Jensen

AFTER TAKING A SWIG OF THE LUKEWARM coffee the next morning, I set the mug back on the days-old coffee ring on the tattered desktop. A spreadsheet looms before me, but I can't focus on it. My mind keeps circling back to Teddy's suggestion about switching up my schedule to allow time out of this stuffy office. The idea is more appealing than I'd ever admit out loud. I'm dying a slow death trapped within these four walls; and I find more and more excuses to leave, specifically to hunt down my girlfriend, admittedly, but leave, nonetheless.

It's definitely doable to cram the administrative duties in the mornings to leave time for hands-on work in the afternoons. I waste more time procrastinating and playing solitaire than anything lately anyway. If I was actually productive and using my time wisely, I could finish the work pretty quickly.

I spin a pen around in my hand, letting the idea percolate. I'm pretty sure Teddy might be a genius. Why didn't I think of this years ago? I suppose I wasn't so restless back then. It crept up on me so slowly that I didn't recognize it for what it was until recently.

At first, I enjoyed the behind-the-scenes stuff, managing all the little details. After a while, though, it wasn't stimulating enough. My body likes to move. A little of both worlds—mind and body—is the obvious solution.

I wonder if my dissatisfaction is as noticeable to everyone as it is to Teddy. She's always been able to see through my grumpy exterior, but it's only heightened these past weeks with the change in our relationship.

I know I've been the champion of the Taking Things Slow Cause, but last night when we were talking about kids—our kids—it felt so right. I don't want to rush through any of the stages, but I don't want to waste any time either. We've wasted so many years already.

Slowing the pace of the physical relationship is allowing us the time to settle into redefining who we are to each other now, rewiring the way we interact and relate to one another, how we fit into each other's lives.

The more intertwined our daily lives become—sharing meals, nightly walks, falling asleep in each other's arms and waking up tangled together under the sheets—the more natural the physical stuff falls into place.

I want more for us than just satisfying carnal needs, driven by lust and attraction. I want the intimacy that is developed by conscious and continual cultivation—whispered conversations before falling asleep, subtle brushing of a hand during an anxious moment, reading body language and silent exchanges, stolen kisses in crowded spaces—that only aids in heightening the purely physically-driven sexual exchanges.

Being with Teddy already feels so different than it ever has with anyone else. Seeing her naked last night literally seized all my ability to act on the thoughts racing through my head.

Inside I was reaching out to touch her, but my hand wouldn't cooperate. I've never been paralyzed by the mere sight of a naked body before. When I finally did sync my mind and body together again—being able to finally have my hands and mouth all over her—it was an explosive, mind-altering experience.

I adjust myself in the desk chair, willing my over-eager dick to settle down. The last thing I need is someone barging into my office and seeing my chub.

Turning my attention back to the computer, I try to focus on work, but my mind keeps wandering back to Teddy. The dueling sides of going slow versus not wasting any more precious time is niggling me, specifically the pesky thought that crept into my brain last night and now won't fuck off.

I want Teddy at my place permanently, not just a few nights here and there, living out of a bag like we're childhood friends having a sleepover. It feels a little like playing house. Maybe I'm ready for the real thing.

Since our new relationship hasn't yet ticked over to the one-month mark, I reel my thoughts in. I can't ask Teddy to move in yet, but I can fulfill my promise to make room for her in my closet. Maybe the semi-permanence of that scenario will quiet the cohabitation noise in my head.

Before I can entertain those ideas further, my phone buzzes. I don't immediately click open the text thread because I'm distracted by my new wallpaper, an image from our walk last night—a smiling Teddy wrapped in my arms. My attention in the photograph is focused solely on her rather than posing for the camera; and the expression on my face is pure adoration. I'm clearly smitten with the girl.

I thumb over her face on the screen, suddenly missing her. I'm already plotting a surprise visit to her while she works, and I chuckle knowing she'll call me out for my inappropriate work behavior for the millionth time. She'll have to deal with it, though. If I want to kiss her, I'm going to kiss her. It's her own damn fault for being so irresistible.

Texts keep coming in, and I groan. What now? Probably more ribbing from my insufferable siblings.

SUTTON: Family supper tomorrow night. I'm supposed to spread the word. This is your official notice.

