Counting Paths

Chapter 31.

The full strength of her smile returns. "Thank you! Are you coming with us?"

"Uh...no."

"What? Why not?"

"Because this is Kevin's thing and he really wants it to be just you two." I take her hand and notice little drawings on her inner forearm. "But I'll be here when you come back."

"That doesn't make sense. I've been with Kevin and Russell-"

"Sterling," I say in a warning tone, and she frowns. "I said I'll be home when you come back. I'm staying for a couple of days, anyway. Tomorrow we can do something, okay? Just you and me."

There's that look of disappointment again. I wish she knew I was still going by what Luna had told me. Sterling needs a good and healthy relationship with Kevin, and I can't keep fucking it.

She nods and mumbles, "okay."

"Alright-" I kiss her head and rise from my stool. "You look beautiful, by the way."

She tries to smile. "Thank you."

Ignoring her grin expression, I take her hand, and the others rise to their feet. We walk outside. Russell and Moose stay by the front door as Kevin and Sterling climb into his Jeep. Her window rolls down, and I reach inside the car and try to rub the crease from her forehead. She swats my hand away and scowls at me.

"You still love me," I remind her.

"Well, duh-"

"Then stop fussing. I'll see you later." I hold out my pinky. "I promise."

She hooks her pinky around mine as she fights a grin. "Later."

I reluctantly let go and back away from the car. I force a smile, and wave goodbye as they drive away. Russell moves to my left side, Moose on my right, and I pet her head. "Why didn't you go with them?" He asks me.

"I meant what I said before. Kevin wants their relationship to grow."

"I really wish you had called ahead."

"Yeah, me too," I mutter mostly to myself.

"I wanted to apologize for what I said while Sterling was sick."

"Don't-"

"I'd don't know you had a son."

I look at him. "How could you?"

"Still...to think you had no one, it wasn't right."

I nod. "Well, thank you."

Sterling

Kevin and I go to one of those fancy dine-in movie theaters and watch The Smurfs. I order half a pie of pizza for myself and Kevin gets a cheeseburger with extra everything. The damn was almost the size of my head. But I think the best part was that Kevin was actually enjoying the movie. He looks scary but past the face tattoos and piercings, he's a softie. When the movie ended, we order pretzels to go and then left. We drive for a bit until we found a park with a tire swing.