I wake up earlier than everyone else since as adorable as Beth is sleeping on me, the couch is really only meant for one person and a small one at that. I carefully edge out from underneath her, making sure she stays asleep and go into the kitchen to look for something to eat. I open a few cabinets and am rewarded when I see a box of honey nut cheerios. I remove the box and find a bowl, pouring myself some after finding a spoon.

“There is whole and skim milk in the fridge.”

I whirl around to see Nora standing behind me, “Thanks,” I mutter.

I open the door to the fridge and think really hard as to what the hell I’m going to say to her. Beth is on the couch and it’s apparent she slept with me, I’m under her roof which means I should have followed the rules and making her like me seems like a dimming reality.  I retrieve the whole milk and shut the door, holding the milk up in a thanks, “Got it.”

Nora nods and looks over into the family room, “She slept there all night?”

I stare at the milk threatening to overflow the bowl if I don’t stop pouring it soon, “Beth?”

Nora looks back at me and gives me a look of “don’t play innocent.” I put the spoon in the cereal and sit down next to her, “Yes. I told her to go to bed but she wouldn’t.”

“My daughter was never one to listen. She was my rebellious one, even more so than Sarah. Sarah was outwardly rebellious, Bethany is inwardly rebellious. She’s thinking something completely different than what she is telling you.”

“I wasn’t trying to disrespect you by her sleeping with me on the couch.”

Nora waves her hand as if to push the thought away, “If I had thought she wanted to sleep with you I would have told you guys to use her bed. It’s not like I don’t know you two are sleeping together, she was pregnant. I just assumed she would want her space.”

I frown, “Why? We are dating.”

“Her last boyfriend she dated for two years and wouldn’t have slept in the same bed with him when they came here for any amount of money.”

I stop eating and put the spoon down, “Really?”

Nora reaches for her neck and slides a locket along the chain it is connected to, “I think she was with him for security, I’m not really sure she ever fully wanted to be intimate with him. She was never the kind of girl to wear her heart on her sleeve. Bethany has always been more guarded than the rest of my children.”

“I didn’t push her or anything, she just laid down and fell asleep.”

She smiles as though she’s remembering something happy, “No, I know. Trust me, if she didn’t want to sleep with you she wouldn’t be there. Beth has never had trouble saying no. But then again, she’s never been in love either.”

“I do love her, despite what you may think.”

“I think you have a really big career that at one time I thought would get in the way of Beth’s dream. Now, I’m not so sure. The fact that you drove here from New York just to make sure she was alright rates pretty highly in my book.”

I perk up a little at the fact that maybe I haven’t blown this whole thing, “Thanks.”

“I like to know that someone out there is watching out for my baby girl.”

“I am,” I assure her.

“Good,” she says, patting my arm.

I smile at her and wash my bowl out in the sink, setting it on the counter. Sam comes skipping down the stairs and gives me a high five, “Hey man,”  

“Hey. School calls huh?”

Sam rolls his eyes and nods, “Oh yeah.”

“You still going to that special school?”

“Yeah, it’s cool and all but when Belle is here, I like to spend as much time with her as possible. But I was told this morning that I have to go to school and be torn away from my only sister,” he says loudly to get his message across.

Nora hands Sam a rice crispy bar, “Yes, you miss her. You also have a math test today that you cannot skip. You’ll see Beth soon.”

Sam hangs his head in defeat as Beth walks into the kitchen, “Morning.”

Immediately Sam wraps his arms around her waist, “Mom says I have to go to school.”

“You have that test today don’t you?” she asks, peeling a banana.

“Do I have no one on my side?” he complains.

Beth bends down a little until she’s eye level with Sam, “I swear we’ll see you soon.”

“Fine. Promise to call later?”

“Promise,” she says, holding him against her.

Nora breezes in again and grabs her purse of the kitchen table, “Okay Sam, let’s go.”

Sam grabs his backpack and gives me a high five, “See you later dude.”

“Bye man,” I respond, watching him try to memorize ever feature of Beth’s before he has to leave. I have never seen a brother who loved his sister more in my life.

Beth hugs her mother goodbye as Nora turns to me, “And I’ll see you soon Justin.”

“You too Ms. Addison.”

Beth stares at us until Nora and Sam have left, “Were you bonding with my mother?”

“Maybe, I’m not really sure.”

Beth starts to laugh, “You were bonding with my mother. Wow, I didn’t think I would ever see the day.”

“Well baby you more than anyone else should know I’m irresistible. You are bond to fall head over heels for me. But don’t worry, I am now officially a one woman man.”

Beth sits in my lap, “And how thankful I am for that you moron.”

I take part of her banana and pop it in my mouth, “What is with Sam calling you Belle? I originally thought it was because he could never remember your name, somewhat similar to me but I assume there is probably another reason.”

