through my suitcase, pulling out a fresh pair of pajama pants, as I looked up and spotted her. I smiled softly, but her red, puffy eyes made my heart ache. She returned it as she wrapped her arms around herself protectively.
“You don’t have to sleep on the couch,” she said softly. “It’s not very comfortable.”
“It’s okay. I don’t mind.”
I knew all of the guest rooms were already occupied, and unless I slept on Chloe’s floor, there weren’t any rooms for me to sleep in, unless I shared a room with Lyric. While I wouldn’t mind that, I wasn’t so sure she would be comfortable with it.
“I’ll look at bringing over an air mattress tomorrow,” I said, continuing the conversation when silence fell around us. “I’m sure Chloe would love a roommate.”
I laughed to show I was teasing, but she didn’t make a noise.
“Or you can sleep in my room,” she said quietly, looking down at the floor as if she were embarrassed to make such an offer.
I stopped what I was doing, letting the pants fall from my hand back into the suitcase.
“You want me to stay in your room with you?” I asked, my eyebrows rising on my forehead.
She shrugged and gave a little nod.
“It’s the least I can do for everything you did for me today.”
“Lyric, you don’t need to do that. Everything I did was to help make things easier for everyone. I don’t expect anything in return, nor do I want to make you uncomfortable.”
She worried her lower lip between her teeth, reminding me of when she was a teenager. She used to do the same thing anytime she was nervous.
“I’m not uncomfortable. I mean, we are married after all,” she said sarcastically, looping back to what Kara had said earlier.
I walked over and stood in front of her.
“Ignore what Kara said. There’s a lot going on for everyone right now, but our past isn’t any of their business.”
“I know, but in a way, it is.”
“How so?”
She shrugged and then looked around the room as if searching for the right answer.
“How could it not be? You were Clay’s best friend.
You’ve been there all along and have helped raise them, especially after Melanie died.
I’m his sister, but they don’t know me. We’re still legally married, so I’m sure it’s confusing to them that we’re both going to help raise them, yet we’re not together.
I would be super confused about all of this as well. ”
I shoved a hand through my hair and nodded because she was right.
“So, what do you want to do?”
“I don’t know,” she admitted quietly. “I don’t want to give them the wrong impression that we’re getting back together, but at the same time, I don’t want them to feel like they have to choose between us.
I’m going to need your help for a long time—if not forever.
I’m not saying that you have to live with us forever.
I know you have a life of your own, and I don’t want to keep you from living it.
But I need them to see us as a team that works together to take care of them. That’s what Clay would want.”
I licked my lips out of habit, but noticed the way Lyric’s eyes caught the movement and stayed glued to my mouth for a few seconds longer than necessary.
“I will follow your lead,” I said, pulling her attention away from my lips. “Whatever you want to do is fine with me. If you want me to stay in your room, we can make that work. Just tell me what you need, and I’ll make it happen.”