Remington POV
Slide, up, down, slide, up, down....
Harder.... More pressure... yeah..... hmmm.... yeah....
More grease... yesss... not too slippery, just enough of a grip, tighter then looser... up...down...
I let out a groan at the sound of the screen door, setting down the dirty rag and giving my new bike a long look in the garage at Alice and Benji's house.
Dad was at the hospital for some doctor appointment stuff this morning so I arrived bright and early along with my new bike kit so my half brother could help me get this girl put together. I may be new at bikes overall but he knew exactly what to do. Benji clearly had experience and walked me through each step, giving guidance but teaching clearly.
"Well?" Benji asked, handing me an Arctic Cherry Gatorade straight from the freezer. He placed a few in there about a half hour ago to see if it would turn them into slush. The plastic bottle was definitely frosty but not near as cold as expected when I cracked the top open, sipping at first after catching my breath.
I took a long drink and wiped my mouth with the back of my hand, my shirt long gone thanks to the 90 plus degree temps today. "I think this bike is gonna be perfect for me. It's way too hot out to bike right now, but at least she's all assembled now!"
We looked out into the street where the sun sizzled over the driveway, even at barely eleven AM. Our shirts were thrown off within moments of opening the garage door, the heat oppressive even with box fans blowing to keep the air moving.
"They didn't freeze." Benji leaned against the trunk of their car, taking another long drink as he looked out into the neighborhood. "Maybe we can leave them longer next time? There's no carbonation so they won't explode like Coke would."
"Smart move, dude..." I began but we were interrupted by the door opening behind us.
"Guys! Back yard when you're done!" Lissy hollered from the house. Benji grinned in the direction of her voice and stood taller, bracing himself on the car while he stretched his leg and adjusted the boot.
"What is she planning?" I narrowed my eyes at Benji and he gave me a shrug. "Bro? Come on, Benji..."
He chuckled, shaking his head while droplets of sweat fell around him. "Let's just listen to Liss, okay?"
I grinned and nodded, grabbing my shirt and looking around the work bench for my phone. There was a text I missed a few minutes prior from Alice so after a swipe I read out loud.
ALICE: "Come back and cool off when you're ready!"
"I think I know what they're up to!" I offered my phone toward Benji and his eyes grew wider.
"Wanna change?" He asked, noticing the basketball shorts I was wearing.
"Uhh, maybe? I mean, I have other shorts in my bag so I'm good but I'll wait and see what's going on. I'll just make sure to put my phone on the table so it stays dry to start off with but then maybe I'll run in and throw the trunks on." I smirked while grabbing my drink and shirt, drying my sweat once again before walking into the sun with Benji and around the house to the side gate.
Lively music was playing and I recognized the Beach Boys, "California Girls," opening the backyard gate to an excited Peach who was jumping to grab a frisbee right in front of us.
Benji and I let out a "Whoa!" in unison, causing the girls to laugh as Peach landed not two feet in front of us before circling each of us for pets then dropping the frisbee so Benji could give it a toss.
Daisy and Alice were each lounging on the deck stairs with tall glasses of lemonade, a pitcher and more glasses waiting on the table. Benji instantly made his way toward the steps but Daisy stood and stopped him.
"Take a seat, Benji! Seriously, relax in the shade and we will serve you guys. You've been in the heat working on Remington's bike for hours!" She ushered him over to the shade of the maple tree where two lounge chairs were set up with a table in between. I saw their Nintendo Switches set up as well in a Tupperware container and laughed, knowing this meant Daisy wanted to do some gaming without risking their equipment getting waterlogged. Benji took a seat and stretched his leg while I stood and watched Daisy rush to pour him a glass of lemonade.
She is so attentive to his needs.
This is definitely first love.
Peach brought me a frisbee and I crouched to pet her, scratching her neck a moment before tossing it over Benji's head. He shouted, "Hey!," eyes wide and hands in the air to show his disapproval while Lissy and I laughed at the reaction.
She walked toward me, swaying her hips in the blue and white polka dot bikini she was wearing with wide brim sunglasses while her wavy hair was piled on top of her head. "Nice throw."
