And Here's What You Missed on...GLEE

“Puck?” I questioned, my mouth filled with pancake and syrup. “Have I ever told you how much I friggin’ love you?”

“I don’t think you’ve shown it perfectly,” he mumbled in response, smiling a fresh little smirk at me.

I rolled my eyes. “Seriously, though…you’re in charge of the pancakes from now on. These are amazingly delicious.”

“Maybe I could be the next…what was it? Emeril Flay or something?”

“Nice try,” I snickered. “And they’re pancakes, remember. If you can cook something really intricate like a soufflé or something, then I’ll start signing you up for auditions to have your own show.” After putting my plate in the sink, my stomach feeling stuffed to the brim, I rubbed my chin again. “Oh, and it would probably help if you learned the important chefs’ names. It’s Emeril Lagasse or Bobby Flay.”

“I’ll probably remember that for ten seconds,” Puck explained to me.

From the other room, Grayson started fussing, trying to get out of the seat. “I’ll get him,” Puck assured me. “You clean the dishes.”

“Oh, can I?” I replied sarcastically.

“Hey, I cooked. I did my part.” He left the kitchen, so I sighed, turning toward the sink and running the water until it got hot.

After the dishes were finished, I tip-toed into the living room to find Puck sitting cross-legged on the floor, Grayson in his lap.

“See?” Puck whispered to Gray, pointing to the TV. “That’s Buzz!”

“BUZZ!” Gray squealed in response, pointing the same way Puck had, but Buzz was no longer on the screen.

“No, well…that’s Mr. Potato Head.”

“Hm,” I mused, walking into the room with a smile on my face, “I never took you as a Toy Story fanatic.”

“I watched it all the time as a kid,” he shrugged. “And Gray just ran over to the DVD cabinet and took it out. Buzz was my favorite character as a kid, too.”

“You’re just doing this to get in my pants, aren’t you?” I snickered, crossing my arms in front of my chest and leaning against the doorframe.

“Eh,” another shrug. “Maybe. Or maybe I just like the kid.”

I hoped it was the latter because it was too damn adorable to have ulterior motives.

* * *

Around two, there was a loud series of knocks at the door. Grayson was sleeping on Puck’s lap, so I just gestured for Puck to stay seated.

Yawning, I opened the door and said something that sounded a little like, “Hello?”

“Ellie? Is Grayson ready to leave? Where’s your mom?”

Shit. “Um…she’s not home.”

“She’s not home? She was supposed to be watching Gray.”

“Yeah, I know, but she always pushes the responsibility off on me.”

Aunt Piper’s face had an expression of horror. “You mean that all this time…she’s been making you take care of Gray?”

“Yup. But it’s alright. I don’t mind at all. He’s well-behaved. He’s sleeping in the living room. Come on.”

I led the way, and she immediately took Gray off Puck’s lap, planting a kiss on his forehead. Turning toward the TV, she smiled. “Ah, Toy Story. It’s the easiest way to entertain him.”

“I figured that out,” Puck responded, standing and pounding his legs to get some feeling back into them. “I’ve sat through it twice already.”

“Try watching it back to back all day,” Aunt Piper laughed. “I’m not sure we’ve met. I’m Ellie’s Aunt Piper.”

“Noah,” he replied, “her boyfriend.”

Aunt Piper looked at me with a very approving look. “Thank you for helping her help watch Grayson. But I’m so sorry to both of you. I was under the impression that Celia was taking care of him.”

“It’s alright,” I waved off. “Really. We can watch him anytime.” Leaning close to her, I whispered, “He and Pu-" Whoops. "Noah really hit it off.”

“Congratulations on your first boyfriend. He’s cute.” With another suggestive raise of her eyebrows, we walked back into the kitchen, where I packed up everything so Aunt Piper could leave.

We chatted a little bit more before she finally thanked us one more time and left.

Puck came up behind me, wrapping his arms around my waist, and kissed my neck. “So…about that suggestion for a sleepover…”

“Don’t spoil everything that you did for me yesterday…and today,” I responded in a whisper. But I leaned in and kissed him deeply, wrapping my arms around him, feeling his hands warm the small of my back.

“Ellie!” Mom chastised me. “Where’s Grayson? I can’t believe you could be so irresponsible!”

She put her bags that she’d accumulated while shopping on the table. I turned around to face her, Puck keeping his arms around my waist, keeping me close, giving me support.

“Grayson left a little while ago,” I responded. “Aunt Piper’s pretty pissed that you’re not the one actually watching him.”

Mom’s face blanched, and a smile of satisfaction spread across my face. “Well, I watched him when you weren’t here,” she defended.

“But you couldn’t handle it. And that’s why you ran back to get me, to remove me from where I was actually happy.”

“I didn’t know that I made you so unhappy.” The hurt was clear in Mom’s voice, but at that point, I really didn’t care.

“You do. You make me miserable. I hate every second that I’m here when I’m not with Puck. I just can’t deal with you anymore.”

Maybe I’d watched one too many movies in my lifetime, but I fully expected her to start crying, telling me that she didn’t mean to make me so unhappy, that she didn’t mean any of it; she just wanted the best for me, and if it made me happier, then I could go back and live with Puck’s family.

But she didn’t. She just shot me a look that froze my insides before taking her bags in a huff and running up to her room. Just like a teenager throwing a tantrum.

“I’m so sick of her,” I sighed, wiping my eyes in frustration. “I’m just done. I don’t know how much longer I can take this.”

“You shouldn’t have to,” Puck told me.

“What is that supposed to mean?”

He let out a condescending laugh. “You’re so innocent. Haven’t you ever thought of running away?”