Here Comes the Sun | ✓

Chapter Twenty-Three - Liam

        She shrugs, as if she's use to being asked this question. "I guess I just hate brushing it everyday. And washing it. And keeping ponytails on my wrist. And the heat. And the-"

        "Okay, okay!" he giggles, stopping her seemingly endless list by placing both of his hands lightly over her mouth. "No more!"

        "But I have a question for you," she says, and he drops his hands to give her room to speak. Now having his attention, she glances at me and then steadies her focus on Jere. "Do you like it?"

        He looks at her as if she's crazy. "I love short hair! Especially yours, Libby."

        She blushes at the sound of her name on his lips. Jere turns against my chest and looks at me with more questions in his eyes. "Do you like her hair, Daddy?"

        I 'boop' his nose and he giggles as I answer, "Duh." I don't even think through what I'm saying, because of the happiness that's flooding through me. "Why else would I have her in my bed?"

        This brings out a loud laugh from Libby, her cheeks flushing red, and her face being buried in a pillow to muffle the sound coming from her. I never heard her laugh like that, I realize, and I smile.

        "What's so funny?" Jere asks me, but I just shrug and silently point out that she's crazy. We laugh together mischievously when she looks back at us with a clear, jovial glint in her eyes now.

        "Jere, I have something for you." This makes his ears perk up like a labrador's, as if he heard the word "treat." She rolls out from under the covers and hops onto her feet, but when she does, heat rushes to my cheeks and she instantly pulls her - my - shirt down to cover her panties.

        I wonder why in the world she would be wearing my clothes instead of hers, and why she wouldn't even wear pants to begin with when I remember. "Ah, Lib, I forgot! I'm so sorry, oh my God-"

        But I'm cut off from her and Jere's laughter. "Your entire face is red, Daddy," Jere points out, while Libby says, "It's not a problem, Liam - I knew you were just trying to see me naked the entire time I was here." If my face was red before, it must be a a tsunami tide of the entire "warm" side of the colorwheel.

        I turn to hide my face while her laughter follows her out my door and across the hall to where she slept last night - or at least where I think she slept last night. By the time I think my face has cooled down and my thoughts aren't racing inappropriately anymore, she's back in bed, sitting criss-cross facing us, with her bare legs covered with blankets. Thank God.

        In her hands, she holds a piece of paper. "What's that?" Jere inquires, nearly standing up to try and take a peek at it. She holds it out sideways so that he can see it - not that he'd be able to read it anyways.

        "A bucket list," she answers, watching him gaze at it curiously.

        "What's that?"

        "Well..." she stops, trying to pick her words out carefully so that he'll fully understand her goal for the summer. "It's a list of things someone wants to do before they die."

        He turns to her, afraid. "You're going to die?"

        She smiles, shaking her head, and he nearly topples over in relief. "No - this is my old friend's list-"

        "Did she die?" She purses her lips, nodding sorrowfully. He hangs his head low, placing his head on her lap. "I'm sorry."

        "Don't be! Be happy for her. She gave me this to complete for her while she's unable to." She pauses for a moment and makes a "hmm" sound, thinking.