"Thanks," I smirked, nodding at her drink, "Lemonade?"
"No tequila in it yet, but Jesse is coming by with sandwiches from the deli downtown in a few and is off work this afternoon so I promised him we could do margaritas."
She smiled up at me, handing the glass forward so I could have a sip. The lemonade was homemade and perfectly tart, causing me to pucker. Lissy giggled at my reaction, "Yeah, I need to grab the pitcher of sweet tea. It's not quite sweet enough."
"I'll go grab it a minute since I need to run inside anyway," I leaned down, kissing her briefly while my hand felt the sweaty skin on her bare back, the ties of her bikini top dangling over my fingers.
One pull.
Not now, but if we were alone.
All it would take is one tug of that tie and this could be a much different makeout session.
Daisy was back on the deck and refilling her glass before heading over to join Benji in the shade, their Nintendo Switches now out and ready to play Mario Kart while they enjoyed the shade on such a hot summer day. Lissy greeted Peach as she returned with a tennis ball for another round of fetch while I made my way inside for a moment of relief.
I need space.
It's like being near Lissy makes my brain short circuit.
The bracing cold air of the house made me gasp. After being in such stifling humidity for hours I was shocked at how dry and cool it was in air conditioning. I made my way to the bathroom and decided to change into swim trunks a moment after using her toilet. Lissy had a few bikinis spread around her room, a pink one with ruffles laying on the bed while a green that had a weird tie on it between the top and bottom pieces was hanging on the shower rod.
I washed my face then checked out my body, surveying the damage from the train wreck in broad daylight. There were a number of scars from my surgery and the injuries I suffered. My ribs were sore and I dreaded physical therapy on Wednesday. I knew it was necessary but the fact that this would make breathing more difficult while I heal was frustrating.
My hands ran over my chest and I was proud that I had always taken care of myself. I'm not the super fit guy with a six pack, but there is some definition and running keeps me in shape. Biking will be a low impact way for me to get even more exercise sooner, too.
Maybe it's a way for Benji and I to bond more.
I let out a sigh and laughed when I noticed another swimsuit, this one on the floor. I lifted the barely there black thong bikini bottoms and my jaw dropped.
"Alice Maryanne Davidson, you are a naughty girl, aren't you?" I chuckled to myself before picking up the tiny black tube top that apparently went along with this excuse for a swimsuit bottom. I was used to seeing women wear next to nothing while they got a tan. Living in Atlanta meant I saw plenty of this every spring and summer, especially during college.
Something about seeing Lissy in these outfits shifted my thinking, though.
Her words last night have not left my mind since we spoke.
We really are on thin ice.
Every interaction is so heated. Every glance is charged with so much passion. It's a powder keg and all we need is that spark to explode.
She was right.
I didn't want to hear it at the time, but I absolutely would resent her if our time interfered with seeing Dad during his last days.
The black bikini went back where it was previously laying on the floor and I let out a long sigh, adjusting myself in my shorts a moment and thinking of anything technical from work to get my mind off the idea of a tropical vacation with only Lissy and these swimsuits.
One day it will be just the two of us, but this is not that day.
I grabbed my aviator sunglasses from my backpack after putting my regular clothes away after changing, then made my way into the kitchen. A chorus of laughter pulled my attention outside and I watched as Peach rushed to Daisy, hiding behind her while Benji sprayed the hose toward Lissy and Daisy in the center of the yard. They were apparently having some sort of water fight and Peach was enjoying the fun, tucking herself behind the girls in an attempt to hide before she jumped to bite at the spray of water.
Benji hollered, "Good girl, Peachy!!" while Lissy ducked out of the way and to the deck for safety. She caught my eye through the window and shot me an award winning grin. I waved, then held up one finger to indicate I'd be right there.
I grabbed the pitcher of sweet tea as well as a platter of watermelon slices that were already prepared by Daisy and Lissy earlier from the fridge. She had a roll of paper towel on the deck so after juggling everything and getting out the door I set everything down on the table, tray balanced like a really bad waiter while she watched from her patio chair.
