Page 73 of Chasing Home
It’s a miracle I haven’t had anyone show up at my house yet, demanding to know more about Rory. There’s no doubt in my mind Daisy has been blabbing about her to everyone she sees, our family included.
Josette steps into the living room and flops onto the armchair in the corner. Her chair, she calls it. I should have sat there instead.
“Are we finally asking Johnny about his secret girlfriend?” she asks, picking at one of the tiny gems on her thumbnail.
“Hi, little brother, I missed you these past couple of weeks,” Mama teases, appearing in the doorway before moving behind the chair to flick Jos’s ear.
“I thought we weren’t supposed to lie?” Jos asks.
I blow her a kiss. “You missed me. Don’t even try to lie. You’re terrible at it.”
Mama tightens the elastic band in her long brown hair and comes to drop a kiss to my forehead. Her rounded glasses droop down her nose as she bends down before Mom’s reaching across me to push them back up. My heart swells at the simple act of affection.
I grew up seeing those all the time. Small touches as they passed one another, Mama spoiling Mom with her favourite flowers for no reason. They’ve had consistent date nights every Friday for as long as I can remember. It’s a tradition that I can see them still carrying on when they’re too old to go out.
They’re why I’m so open to finding my person. I’ve seen how good it can be. What a real family looks like.
“You’ve been gone for too long, Johnny,” Mama says, the scolding light but apparent. She sits on my other side and grabs my hand.
“I’ve been busy. Wade’s given me a shit ton more responsibility these last few months.”
“Aaaaaand?” Jos sings.
“And you’re a pain in my ass, Josie Cat.”
She shoots fire at me. “I hate that nickname.”
“I know.”
“We ran into Eliza at the store the other day. She said you’ve been working longer hours?” Mom asks.
“That must be why you smell like that,” Jos says, crinkling her nose.
I lift my arm and sniff. “I don’t stink.”
“If you have to smell your own armpit to make sure you don’t stink, you have a problem.”
“Why don’t you come closer and you can smell my armpit yourself?” I ask, waving my arm in the air until Mom pushes it down.
“Why can’t you just be sweet to one another like all the kids on TV?” she mutters.
“Because that’s not real life. And we can be sweet when we want to,” Jos says.
I lean my head back against the couch and shut my eyes. It’s alarming how easy it would be to simply go to sleep right now.
“You’d be nicer to me if Daisy were here.”
“That’s not true,” Jos says.
I open my eyes. “She knows too many of your secrets for you to be mean to me in front of her.”
“You’re trying to hint that you’re her favourite, and you’re not.”
“What secrets do you have, Josette?” Mama asks.
Jos flips me off. “Look what you’ve done, Johnny.”
“Me? You started it.”