VIVI: It's been a while. I suppose we're past due.

FINN: Be prepared, J. You know this is for you.

JJ: Better bring the new girlfriend to buffer the round of Qs coming your way, cousin.

SUTTON: Oh yeah, Teddy's presence is required. Mom wants to know if she still likes pot roast.

CHARLIE: Tell mom Teddy prefers a big rack of ribs. Or a juicy steak. Either will do.

VIVI: Get yourself a girlfriend, Charlie, and then you can plan the menu.

FINN: Charlie doesn't do girlfriends. They're too clingy.

SUTTON: Must be a twin thing.

CHARLIE: Nah, Finn just fucks 'em and leaves 'em.

ME: For fuck's sake. Can one conversation be to the point?

ME: And why must we be up each other's asses all the time?

ME: Boundaries. Learn some.

SULLY: Preach.

ME: Teddy will eat the shit out of pot roast. By the way.

FINN: J's just salty we've been tracking the Have They or Haven't They storyline so closely.

CHARLIE: Judging by his usual assholeness, my money is on Haven't.

JJ: Same.

SUTTON: Ditto.

VIVI: No doubt.

SULLY: Maybe he has an STD. Has that been ruled out yet?

ME: Jesus, Sully. Not you, too.

SULLY: Sorry, bro. This is on you. Fuck her already.

-

THE HEAT OF THE DAY HAS MELLOWED into a cool night, a light breeze rustling the newly grown leaves on the trees. Spring exploded into a million colors when I wasn't looking, any evidence of the brutal winter long gone.

I intertwine my fingers with Teddy's as we round my truck parked in the cul-de-sac- and climb the porch stairs. I pause before the yellow door of my parents' house, suddenly feeling nostalgic. Ghosts of so many memories float around us on this very spot. I'm having a full-circle moment, and I want to live in it with my girlfriend for a minute.

Sensing my shift in mood, Teddy hooks a finger in my beltloop to tug me into her. "Having some feelings, big guy?"

I comb my fingers through her hair—wavy from the braid I unraveled after work this afternoon—and smile down at her. "Just thinking about all the different versions of us, I guess."

"Oh yeah? Which is your favorite?"

"This one," I answer, leaning down to kiss her forehead, my lips lingering over her warm skin.

"I have a soft spot for prepubescent Jensen and his squeaky voice. You were even cute as an awkward tween." She boops my noise. "Me, on the other hand? Yeeesh."

Laughing, I disagree, "I happened to like Tween Teddy and her mouthful of braces and frizzy hair."

She punches me in the gut, issuing a quiet "oooph" out of my mouth. "Shut it, J. I didn't mention the full year you insisted on gelling your hair to stick straight up in the front." She rakes her fingers through the hair hanging on my forehead to demonstrate. "God, you looked ridiculous, but you wouldn't listen to a word anyone said about it. Remember how much grief Kelly gave you?"

She laughs at the memory, her nose scrunching up, and I run my pointer finger over it to smooth the skin. Then I lightly kiss the spot. "You can fuck off. It was an awesome hairstyle."

"If it was so awesome, then why'd you ever stop styling your hair that way?"

"Because Becky O. only agreed to go to the Spring Fling with me if I promised to wash my hair and never touch a bottle of gel again."

"Oh, well, if Becky O. tells you to do something, then I guess you should listen," Teddy says with an eyeroll.

"Jealous of my 8th grade crush, Teddy?" I pull her body flush to mine and nibble her neck. "Because she let me feel her boob that night. Over her dress. And I promise you, 8th grade Jensen nearly creamed himself."

"Well, if memory serves," she says, glaring up at me, "8th grade Teddy wasn't as lucky. Pretty sure I was dateless. Only Kelly gave me a pity dance. I guess it goes to show who my true friend was. While you were off fondling Becky O's pancakes, Kelly stepped it up. And guess what, J?" A mischievous smile warns me I am not going to like what she admits. "His hand skimmed my ass."

I pinch said ass in retaliation. "Liar."

"Or am I?" she wags her eyebrows at me.

"He's a dead man."

"Who's a dead man?" A feminine voice interrupts our private moment, and we break apart to see Sutton walking up the porch steps in her black flipflops, holding the length of the long, flowy skirt out of her way.