"Thanks for grabbing this!" she exclaimed, grabbing a slice of watermelon and digging in. She finished the piece in a few bites then went for another while Daisy and Benji approached, each also refilling drinks and grabbing fruit while we settled into chairs at the table.
"For the record, the deck is safe from the hose," Lissy stated to Benji.
He laughed, hands up, "Yeah, I know. And we should all be careful about electronics also."
"That's why I wasn't going to spray you when you had your Switch out, idiot!" Daisy shook her head with her nose upturned, "But no, Benji had to go grab the hose while I was just trying to play with the puppy."
Her playful attitude made us laugh, especially since Daisy included plenty of head wagging and finger waving with her statements. Peach joined us on the porch and was given her own piece of watermelon to enjoy in the shade with her cold water bowl. She happily gobbled the fruit then pawed at Lissy for another piece as we relaxed, enjoying the shade and snacks. Naturally she was given more, but I paid attention as we chatted and Peach was given a total of six pieces of watermelon before I spoke up.
"Uh, guys?"
"Hmm?" Liss tilted her head toward me and smiled, a blissful grin that made me want to just marry her so we could spend every single day like this one.
"Peach has had like six pieces of watermelon so far..." my voice trailed off as Daisy and Liss both sat up at the same time.
"I only gave her two..." Liss started.
"I gave her one." Daisy added, starting to laugh.
Benji burst out laughing as Peach returned and pawed at him again, "I only gave her one so far, but was gonna give her another. Is that okay?"
"I just gave her a second piece a minute ago," I chuckled while responding, looking around the table before I peered down at the dog. "You, Little Miss, need to be cut off!"
"It's just watermelon, though." Daisy said easily, grabbing a piece but Lissy reached out to gently stop her hand from going toward Peach.
"The problem is that her stomach is smaller than ours and too many treats, even healthy ones, can give her a stomach ache. Better to give her a few pieces at a time and then save more for later on." She smiled at Benji, "I know dogs love cantaloupe and strawberries plus blueberries, too. Oh, and veggies? We can do sweet potatoes and green beans, not to mention pumpkin everything. There are so many options for treats to give her so she's going to have plenty of chances. She has her regular food also but we can always supplement with this kind of thing as long as we pay more attention so she doesn't end up getting sick on people food."
Daisy sat back and began eating the piece herself, proudly proclaiming, "More for me!," with her mouth full and dripping with watermelon juice. I burst into laughter and shoved the roll of paper towel her way, trying to keep her from making a mess.
"You are hopeless, Daisy," Benji said softly while helping her grab some paper towels as she laughed.
Their eyes met and I saw a flicker of connection between them. I looked at Lissy and could tell she saw the same thing, a soft smile on her face as she watched Benji fall in love for the first time.
They're far too young. Both of them know it, too.
But that doesn't mean this is not real.
Maybe I should talk to Benji so he knows that playing the long game is worth it. He can have it all and keep a friendship with Daisy so when they are older everything can fall into place.
Daisy sighed and stood, picking up her trash and throwing it in the garbage bin behind her. "Sprinkler time, Lissy?"
"I think we need to get the volleyball net out now, Dais!"
My eyes met Alice's with confusion but she had a look of mischief in her eyes as she and Daisy got to work assembling poles and a net across the yard.
"It's not regulation or anything, but it'll work!" Lissy grinned and stood, catching her breath after anchoring the net a final time in the yard.
Benji was stretching his ankle out of the boot for a few minutes and had a look of concern on his face, brow furrowed as he watched.
"You good, bro?" I asked quietly.
"How can I play with..." his voice trailed but I watched as Lissy put a sprinkler in the center of the volleyball net so water would cascade over either side in turn. Benji chuckled when she grabbed a blow up beach ball and handed it to him as she walked closer, sliding her shades onto her head as she approached.
"Here, Beep. You're full of hot air. Garbage bags are on the table inside so we can wrap your cast properly, too."
He laughed and grabbed the ball, quickly starting to huff and puff in an effort to inflate the toy. Peach was intrigued and watched closely, her excitement growing as she saw the ball get bigger with his effort. Daisy came back on the deck and laughed, teasing Benji for how long it was taking but as soon as he offered her a turn she backed away and insisted he was the man for the job.
