Every Day has a Memory

Chapter 9

Bite your tongue, Micah. Bite your tongue, I warned myself. He's married. Kevin is married.

Tamsyn's now-pale features perked up and brightened when she caught sight of me and my father in the doorway. "Hey!" Her exclamation was probably intended for a loud volume, not a whisper-shout. "Sean! What are you doing here?" she said, her smile stretching from ear-to-ear as she looked to my father like a small child spotting Santa Claus.

"Hey, hon!" My dad barely acknowledged Kevin as he made his way over to Tam's bedside and pressed a kiss to her forehead. "How's my girl doing?"

"I'm okay," she responded, settling back against her pillows to eye me standing in the doorway. "Hi, baby. You gonna come in, or..." She was teasing, but I could hear the underlying tone of uncertainty in her whisper-volumed voice.

I took a step into the room and froze on that spot.

Kevin watched this and smirked. "Got yourself a bit of a tease, aye, Tammy girl?" He nudged her bed with his elbow and chuckled.

Tam scoffed, not humoured by my attitude. "Yeah. He totally makes me happy when he's being a dick—"

"And... I think we should give you guys some space..." Kevin said, barely being subtle about the fact that he felt awkward. He turned hazel eyes toward my father. "Coffee, Mr Kennedy?"

Mr Kennedy? Pft. What is he trying to do, kiss Dad's ass? What a suck up.

But Dad looked pleased about the fact that he was being referred to as someone that made him sound like he had some major authority. "Sure. You can just call me Sean."

Wow. First name basis in only a matter of minutes.

I rolled my eyes.

Kevin started wheeling out of the room, followed by my father—who mussed my hair as he left the room—leaving me alone in the presence of a girl who thought I was being a complete asshole right now.

I shuffled slowly towards her bed, unsure of how I was supposed to redeem myself. All the while Tamsyn watched me with steely eyes, a definite sight that she was pissed off and that I better find a way to fix it quick before she did something that made me regret my shitty attitude even more than I already did.

Why had I felt the need to act like an ass even though Nikki had already explained things, with needed clarification, before I had even come in here?

Because you're just stupid like that.

Oh yeah.

"You wanna tell me why you're being such an ass today?" she asked, no sign of invitation to share the cramped space on her bed with me.

Which was a first.

"Not gonna lie," I started with a sigh. "Lack of sleep does not agree with me at all—I already had a go at Mom and Nikki..." I rolled my eyes. "I'm not thinking straight, baby. I'm sorry."

She studied me, still not offering an invitation or welcoming party. "What'd you snap at Nikki for?"

"Guess."

"Does it start with 'K'?"

"And end with 'evin'?" I nodded. "Yup."

Now Tamsyn laughed. "You're so stupid."

This was my cue to admit that and curl up beside her before I really put my foot in it. "But you love me still?" I crawled into her bed until we were both sitting side by side, arms and legs brushing.