"Kelly," Teddy answers. "Jensen just learned that Kelly copped a feel of my ass at an 8th grade dance."

"So she says," I say gruffly, side-eying my girlfriend, who laughs at my reaction. "Little shit," I grumble into her ear.

"Either way, you should kill him," Sutton drawls as she walks around us to the door. "He's a big, useless dummy." She opens the door and lingers in the doorway. "You coming?"

The strong potpourri aroma greets us as we enter the house. The living room is empty, but I can tell that most of my siblings beat us here judging by the volume; the level is reminiscent of our childhood: loud.

"Hello," Sutton calls out, and we follow her through the living room to the kitchen, where everyone is congregated around the large island, nibbling on the fruit and veggie platters my stepmom always serves at family suppers.

Maxine steps away from the stove, wiping her hands on the apron tied at her waist, and greets us with a warm smile. "Hi, sweetheart," she says as she pulls Sutton into a hug and then turns her attention to me and Teddy.

With a hand clutched to her heart, she smiles at us. "Well, isn't this the sweetest thing?"

"Hi, Mom." I drape my arm around her in a side hug, hoping to distract her from the embarrassing scene she was about to make.

She shoos me away and reaches for my girlfriend instead. "Welcome to the family, Teddy. Officially," she amends. "I suppose you've always been a part of it."

"Jesus, Mom," I say, pulling Teddy back to my side. "Let's calm it down, yeah?"

Teddy elbows me. "Be nice, Jensen."

"Yeah, Jensen, be nice," Finn pipes in from his perch near the food. He smirks around a mouthful of strawberry.

"Mom's just excited you finally got your head out of your ass," Sutton supplies, she hops onto an open stool next to Charlie and steals a carrot from the tray, plunging it into the bowl of dill dip. Crunching loudly on the carrot, she turns her attention back to me. "It only took you like a solid decade. Weren't you her first kiss?"

Teddy whips her head to look at me, her mouth open, the shock written plainly across her face. "Uhhhh...what now?" she stammers, and then whisper-shouts without moving her lips, "Jensen!"

"Nothing is sacred in this family, Teddy. We know all the things," a voice says from behind, saving me from answering Teddy.

JJ breezes into the room, her heels click-clacking on the wood floor. She flicks my shoulder as she passes me but directs a friendly smile at Teddy.

"JJ!" Maxine pounces on my cousin, wrapping her in a warm embrace. "I haven't seen you in forever, sweetheart."

As JJ runs a hand down the length of her pencil skirt to straighten the wrinkles, I risk a glance at my girlfriend to see her narrowing her eyes at me that I can pretty confidently translate to her saying we will be having a conversation about this later.

"Sorry, Auntie Maxie," JJ apologizes, and I flip my attention back to my family.

While I listen, I hook my hand in Teddy's, running my thumb over her wrist. A silent plea to not be mad at me. She taps a light squeeze between our hands, and I glimpse a small smile curving her lips. I wish we didn't have to socialize. I'd rather be alone with her at my place with our dog, where I can kiss her whenever, and wherever, I want.

"My boss is a real jerk and has me working long hours," my cousins continues. Before I have a chance to say anything, she turns to me with a raised finger. "Zip it, J. You know I don't want to work at the farm."

"Ooooh, Double J is already bringing the spice. It's going to be a good night." Sully chuckles as he saunters into the room. His tattoos are on full display today in a black t-shirt and his long hair is contained under a backwards baseball cap.

JJ punches him on the arm, and he rubs a hand over the tattoo sleeve. "Don't start with me, Sully."

Just then, my dad enters the already full kitchen, clapping his hands together at his rounded waist. "Feels like old times. Bickering and fist fights. Brings me right back."

Teddy buries her face into my arm to stifle a laugh and she mumbles, "Anderson family suppers may be my new favorite thing, and we haven't even sat down to eat yet."

My dad notices my girlfriend then and I cut him off with a hand in the air before he can say anything. "You can save it, Dad. Mom already welcomed Teddy into the family. We're moving on."

The whole family throws their heads back and laughs, even my traitorous girlfriend.

