Straighter than Parallel Parking

≈ t h i r t y - t w o ≈

"It's genetic, of course."

"I didn't know your parents were into the arts."

"Have you seen my face and body? I'm their finest piece of work."

James winks mischievously, but instead of a flush that prettily covered Janice's cheeks (that he loved), Janice grins her own devilish grin. "I can't argue with you there, gorgeous." She gives an obvious look that trails from head to toe in a full appraisal. "You're kind of beautiful."

James gapes for a couple seconds, his heart clinking against his ribs like a little school girl talking to her crush (the parallels were quite obvious for this straight couple). The confidence from her flirting propels Janice out her door, laughing at the dumbstruck look still apparent on James' face.

"That's my line, you know!" James finally splutters, already following her out (where else would he be?).

Janice blows him a kiss before marching up the little steps to her destination. 

James squares his jaw and glances down at the rearview mirror to the side. 

I mean, he thinks, running a hand through his hair, I can't say she was wrong. 

"James?"

Throwing himself a sly wink, he jogs up to Janice, who's adrenaline seemed to be dwindling with every inch her foot had taken. 

Throwing a casual arm around her tiny shoulders, he pushes them up the last few stairs, as if she was not just thin paper but the rough bark on a tree, and he was the roots that grounded her from caving in on herself. 

•∞•

A LITTLE KID THAT LOOKED LIKE HE'D WALKED INTO A WALL on his way to the potty (missing two front teeth and a smushed nose) is the first to notice the redhead and her tall companion as they walk through the doors of the large facility.

His cry of, "People! New! I'm cute!" quickly attracts the attention of everyone else in the room to notice them, too. 

Six kids run, a compilation of overalls and sun dresses with ripped bows, up to the redhead with a sort of giddiness that only children could accomplish. She barely has any time to register the brown walls covered in posters and colours of the room before one child rams right into her stomach. 

He's going to be a quarterback, she huffs internally, arms automatically out to catch the little bugger, and when he does, I'm going to so haul a football at his head if I ever play against him. 

"Who you?" a little girl with a lisp asks the blond, wiry brown hair covering her eyes. "You adopt? Or you new?"

"My parents would never want to throw me away, promise," James teases, bending down to crouch on his hind legs so that he's eye level with the tiny children, oblivious to Janice trying to fling one off the kids of her legs unsuccessfully beside him. "Especially not when they'd be left with my sister. I'm the prettier one. Who would they dress up in glitter and sparkles with if not me?" 

Janice mentally rethinks bringing James over as the boys turn to the six foot giant with questioning stares.

"What?" James asks when Janice elbows his side. "What?"

Janice opens her mouth to retort before she catches sight of her junior running towards them. "Janice!" shouts Donna as she (literally) flings one of the kids off of Janice's left arm, before engulfing the stiff girl in her own motherly embrace. "You came!"

"What is with all you people and this unnecessary contact?" Janice mumbles. 

"You didn't mind it when I hugged you in the car," James replies, distracted with pinching a little girl's cheeks.