You Can't Go Home Again

I had never moved as much stuff as I did in that one weekend. Sure I had moved a lot when I moved into my apartment and when I’d helped other friend’s move into their apartments. But, with Lacee, it was like she had triple the amount of stuff. Maybe it was because of Linc and all his stuff, or maybe it was because she had gone through a lot of Luke’s stuff and had picked a few things to bring along. Who knew? Either way I spent the next Saturday carrying box after box up the stairs and then, once empty, box after box downstairs to the garbage. After a good many hours it was finally safe to say that she was fully moved in and I wouldn’t be running up and down stairs any more.

&&

“Brian,” she said walking into the living room. I looked over at her with a smile and offered her the seat next to me. “I just wanted to tell you how grateful I am for this,” she told me sitting down.

“Lacee, I told you it’s not a big deal. I didn’t want you to move away and this way you don’t have to.” It seemed perfectly logical to me that she should move in to prevent her from moving away. I didn’t see exactly what was wrong with that.

“I know...but letting me move in with a kid is a huge undertaking you know,” she pointed out. “Not many people, even friends, would do that for me,” she pointed out and although I knew she was right it was just different for me to hear someone so gracious for an act that seemed so miniscule.

“Yea, well...your friends must not be too terribly upstanding then,” I said shrugging it off. I watched a smile cross her face as she shook her head slowly. “Listen, I’m feeling kind of like taco’s for food. Do you want to join me?”

She shook her head, “no, I really can’t afford...”

“My treat,” I said as Linc came tearing into the room. “Come on, you need to get out of here after all you’ve done today,” I reasoned softly. She looked at the little boy screaming about a dinosaur before nodding. “Good.”

&&

“Lincoln, sit still baby.” She seemed to be a little out of her element. I assumed it was her fear that someone would see us and assume that she’d moved on so quickly. I tried to be respectful of that and not get too close to give off that impression. “I’m sorry, he’s not usually this restless,” she explained pulling the little boy back into her arms.

“Don’t worry about it. He’s fine,” I said looking the menu over. Chipotle seemed very logical since both Lacee and myself loved that place. I stepped forward and placed my order before Lacee placed her’s. After paying we both started out the door deciding it would be better if we ate at home considering how Linc was currently behaving.

“Is it hard?” I asked as we walked back into the apartment. “Becoming a mom and learning how to take care of a kid and all that?”

She shrugged as Linc ran off to play or something as she started pulling out her food. “It was kind of second nature in a sense. I mean, everyone says they have this motherly instinct so I guess that’s what kicked in when I had Linc. I learned a lot from my mom and when the time came I just felt prepared I suppose.”

“Do you wish you’d waited sometimes?”

“I wish I’d waited every single day of my life. I love Linc, don’t get me wrong, but there’s so much I wish I could do that I can’t. I can’t go out with my friends because I have to take care of Linc. And I can’t do a lot of school because I can’t afford day care and classes and rent at the same time. It’s taking me so much longer to do anything and I know Linc can see that. I just wish I had a do over button.”

I nodded really just trying to get to know her again. “You miss him a lot don’t you?”

“Brian, I can’t talk about it. It’s too soon.”

“I understand. Listen, I’ve got band practice tomorrow but if you wanted to do something I’ll watch Linc in the afternoon like after four,” I offered so she could get some alone time.

“I couldn’t expect you to watch him. Not after everything you’ve done for us,” she said with an embarrassed smile.

“Lacee,” I said sternly, “we’re roommates. You pay the rent just like I do. If you ever need someone to watch Linc so you can just be alone I’m here alright. Free of charge. I don’t mind really,” I told her.

“Really?”

“If I minded I wouldn’t have offered,” I pointed out.

She sighed, “alright. I won’t be gone for very long though I just have some errands I need to do that are easier done without him,” she said with a smile. “Thanks, Brian.”

“No problem.” Hearing a knock at the door I got up, “I got it,” I said heading out of the room. Opening it revealed Josh and Stephen both smiling stupidly, “what did you do?”

“How do we always get that greeting? Seriously I feel judged man. That hurts,” Josh said walking past me into the apartment.

“Josh, every time you have that stupid grin on your face you’ve done something either stupid or stupid. So what did you two do?”

“We may or my not have crashed into your car.” Stephen said with a serious nod.

“YOU WHAT?!”

“Okay so we didn’t. But you greeted us rudely. Anyway, we were just bored and thought what a better person to entertain us than you. Come on ole buddy ole pal help us out or we’ll surly die.”

“You’re watching too man old shows, Josh. You’re starting to sound like you’re from Leave it to Beaver,” I said finally closing the door and letting them stay. “You really didn’t hit my car right?”

“No, we’re not that mean. Stephen only hits people he doesn’t know and thinks are cute,” Josh said with a grin.

“One time and she turned out to be nice and is now my girlfriend you twit,” he defended.

“Point, set, match,” Josh proclaimed walking through the apartment. “Hey, Lacee right?”

She nodded, caught by surprise. “You must be Brian’s friends. Nice to meet you,” she said shaking their hands. “Brian, I’m going to take Linc to the park for a bit to give you guys some privacy,” she said putting her dishes into the sink and her food in the fridge. “If you need anything I have my phone just call or text me,” she said with a smile before leaving.

“Holy shit she is hot,” Josh said once the door clicked shut. “Please tell me you’re at least sleeping in the same bed,” he said looking at me.

“We are not all horny ass hole like you, Joshua. No we’re in separate rooms and separate beds.”

“You’re a sad sad little man,” he said with a laugh. I shook my head and started cleaning up before we put a game in and started blowing each other up. I might’ve been living with a hot girl but that didn’t seem to make me any better at video games which Stephen and Josh seemed to enjoy.