Page 24 of Passing Ships
“Or you’ll be one they have to,” he finishes my thought.
“Exactly.”
“That’s a grim outlook, don’t you think?”
I turn in the seat and lay my head against the leather as I watch him. “No. It’s realistic.”
His eyes dart to me as a yawn escapes me.
“Hang on. We’ll be home in a minute,” he says softly.
Home.
My eyes flutter shut as the word rattles around in my head. I don’t really have a home anymore. I don’t consider my apartment a home. It’s just a place that holds my belongings. Home was Grandma’s house. Him absentmindedly calling the cabana that makes me smile. The thought of picking up and following my best friend to settle in Sandcastle Cove has crossed my mind more than once in the past year.
Lennon
A knock at the door stirs me awake. I roll over and glance at my phone.
Seven.
I hear Amiya’s door open, followed by her feet padding down the hallway to the back door. Five seconds later, my door swings open, and a whirlwind of bouncing curls hurls itself at me at full speed.
“Ugh.” I close my eyes and groan as Leia’s weight lands hard against my chest.
“Good morning, Uncle Lennon.”
I open one eye, and a set of huge baby blues is staring at me.
“Morning, munchkin.”
“Mommy said you are in charge of me today.”
Last night, I offered to keep Leia, so Avie, Amiya, our mothers, and Nana could go to Avie’s last dress fitting in Raleigh while Sebastian manned one of the charter boats.
“Good. Crawl in so we can go back to sleep,” I mumble before closing my eyes again.
Two tiny fingers come up and pry open my right eye.
“Uncle Lennon, you have to get up and get dressed, silly. It’s morning.”
“I thought I was in charge?”
She huffs out a breath. “We can’t sleep all day. You have to make me breakfast.”
Avie appears in the doorway. “She’s already had pancakes and bacon.”
Leia’s head turns to her mother. “Shh, Mommy, don’t tell him, or he won’t get up,” she whisper-yells.
I grab her by the waist and hoist myself up to sit against the headboard.
“Tell you what. If you will sit and watch some cartoons while I take a quick shower, you can choose what we do first today,” I say as I tap her on the nose.
Her eyes grow round, and she grins. “I can choose whatever I want?”
I start to nod when Avie catches my eye and starts furiously shaking her head.
“Um, no?” I say, but it comes out as a question.