I Never Planned on You // Davey Jacobs

Five

We stroll side by side out of Medda's as Les leads the way, hopping and bounding with the energy only a little kid could manage. David and I hung back. Smiling, I quietly watch Les running. Out of the corner of my eye I see David glance at me for a moment every now and then. Soon enough Les tires out and demand, yawning, that someone carry him home.

Holding my arms out, "Aw come here kid." Les shuffles over. I scoop him up wrapping his legs around my waist. Almost instantaneously he falls asleep on my shoulder drooling.

"You really don't have to do that you know. He's my brother." David insists. He tries to take Les from me. Side-stepping, I refuse.

"Nah, it's okay. I'm a lot stronger than I look Pretty Boy." I laugh as I re-adjust Les so it's more comfortable.

"So you think I'm pretty?" David smirks.

Rolling my eyes, "Do you think I'm pretty?" I banter back.

"You didn't answer my question."

"I already told you. I don't like questions."

"So is that a yes?"

"It's a "I'm not answering your question". Answer" My cheeks burn red. I tilt my face away so he hopefully couldn't see them in the dark. I hear him let out a chuckle as we both go silent.

After a moment. "I think you're pretty." David whispers so softly that I almost didn't catch it.

My breath hitches. I bit my lip to stop my oncoming smile. Glancing sideways, I see David is blushing too. Careful to not drop Les, I bump his arm with my shoulder. "I think I'm pretty too." I agree.

David's infectious laugh spreads to me and I can't stop myself from laughing. Les starts to stir on my shoulder so I smack David's arm to shush him.

"Don't wake up your brother!" I whisper-shout.

"You're the one that made me laugh!" He challenges.

"Irrelevant" I playfully glare at him.

He rolls his eyes dismissing my glare. Laying a hand on my shoulder to stop me in front of a building that I assume is his home.

"This is it. I can take Les now" David reaches again for Les.

I tighten my grip. "When I said I'd carry him I meant all the way." I whisper stubbornly, determined to finish what I started. Even though, my arms and back were starting to protest. Taking a breathe I followed David inside.

"Alright but I'm blaming you if my mom yells at me for letting you carry Les."

I freeze at the statement. My pulse speeds up at the realization that I'm actually going to see his family. He has a mother. A father. A sibling. A family-whole and happy. Something I lost a long time ago. I'm starting to regret my decision in coming.

Noticing I'm not follow, David waves for me. "I'm kidding. She probably won't yell at me. It fine."

Forcing a smile out, "Uh yeah, coming." Dread fills me, every step I take becomes heavy. It's not too late to back out my mind whispers. Steeling myself, I shake those thoughts away. I'm a grown woman. I can face this... maybe.

I allow David to help me up the stairs with Les since I couldn't see them due to Les blocking my view. He leads me down the hall to the very end and opens an apartment door. "Hey Mom, I'm back! I hope you don't mind, I brought a friend from work for dinner." Following him inside, I shift around unsure what to do.

A woman appears bustling in from another room. "Thank goodness you're home. Your father and I were beginning to worry." She hurries over and grabs David's face to bring it down to land a kiss on his cheek.