Maxine puts everyone to work setting the table, and soon we're an assembly line of plates and food dishes and the fancy linen napkins my stepmom insists on using for such occasions. The table barely fits in the dining room with the mismatch of chairs crammed around it to accommodate our big family.

After shimmying our way throw the narrow aisles between the wall and table to an open chair, we all fall silent, waiting for everyone to be seated. Then we grab hands, quickly mumble the dinner prayer, and dig in. Everyone resumes talking as dishes are passed around and food is spooned onto plates.

"So, Teddy," Maxine says over a bite of mashed potatoes and gravy, but before she can even finish her sentence, I cut her off.

"Nope. We're not doing 100 questions about Jensen and Teddy," I say, pointing my fork at her and then circle it around the table to include everyone. "And we're certainly not discussing any private things happening or not happening."

Everyone snickers, refusing to make eye contact. "It's definitely not happening," Finn mumbles under his breath, which causes everyone but my parents to laugh, even Teddy. I cut her a warning look, but she only laughs louder.

"Always so grumpy," she says. Then she steals a cooked carrot off my plate, and I nudge her away.

Placing a firm hand on her thigh under the table, I narrow my eyes at her. "Behave," I mouth.

"Ooohh, look at them," Maxine coos. "Already acting like an old married couple."

"Correct me if I'm wrong, but don't married couples—"

"Shut it, Finn," I interrupt him gruffly. "The next person who makes a comment on—" I pause to look at my parents and clear my throat, deciding to rephrase my sentence, "—private matters between me and my girlfriend, will get my foot up their ass."

"We're just so invested, J," Sutton says, sopping a dinner roll into some gravy. "We've all had front row seats to the Jensen and Teddy show all these years. It's been an edge of our seats 'Would They or Wouldn't They?' saga. You can't blame us for wanting to peek behind the curtain, so to speak." She takes a big bite of the soggy roll and grins at me.

"It was only a matter of time, sweetheart. We all knew that," Maxine says, her face warm with happiness. "But we'll leave you alone. Everyone knows how you hate attention Always have." She dabs the linen napkin on her mouth and shifts her attention to my baby sister. "Sutton, sweetie, didn't you just have your checkup the other day?"

Sutton shoves a bite of pot roast dripping with gravy into her mouth, chews a few times, then answers our stepmom with a hand covering her mouth. "Yep," she nods, still chewing. Finally, she swallows and removes her hand from her mouth. "Blood glucose levels are good."

Sutton was diagnosed with type 2 diabetes as a young girl and has been managing the disease since. Luckily, she's been able to manage it without any major issues by maintaining a healthy lifestyle, medication, blood sugar monitoring, and regular checkups.

"That's good news." My stepmom smiles at Sutton.

Since our mother died when Sutton was only two, Maxine is the only mom she remembers. It was Maxine that brought Sutton to the doctor after a series of yeast infections that led to the diagnosis. And just like any other time any of us needed her, Maxine stepped up and cared for Sutton the way any mom would.

I sometimes wonder who the luckier of the two is: me for having eight years of memories with our biological mom to both covet and mourn; or Sutton for having no substantial memory of the woman who birthed her? Probably me.

While I was pondering this question, the conversation moved on without me and I tune in partway.

"Do you guys remember the missing girl story from we were kids?" Vivi asks our parents.

I stifle my groan. This again? My sisters are insistent on digging into the contents of Uncle Don's safety deposit box. Every few days they'll bring it up. I'm ready to move on from it, let the mystery die a slow death right along with our uncle. What does it matter anyway? Is the identity of the birth certificate or the details of the missing girl pertinent information that affects us? I feel like that answer is a big fat no. Unfortunately, Sutton and Vivi do not agree.

"Are you talking about the stuff from Don's box at the bank?" my dad asks between bites of pot roast. He holds his fork in his right hand and a dinner roll in his left, using the bread to dish food onto the fork. After cleaning the food off the fork, he takes a bite of the bun sopped with gravy. Rinse. Repeat.

"Yeah, Dad," Sutton says. "Vivi and I have been spending some time at the public library. Maisy has been helping us dig through the old newspapers to see if we can get any information."

