Chapter 23
"This is your last chance," I told Marco. "We can turn around right now and go do something else."
We were walking across the highway to get to my cabin. We mostly screwed around the rest of the day. Not literally, of course. He had to ask his mom if it was okay to have dinner. She'd given a very Marco-ish smile and said that it was fine. Marco and I also had to watch Connie and Sasha today. That was a fiasco. I swear those kids cannot let me catch a break.
He smiled his signature smile. "Actually, we can't." He gestured as discreetly as possible to my father. He was hovering over a grill with a spatula. I was so glad he hadn't went out and bought some sort of embarrassing apron just to piss me off. That was something he'd do.
He looked up when he realized we were standing close by and gave a nod of acknowledgment. "Go on inside," he said more to Marco than me. I obviously already knew to go in.
Marco smiled, but I noticed the nervousness in his eyes. I reached out and hooked his pinky with my own before I realized what I was doing. He squeezed my finger with his own. Dad noticed the small movement. He raised an eyebrow in my direction but didn't say anything. I felt a blush creep up my face, and the urge to let go was strong, but I just held on tighter and lifted my chin fractionally. I wasn't going to run, and I also was not going to let my inexperience with people, especially around my parents, hurt Marco's feelings.
Dad just went back to whatever he was cooking.
I silently released a breath that I didn't know I was holding.
Marco and I went inside before anything else could be exchanged between the three of us. Almost immediately Connie decided to attack his leg. Jeez, was anything going to be easy tonight?
I closed my eyes briefly. "God dammit, Connie. Really?" I asked him as I looked down. He looked back up and stuck his tongue out at me. I sighed. Why couldn't I have had some better behaved siblings?
"Oh my gosh," Mom said as she came in from the bedroom. "Connie, come on. I know you're hungry, but we're gonna be eating soon--I can't give you anything right now."
He just looked up at Marco. Marco looked down at him. They locked eyes. Marco blinked. A moment seemed to pass between them or something because Connie's grip started to seem more like a hug before he let go and went to sit on the couch with a coloring book.
I cleared my throat. That was kinda weird, but what was I supposed to do now? Introduce them? They already knew each other.
Marco stepped forward with his hand outstretched, always being nice. Mom seemed surprised but put her own hand in his, using it to pull him into a hug. I couldn't see his face, but I'd bet twenty bucks that he was shocked.
Mom pulled back and smiled at him. "Thank you for coming."
He was still a little dazed, but he managed to smile back sweetly. "Thank you for having me." My stomach did a weird flop. I mentally told it to settle down. Now was not the time to start acting like a lovestruck sucker!
I bit my lip. "What's for dinner, Mom?" I asked to get some form of conversation moving, so we wouldn't have to stand here and stare at each other awkwardly.
She shifted her attention from Marco to me. "Your father is making burgers and hot dogs. I'm making corn on the cob. We're also having peaches."
I narrowed my eyes. "You are making the corn?"
Marco looked confused. Mom just waved her hands in the air. "Calm down, Jean boy. Your father wrote down specific instructions for me--it'll be fine."
"Yeah, if you manage to actually follow them," I muttered just as Dad walked through the door.
He smacked the back of my head. "She'll be fine." He turned to shoot her a pointed look. "Won't you?"
She laughed. It wasn't very reassuring.
"Um... we're just gonna..." I pointed up.
Mom and Dad exchanged a look. "That's fine," Mom said. "But can you help me with something real quick, Jean?"
I looked at them suspiciously but waved Marco up the stairs. "Okay, what?" I asked when I was sure that he was out of earshot. "I know it isn't dinner because we all know I can't cook for shit."
Dad raised an eyebrow at Mom almost mockingly before he went back outside. Mom gestured with her head for me to come closer. I did so and blew out a breath. I was getting a bit impatient and for a good reason. Leaving Marco upstairs where Eren and Mikasa possibly were was like throwing a baby with a cut on its arm into a tank of hungry sharks.
"Um... about you and Marco..."
I looked at her suspiciously, suspecting where this was going. "Yeah?"
"I'm fairly certain that you haven't, but that doesn't mean you won't. Sometimes the temptation is just too much and things just kinda... happen."
I squinted at her, refusing to comprehend what she'd just tried to tell me. "Mom, where are you headed with all this?" I reached up and tugged on my ear absently. I was sure Marco was being eaten alive already. Metaphorically, of course. Our family may have been a bunch of freaks, but I was at least three per cent sure that none of us were cannibals.
She popped a few of the knuckles on her left hand. Obviously this was as hard for her to say as it was for me to hear. "Well, if you do happen to have some late-night fun with Marco, I'd just ask if you would be... protected."
I closed my eyes and started screeching, but my mouth was closed, so they wouldn't hear me from upstairs.
"I'm just... You... Just don't do it, okay? You're too young, and uh--oh God, what have I gotten myself into?"
"That's exactly what I'm wondering."
"Wow, this is more awkward out loud than it was in my head."
I tilted my head up and asked the knots in the wooden ceiling, Why me? I cleared my throat. "God, Mom. I doubt it'll happen anytime soon, but would it make you feel better to know that I'll go out and--I don't know--buy some condoms or something?" I could feel my face and ears heat up as I said it, and I wanted to crawl in a hole and die. Of course, I knew that she just wanted what was best for me, but couldn't she just get me a box of rubbers with a note on it saying, "Just in case, though I'd rather you didn't"?
She coughed awkwardly. "Um, yeah, that'd make me feel better."
I groaned and buried my face in my hands. Very suddenly, my good old friend sarcasm decided to rise to the surface as a sort of defense mechanism. "Right, well, I'll go out and buy some right after breakfast tomorrow in case I decide to jump his bones tomorrow night." I rolled my eyes automatically.
"Woah, there... calm down. I'm being serious. Don't take things too fast."
I laughed, but it sounded strained even to my own ears. "Oh, no. Wouldn't want to pledge my undying love for him with my body 'cause, you know, that's bad. I mean, after all, if you're happy and you know it, it's a sin!" I ended up kind of singing the last part.
The whole time I was talking, I was tugging on my ear like crazy and looking everywhere but at her, but now, I looked at her and regretted what I'd said. She looked kind of hurt. No, don't be hurt--I was joking. Please, just laugh or something...
When she didn't, I bit my lip. "I-I was covering my discomfort by being a dick. I guess it's my coping mechanism." I looked down, feeling pretty bad about it. Honestly--why couldn't I say something right for once?
She still seemed a bit upset, but she seemed to shake it off. She went to start making the corn, and I went upstairs, still feeling kind of bad and hoping that she understood how much I actually did appreciate her.
* * *
Welp. Sorry for the chapter being much later than the others. Band camp started last week in the form of sectionals, but today was the first day for everybody to be there. I have to say, it was interesting, that's for sure.
Anyway, I was having trouble finishing this chapter, and I happened to be role playing with Chu-chan when she unknowingly gave my the perfect idea. Thanks!!!
I should be able to update the next chapter pretty soon since I have the general idea in my head.
--Shelby