Sunshine

“So what do you think is up with Evelyn?”

Jimmy turned to Matt and shrugged, “No idea. I was wondering the same thing.”

“It was weird of her to just leave the way she did,” Brian commented.

“I wish she’d just tell me. Isn’t that what best friends do? Tell each other their deepest, darkest secrets?”

Matt chuckled, “Jimmy, you don’t even tell me all your ‘deepest and darkest’ secrets.”

Jimmy gasped, “Yes I do!”

Brian laughed and shook his head, “She’s not gonna tell you unless she wants you to know.”

“Which I’m assuming she doesn’t,” Matt said.

“What about you, Zack? You’ve been pretty quiet over there,” Brian said casually.

Zacky shrugged in response. He didn’t really have anything to say; the guys had voiced all of his thoughts already.

As Evelyn entered the room, Cooper in her arms, the guys grew silent. She eyed them wearily as she sat down in the only open seat, which was on the end next to Brian.

She had dressed herself in a black wifebeater and a pair of slightly small gray lounge shorts that she kept pulling down on constantly. They were the only shorts that she had clean from her trip, and she doubted the guys would care anyway.

Brian had noted that her hair was wet from the shower she just took, and she smelled strongly of grapefruit. He tried to ignore the smell, but eventually gave up and got used to the sweet scent, slouching in his chair with his arms crossed and subconsciously taking a deep breath every so often.

Zacky, who was sitting across from Evelyn, was having a hard time keeping up with the conversation Matt and Jimmy were trying to have with him. Out of the corner of his eye, all he could see were the water droplets from Evelyn’s hair cascading down her face and neck that Cooper kept licking up. Evelyn would smile and gently push Cooper away only to have him come back and lick her face more. It was the only sign of emotion she had really shown since coming indoors.

Jimmy was conversing with Maudie and Nikolaus, who enjoyed the enthusiastic boy’s company. Once in a while he would reach across and poke Brian in the nose and tell him to lighten up, to which he would get a roll of the eyes and smile in response. Jimmy also found amusement in grabbing Cooper’s nose and moving it back and forth, causing the dog to sneeze all over Brian. Evelyn would try not to laugh and Cooper just wagged his tail. Brian would take in a breath and sigh, but eventually would start laughing and end up playing with Cooper instead. Jimmy would share a smile with Matt, happy that two of his best friends were slightly starting to tolerate each other.

Maudie eventually brought out the sugar cookies and more lemonade, making all of the guys cheer and Maudie and Nikolaus laugh. Evelyn still held Cooper in her arms, his head resting on the table with his eyes closed.

“So how was Detroit, Scout?” Nikolaus asked his granddaughter.

She sent him a nervous look, but quickly covered it up and pushed some of her wet hair out of her face.

“Good.”

“Did Pete take good care of you?”

The guys looked around at each other and Evelyn nodded, not noticing their suspicious stares.

“Yep. I met his fiancée, Bianca, too.”

“Who’s Pete?” Jimmy asked out loud.

Evelyn gave him a small smile, “A very good friend of the family.”

“He’s a police officer back in Detroit, like Scout’s dad was,” Maudie nodded, putting the now empty tray of cookies in the sink.

Nikolaus gave her a look and Evelyn instantly deflated. Zacky reached across and pet the sleeping Cooper, causing Evelyn to look up and half heartedly return his smile. Jimmy’s eyes flickered between the two and he tried to hide his smirk, knowing that now was not the time for his accusations.

“I didn’t know your dad was a police officer,” Matt said, trying to make conversation.

Evelyn nodded, her way of confirming nonverbally.

“So did he ever get to tackle people or use his taser and nightstick like they do on Cops?” Jimmy asked, his eyes shining with the excitement of a child.

Brian couldn’t help himself (despite the somewhat serious conversation) and started laughing. Matt soon joined in and even Zacky had to chuckle a bit.

Evelyn smiled. Jimmy could always cheer her up.

“He did, actually. He told me stories about it all the time.”

Evelyn went off into various tales about her father’s adventures as a police officer. She even told them about his daisy tattoo.

“Your dad has a tattoo of a flower?” Zacky choked out.

Evelyn decided not to correct him and say ‘he did have one’. Instead she put on her poker face and nodded.

“He got it one night when he was drunk and realized he was hopelessly in love with my mother.”

Nikolaus shook his head, “He was such a young idiot in love.”

Matt wiped a stray tear from his eye and tried to stop laughing so hard, “I’m sorry, but that is just too funny.”

Evelyn dabbed a couple of her own tears off in her tank, though she was crying for a different reason. As much as she tried to play it off as laughing, she had a feeling the guys knew otherwise. Or maybe she was just paranoid.

Zacky opened his mouth, wanting so bad to ask where her parents were now since they obviously weren’t Maudie and Nikolaus, but he snapped his mouth shut and looked down at the table instead.

Brian, on the other hand, didn’t think through his actions quite as much as Zacky did.

“So, Evie, where are your par--”

Jimmy kicked him harshly under the table, causing Brian to bite his lip to keep from yelling and glared daggers at Jimmy.

Evelyn stared at Brian, wide eyed and slightly caught off guard. Nikolaus and Maudie had left the room just moments ago, so Evelyn had no one to cover up for her. Matt looked around, sensing the sudden awkwardness in the room. Zacky watched Evelyn expectantly, though he tried to hide his curiosity. Jimmy was looking at Evelyn apologetically and Brian was nursing his shin, clearly confused.

Her eyes trailed from guy to guy, friend to friend. Could she even call them her friends? Sure. The better question was, did she feel she could trust them enough to tell them what she had told no one else?

She knew that Jimmy was more aware of the situation than the others, and obviously felt more comfortable with him knowing. It wasn’t that she cared if the others knew; it was more that she was scared because she had never really told anyone the full story. Pete knew because he was there and Evelyn had asked him to tell her grandparents over the summer. Still, Evelyn needed to get it off of her chest and tell someone herself. She sighed and stared at the ground, reaching a decision on what she should do.

“Jimmy, could I…uh…talk to you for a minute?”