Maisy is the same librarian from when we signed up for the summer reading programs when we were kids. I'd plow through as many comic books as I could because Maisy said they counted as the allotted reading time I needed to earn prizes. I coveted those free McDonald's hamburger coupons.

"It's weird how there is so much information from when the girl first went missing," Vivi says, setting her silverware on her plate. She wipes her hands on the napkin and tosses it onto her plate, signaling she's had enough to eat. "It was all over the news. But, then, nothing. It's like the story just stopped. No conclusion. No explanation on what happened to the girl. One day it's big news and we're all panicked and discussing curfews and buddy systems; and then the next, not another single mention of it. Poof. Done."

"I vaguely remember it," my dad says. He forks more beef onto his plate from the serving dish in front of him. Holding his hand out for the gravy bowl that's next to my stepmom, he continues his thought, "They organized search parties, if I remember correctly."

"We were pretty much on lockdown, from what I remember," Teddy says. She looks over at me before asking, "Do you remember that, J? Suddenly we weren't allowed to ride bikes to The 365 Diner for fries after school by ourselves. I don't feel like that lasted long, though. Right? Weren't we back to life as usual after a few weeks?"

"Yeah. I think you're right. I remember the whole missing girl hoopla, but I feel like it did fade fast," I reply.

Come to think of it, it is a bit strange how the whole thing seems to mysteriously fade into the background. Is it understandable if the news bored of the story if something bigger came along, but a small-town community? No, our attention span for local drama is not that short. Why weren't we more dedicated to the wellbeing of this missing girl? How could it just fizzle out?

"I don't remember this at all," JJ pipes up.

"Well, you would have been pretty young, sweetie," Maxine says.

"Yeah, if I was seven, then you would have been five," Sutton supplies. "Makes sense you don't remember it. I only sort of remember it because it was such a big thing for a bit."

While the girls continue discussing the mystery, I turn to Teddy. "I forgot we always rode our bikes to The 365 Diner after school. Remember how you would dip your fries into ketchup first and then ranch. And then your ranch would be all orangey from the ketchup getting mixed in." I did a fake-gagging gesture. "So gross, baby."

She smirks at me. "I still do it sometimes. Just not in front of you since you always do that gaggy thing."

"What you should have done," Charlie leans his head around Teddy, wedging his way into our conversation, "is dip the fries into a chocolate milkshake. The salty and sweet plus hot and cold combo is the ultimate after school treat."

"Agreed," Finn says from across the table. "It's also a good drunk snack. Not that I'd know, of course. It's what I hear," he quickly corrects, flashing an angelic smile at his mom.

"Cut the shit, Twin 1," my dad says. "This town talks; and they've told me plenty about your shenanigans at Roxy's every Friday night. All of you," he says, pointing his half-eaten dinner roll at each one of us at the table one by one.

"Twin 1," Teddy snickers into my shoulder. "I forgot Ike called the twins that."

Since Finn and Charlie are identical, it took my dad awhile to tell them apart in the beginning. Finally, Finn and Charlie would resort to holding up one or two fingers, depending on which twin it was. Long after he learned to differentiate them, the nicknames stuck.

After supper, everyone fills their hands with dishes and files into the kitchen, setting to work dishing up leftovers and doing dishes. A handful return to the dining room to carry the extra chairs to the basement.

After stashing the extra chairs downstairs, I head back to the kitchen to see what else needs to be done. Teddy is huddled with the girls, each holding a glass of wine in their hands, as they talk and laugh.

I watch my girlfriend interact with my mom, sisters, and cousin, and I instantly feel a warmth flood my body. It isn't the first time she's spent time with my family. In fact, she could probably be counted as an honorary family member from how well they all know each other. But this is the first time it means something different. She's jumped from childhood friend to potential wife and mother of my kids status, a legitimate "Welcome to the Family" guest.

My racing heart is telling me how much the idea of this excites me. And scares me. Probably in equal measure.

Teddy spots me staring at her and she smiles. The other women clock this and turn to look at me. My stepmom clutches her heart again, dancing her fingers a few times, and her eyes mist over. My sister and I got the stepmom jackpot, that is certain.

"Hey, J," Sutton calls. She leans against the island, waiting for me to close the distance between us before continuing her train of thought.