Benji laughed as he let out another exhale and stopped the nozzle with his finger, taking a few deep breaths. "Remi, help me out here, dude."
I took over for him, standing to continue inflating the beach ball while Daisy and Lissy finished securing the volleyball net. Benji ran into the house a moment as well, grabbing a garbage bag and duct tape so Lissy could help him cover his camo cast to protect it from the water we were about to play in.
Finally the stage was set and water turned on. I plugged the oversized beach ball and batted it toward Daisy, yelling "Think fast, Dais!" as it flew her direction. The water hit her at the same time as the ball causing Daisy to squeal but flail her arms and somehow smack the ball over the net toward Lissy.
Alice's eyes were huge as she watched, scrambling to dive for the ball and hit it back before it touched the ground. Peach was suddenly at her side and nearly tripped her as well which made me laugh even harder.
I snacked Benji on the chest and cocked my head toward the girls as they laughed while playing in the water. "I don't think that's going to be a problem, Benji."
His eyes and smile showed he knew that was true.
We spent over a half hour playing round Robin, rotating partners and letting Peach boop the ball with her nose carefully to help her team. Lissy and Daisy each put on a tank top over their swimsuits for modesty sake thanks to the diving and jumping they had to do.
I was thankful for that small favor.
Alice seemed to notice my eyes wandering and was aware of how my attention lingered on certain parts of her body. It's normal and natural, so I'm sure this is not a negative thing in her mind but more something to just be careful about at this stage.
Like she said last night, it's a slippery slope.
I could see us falling head over heels fast and just spending ever second enamored with each other.
It would not be difficult to imagine a life where my days are spent just like today, except with sex and romance and passion added into the mix between Alice and myself. That additional piece of the puzzle needs to stay far away for now so we can focus on Benji and making sure my Dad's final days are happy and full of loving memories.
Even as I swat the beach ball while the sprinkler sprays me, grimacing at the pain in my side but laughing at the expression on Lissy's face when it hits her in the head, I know this is it for me.
She is absolutely my person.
Being patient will not hurt us. This will be difficult but do-able considering everything else we need to focus on now.
"Okay, I need to take a leg pain break, guys. Sorry!" Benji gave an apologetic shrug, catching the beach ball as it landed right in his arms.
He hobbled up the steps to the porch, drying off and taking a long sip of his sweet tea and lemonade mixture. Liss followed suit and I made eye contact with Daisy, shrugging in unison with her as we joined them. The sprinkler continued to water the lawn and Peach kept bringing us toys before taking her resting spot in a cool corner of the deck.
"When will Jesse be here with Dad?" I asked Lissy, setting my sunglasses on the table while I dried my hair lightly with one of the towels.
She grabbed her phone and scrolled, humming to herself before responding, "Looks like his appointment went over a bit so Jesse said he just clocked out and is going to run to the deli for all the lunch stuff I ordered then will go back for Greg and be here soon. He'll text when they leave the hospital so we can keep an eye out."
Her eyes met mine and I knew there was more to the story.
Today Dad needed a blood transfusion so the fact that it "went over a bit" is a bad sign.
Benji refilled his drink before doing the same for each of us then taking the now empty pitchers inside. "Need anything else, Liss?" he hollered as he made his way to the door.
"Just grab some water bottles and we will be good. Thanks, Beep!" she answered with a wave as he shut the door behind himself.
Daisy plopped into a seat with a sigh, "So that's not okay, right?"
Lissy's eyes widened and she nodded slowly, "Correct. His platelet count keeps dropping really low. If it gets too low he could spontaneously bleed to death without anyone realizing it."
The sharp intake of breath Daisy and I shared surprised me.
This is something I did not realize Dad was dealing with, in spite of all the medical talk I listened to on a daily basis.
I try to pay attention but my mind can't wrap around everything happening.
Of course I understand he has cancer and he's dying. I know a number of the comorbidities are probably going to get him before the cancer does, especially as his body continues to fail.
I also know that pretending those things do not exist is the only way I can have a conversation with my Dad and not break down into tears.
