Page 40 of Consumed By Fire
"I know..." she whispers.
"Love, you need to..." Dylan enters the kitchen and freezes as Grace wipes her tears. "Mom, what's going on?"
"Oh, nothing. I'm realizing that my baby is a man now."
"Oh, Mom.” He hugs her and I smile in front of such tenderness.
Dinner is going well. Grace and David tell us many anecdotes about Dylan, including about when, at five, he didn't want to take a bath and ran outside naked. On the other hand, Dad does not spare me. He talks about how I fell from a treehouse because a spider was chasing me, but it was really huge and I was only eight years old.
My arm starts to hurt and throb. I go to the kitchen to get some ice, which I put on my arm. I lean against the fridge, shutting my eyes in relief.
"Is everything okay, baby?"
"I think so," I say, inhaling his scent. "I love you, Dylan,” I murmur with my eyes still closed. When I open them, I see him in front of me, looking at me with those hypnotic eyes and those inviting lips.
He reaches down to kiss me and then takes my arm, removing the bandages and looking at the wound.
"It's swelling. Leave it uncovered. It’ll pass soon. You were really brave, baby,” he says, kissing my wound.
"Only because you guided me! The credit’s yours."
"That's not true and you know it. I called the hospital before I got home, and they're all fine."
"This is great news,” I say, smiling. Dylan stares at me as if he wants to tell me something but doesn't.
"Dylan, do you have a minute?" David interrupts. He says yes, not taking his eyes off me. Finally, he kisses the tip of my nose and goes to his father.
I go back to the living room and it's like being in the family, for real. I’d almost forgotten this feeling.
24
DYLAN
Mom and Dad watch us all evening. I don’t miss the smiles and glances they exchange. My mom was never this comfortable with Stacy, and I thought it was normal at the time. But seeing her laugh and talk to Charlie now, I realize how comfortable she feels with her, which makes me happy.
"You know, Dylan," says Dad, interrupting my thoughts. “When you told us about Charlotte, we felt how much you were into her. But seeing you together is fantastic."
I smile as Dad and I go to his room.
"We never told you, but we knew Stacy wasn't the right girl for you."
"And despite everything, you didn't say anything."
"It wasn’t for us to tell you. We couldn’t interfere in your life. You’re old enough to make your own decisions, and you’ve shown that to us more than once."
"I don't think I've always made the right choices, but she has been the right choice since I first saw her."
"I can see how much she cares about you,” he says, rummaging in his suitcase. "Here it is." He hands me the velvet box with our jewelry logo on it.
Having it in my hands makes me nervous, perhaps even more than giving it to her.
"Oh, I know that look,” says Dad, smiling.
"What if she says no?" I ask, sitting on the bed.
"What makes you think she'd say no?" he says, sitting down next to me.
“Actually nothing, Dad. I feel so loved, almost revered. With her, I was able to open up, to tell her everything, to be myself without secrets.”