Total pages in book: 26
Estimated words: 24634 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 123(@200wpm)___ 99(@250wpm)___ 82(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 24634 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 123(@200wpm)___ 99(@250wpm)___ 82(@300wpm)
I’m not so sure. “She fell asleep in the middle of Big Brother.”
“There was a lot of arguing. Listening to that wears a person out,” she says.
“It does, son,” Mom agrees. She gets up from the sofa and hands me the test. “Let’s eat, and if Sunny still feels down after getting some food in her, then we will put her to bed upstairs and I’ll watch her tomorrow. Come to the kitchen. I made chicken pot pie, and we don’t want it to get cold.”
“That sound delicious, Felicia.” Sunny gets up and follows Mom into the kitchen.
I pull Dad aside. “Does Sunny look off to you?” I ask.
“No. Not really, but I’ll keep an eye out during dinner.”
At the dinner table, Sunny digs in eagerly. All loss of appetite has disappeared along with most of the pot pie. Sunny has two servings as if to make up for the loss of yesterday’s meal. Mom brings out apple crisp and vanilla bean ice cream, and Sunny’s delighted moans hit me right in the dick.
“Everything okay at school, Sunny?” my dad asks as Sunny spoons out another scoop of ice cream.
“Of course. Why wouldn’t it be?”
“Because this one over here”—Dad jerks his fork in my direction—"was studying the termination policies yesterday at work.”
Sunny swivels to me, her spoon in hand, ice cream slowly melting on the metal. “You were? Why? Everyone that works there is awesome, including the new guy, Brian.” I clench my teeth together. “He’s friendly, and all the kids like him.”
“There you go.” Dad nudges me. “Everyone’s great. Stop looking for problems. How’s the London deal coming?”
“It’s done,” I reply curtly. “I’m moving on to the Finland one.”
“What’s in Finland?”
“Green energy and reforestation.”
“You should come and talk to my class about it,” Sunny suggests as she does every year.
“I’d rather be burned alive on top of a dozen solar panels,” I grumble.
“That’s our Mack.” Mom grins. “Ever the social butterfly. Always wanting to go out and meet new people, give lectures in front of dozens of students.” She reaches over and tweaks my cheek like I’m ten.
I sigh. Maybe this is why Sunny never looks at me like a man. She sees my own mother treat me like a boy. Or maybe it’s because I don’t speak at her class and she wants someone who is more outgoing. Is that it? Do I not fit her ideal man persona? Worry opens my mouth, and before I can stop myself, I say, “I’ll come next Monday.”
“You will?” Sunny’s jaw draws.
“You?”
“Our Mack?”
They all look at me like I’ve grown a second head.
“Yeah. Me. I’ll do it.” I’ve dug my own grave here. Guess I’ll go lie in it.
8
SUNNY
“You sure you’re okay, sweetie?” Felicia asks. The same dark blue eyes as Mack has stare into mine. She puts the back of her hand to my forehead again for the fifth time now. “You’re flushed.”
“I’m okay,” I try to reassure her so she doesn’t worry. The truth is, I’m far from being okay. My emotions are all over the place.
I want to be excited, but I’m scared to be at the same time. I’m not sure of how Mack is going to react when he finds out we’re having a baby together. So many thoughts keep rushing through my mind. Felicia studies me for a long second. I bite the inside of my cheek to keep from blurting out all my secrets. It stinks not being able to talk to her about this. She became like a mom to me after my parents passed away.
“All right.” She goes back to packing up the leftover apple crisp for us to take back home with us. “Mack has been a little off lately, though.” She peeks over at me, and I know she’s trying to read me. I fidget with the end of my sweater, pulling it away from my body. I know I’m not showing, but I swear this woman notices everything.
“He volunteered to speak in front of my class.” That is definitely out of character for Mack.
Sure, he’ll do anything for me for the most part, but he’s the opposite of a social butterfly. This might be horrible, but I kind of enjoy that he’s that way. It means I get him all to myself. If he ever needs a plus one, it’s always me.
“True, but Mack will volunteer for anything for you if you push.” Her tone sounds off when she says it or maybe it’s me that’s off and looking for something that isn’t there.
“Is that a bad thing?” I find myself asking.
“Yes—well, actually no.” She snaps the lid onto the dessert and slips it into a bag for us. “I’m just worried about you two. You’re never going to find partners with how close you are. At a glance people assume you’re together, and others that do know you are likely intimidated by the friendship you two have and would never try to date either of you because of it.”