Beth gives me this very serious look strait in the eyes, “No, that’s exactly it. You hit the nail on the head.”

She starts to crack up as I grab her ass, “Funny, real funny.”

Beth takes a sip of some orange juice, “No actual it’s because he was trying to make me feel better after Sarah  got to go do her modeling thing after I couldn’t and told me I looked like the princess from Beauty and the Beast. Ever since he has called me Belle.”

“You have a great brother you know that?”

“Yeah I do, I’m really lucky. And a great boyfriend.”

I rub her back gently as she just relaxes in my arms but our moment is ruined when Gia and Trace come in arguing over who is going to be driving back to New York, “I don’t want you driving.”

“Why not?”

“Because you drive way too slow. It’s like riding on a cow to New York.”

Gia puts her hands on her hips, “Well I’m not about to kill us like you are.”

“You’ll kill us because people ride our tail and force us off the road.”  

“You are such an idiot Trace.”

“Right back at you babe.”

“Gia why don’t you help me clean up the blankets inside,” Justin says, pulling her into the other room to stop the arguing. Trace pulls up a chair and takes an orange from the bowl in the middle of the kitchen table, peeling it and breaking off a piece, handing it to me. I take the piece, enjoying the taste of a fresh orange. I stare at Trace for a moment until he looks back at me.

“What? Do I have something in my teeth or something?” he asks, moving his finger to his front teeth.

I shake my head no, “Why did you take all that effort to come and help get here?”

Trace hands me another piece, “Because I thought something might be wrong.”

“I mean at all. Six months ago you never would have done that. You would have prayed something did happen to me.”

Trace smiles, “Look, don’t tell Justin this, but I don’t have many friends. I’m short, a little pudgy and Justin and I have been friends for years and we like each other for who we are. Somewhere along the line I forgot all that and got swept up in his world. When I think about what you did for him when I wasn’t there… I’m just happy you are here.”

I hand him a paper towel to wipe his hands off from the orange, “Well I’m happy you’re feeling better.”

“Me too. I have a far better chance of landing a girl now that I’m with him than when I’m not.”

I smack his arm as Justin comes back in the kitchen, “Glad to see you two getting along.”

“You better be careful man, you never know when I might want your girl. She’s pretty hot.”

“The day she chooses you over me is the day pigs fly,” he responds, looping his arm around my waist.

Trace throws the orange peels away, “You never know.”

“Alright, everybody in the car. And I’m driving,” Gia says. enunciating every word so that Trace would get the message.

“I could walk, that way I could make dinner and clean the house before you guys got back,” Trace says sarcastically, earning him a slap upside his head from Justin.

My cell starts to ring and I look at the number before smiling at everyone convincingly, “You guys get in the car, I’ll be out in one minute.”

“Good, that way Trace can pack the car,” Gia responds, practically skipping out of the house followed closely by Trace in protest and Justin in glee.

“Hello?”

“It’s me. Don’t hang up!”

I lick my lips and lean against the counter, “Jake, I really need you to not call anymore.”

“I’m sorry I didn’t call you, I just wanted you some space after the whole Justin thing. I read about the miscarriage.”

I groan inwardly, “Look, I’m back with Justin and I’m going to ask you not to call otherwise I’ll have to change my number.”

“So that’s it? We are over just like that?”

“Not just like that. We were over the second Justin came into my life. I have to go now.”

“I love you Bethany,” he says in a last effort to appeal to my emotions.

“Bye Jake.”

And I snapped the phone shut.

________________________________________________________________________

We finally made it home and I relaxed on the couch with Beth for hours, just lounging and talking.  I never realized that by confronting her father, it would release Beth. She feels better and she’s just happier in general, like a weight has been lifted off her shoulders. I watch Beth put lotion on her hands as she pulls on a night shirt and crawls onto the bed with me.

“You are so beautiful,” I tell her, moving a piece of hair from her face to reveal her blue eyes.

She smiles and curls up to me, “If I tell you something will you promise not to get mad?”

I tense up but try to make light of it, “You’re not leaving me are you?”

Beth rolls her eyes, “No. It’s about that phone call I got at my mom’s house.”

I realize the only reason for me getting upset would be in a certain ass was on the other line, “Please tell me it wasn’t Jake.”

Beth bites her lip, “Down boy.”

“I’m not kidding, you tried being friends with him and that led to you almost sleeping with him. Be friends with all the guys who aren’t in love with you in the world, I don’t care. Just not him. Please God not him.”

She smirks, “I told him to never call me again.”

“Really?” I ask, eyeing her.

“Really.”

I grin from ear to ear, “Good.”

“Which means I have an opening for some intimate affection right about… now,” she says, leaning into my ear and whispering it.

“You are my favorite person in the world.”