Alice continued, "It was below 30,000 again today which can cause problems so Jesse made sure he got really good blood chock full of extra platelets to make him strong again." Lissy caught my eye and held my gaze a long moment, sliding her sunglasses off so her green eyes shone through. "Remington, he's in Hospice care for a reason. Right now he's extremely sick and has end of life care for his final days. I feel like we all need to remember that means any day could be the end."
Benji returned with a handful of ice cream sandwiches and plastic bag containing water bottles, passing one of each to us and ripping into his ice cream instantly.
The somber tone of Alice's wake up call was not missed by Daisy or myself but we tried to keep moving for Benji. Daisy found her laughter first, teasing Benji for finishing his ice cream before she could even get the wrapper off hers.
I wanted to be able to laugh like that again, but my dad won't be here much longer.
How do you keep living when you know someone you love is actively dying?
Lissy's warm hand slid on my leg, scratching my skin with her nails to get my attention. "Psst," she tipped her head up when I looked her way, "Want another ice cream bar?"
I smirked and nodded while Lissy side eyed me a moment, casually heading into the house without saying a word to Benji and Daisy.
"Where is she going?" Benji instantly asked and I shrugged, looking back to my phone and trying to hide my smile.
Benji and Daisy decided to pull out croquet and try playing for awhile, hoping this would be something Dad could enjoy. They went to work digging the mallets and stakes out of a case in the storage unit that Peach was extremely excited to sniff around and assist them with unloading. She curiously peeked into the box, smelling each piece as it was taken out and licking some without chewing or damaging anything.
"She is the most polite dog I think I've ever met," Lissy said, handing me another ice cream sandwich as she sat down next to me.
"Hey!!" Benji yelled from the yard when he noticed us eating another treat but Liss held up two more that she brought for the teens, turning his dismay into a grin and, "Thanks, best sister in the entire world!"
"Don't you forget it, Beep. THE best. You said it." Lissy pointed and added a nonchalant shrug, "And it's nice to be the best at something. Feels good."
Daisy let out a dreamy sigh, leaning back in her seat and staring into space, "Wow, if only I could be the best at something some day!"
"I'm sure you will, Daisy. Give it time." Benji responded before patting her head with so much condescension that the three of us broke into laughter instantly. Daisy shook her head and shrugged off his hand, brushing him away.
"Begone, Benji. I'm the best at more than you can shake a stick at." Her attitude struck again, Daisy allowing us the full spectrum of her emotions. I noticed her sharing glances with Lissy more after the brief moment we shared while Benji was inside and realized the support I receive from Alice must be something others feel as well.
My mind tried to process this new information almost as an outsider, watching the scene like a movie playing before me. I saw myself seating, zoning out with a nearly empty glass of sweet tea and full bottle of water while Peach brought me the frisbee then chased it through the path of the sprinkler.
The entire group watched her and laughed, the dog's tail a blur as she raced back up the steps and slid in an attempt to reach Lissy. She grabbed at Peach and caught her by the collar, making sure she stayed upright, but her face was instantly worried after that scare.
"Okay so maybe this afternoon we can run to the hardware store and get something to help us have a bit more grip on the deck stairs? Kinda like the stuff you use on bathtub floors so they aren't so slippery. There has to be something like that outside." Lissy looked in my eyes as I spoke and smiled, relieved that I already had a solution to this new problem.
"Perfect. So when Jesse and Greg get here we can relax awhile inside while we eat, then head out to get groceries and a few things at the hardware store." I agreed with a nod, raising my water bottle to tap hers while we locked eyes and silently promised to keep moving forward.
That's all we can do.
Find solutions to problems.
Fix things as they arise.
Watch what happens next... and hope that we make the right decisions.
I cannot miss anything else important.
Author's Note
Thank you all again for your patience last week as I did some restructuring and shifting with this story. There will not be daily uploads but I wanted to make it up to you a bit with another chapter and will probably have something special on Instagram soon as well to go along with the fun summer theme we have had with these chapters lately.
The story is getting intense, but these characters can handle what's to come... right?
.... Right??
I sure hope so!
Love you all!
xx Lizzy