I take the few strides into the center of the kitchen, stopping behind Teddy. I tug her into my front, wrapping an arm around her middle. She cranes her neck to show me her smiling face and I quickly steal a kiss.

"Ew, gross," my sister says, rolling her eyes.

I gesture with my hand for her to continue, resting my chin atop Teddy's head.

"Have you visited grandpa lately?" Sutton asks. She pushes away from the counter and sips from her wine glass. "I stopped there before coming here thinking maybe I could bring him if he was having a good day."

"I'm assuming it wasn't a good day since he's not here?" Teddy asks. She softly tickles my arm that holds her against me. It's my new favorite thing she does. The sensation is both calming and arousing.

Sutton shakes her head and leaks out a long sigh. "One of the worst yet," she admits in a low voice.

"I'll bring Scout by to see him again. Grandpa seems to like the little guy." The last time I dropped by to visit my grandpa, Scout tagged along, and he was a big hit at the assisted living home. It's hard to resist a big fur of sunshine.

"He's pretty freaking lovable," Teddy says. "Hard to resist his charm."

"You only say that because he's not eating your underwear on a daily basis," I say, pinching Teddy in the sides. The stupid dog cannot be tamed, I swear.

Teddy squirms out of my arms and spins to face me wearing her saucy smile. "He obviously loves me the mostest."

"Duh, who wouldn't?" I whisper gruffly into her ear after I pull her back to me.

"So," Sully's deep voice booms into the kitchen, "who's ready for a friendly family game of basketball? Let's get this shit over with so I can get my ass back home. Yeah?"

It's customary to end each family supper with a basketball game. And I say game loosely since it's mostly just a bunch of overgrown children flailing around with poor sportsmanship and lots of shit talking.

A bunch of cheers echo in the kitchen and follow us out of the house as we all file outside. Sully and I stand in front of the group in the cul-de-sac, the designated team captains. This is met with the usual complaints and arguments that other people should get a turn to be captains. Sully shushes them with a whistle, never one to accept whining for long. Once the group has quieted, he turns to me holding his fists in the air between us.

"Rock, paper, scissors," we count off before casting our choices. Sully threw rock; I covered it with my hand, demonstrating that paper beats rock.

Turning back to face my potential recruits, I point to the person who is always my first choice and call out, "Finn."

A loud boo comes from the crowd, and I'm surprised to find Teddy cupping her hands over her mouth. "I'm sorry, baby," I call apologetically, "but you know you suck."

As Finn walks to stand in line beside me, he coughs into his hand and whisper-yells, "Yeah, she sucks, J. Do you even hear yourself?"

As his words sink in, my widened eyes lock on Teddy's. I shove my stepbrother back toward the group and announce loudly, "I want a do-over." I point at my girlfriend with my biggest smile. "Baby, you want to join my team?"

Everyone laughs and cheers, making lewd comments and gestures. Teddy joins me at the front, immediately hiding behind me with her head buried against my back.

"I hate you," she groans. "You're as bad as they are."

I chuckle as Sully makes his first pick, and quickly we're divided into two teams.

My dad and stepmom watch from the front porch, rocking back and forth on the swing. I distinctly remember my dad and mom's relationship being a happy one. Lots of laughter and affection tempered with passionate arguments and makeup kisses. My dad's relationship with Maxine is calmer in comparison, but the love and companionship they share is obvious.

Seeing them together on the porch swing like they have so many nights of my life hits different tonight. I tug Teddy into my arms, lowering my lips to hers for a sweet kiss; and just as my hand grazes over her ass, everyone groans.

"We see enough of this at work!" Vivi yells.

"Cut them some slack," JJ says. She kicked off her high heels on the porch and is playing barefoot. "They're making up for lost time."

"I wonder if they'll be more or less handsy once they finally hump," Charlie wonders.

Teddy's eyes shoot to the porch to see if my parents can hear the conversation, and I shake my head at her to tell her they can't.

"I have it on good authority," Finn butts in, "that there's plenty of humping of the dry variety."

"Where are you getting this info?" Sutton wants to know.

Finn smirks. "A certain kitty cat purred it in my ear." We all laugh knowing he's referring to Rylie.

"It seems like someone has a crush on this kitty cat," Sutton teases with a smirk of her own.

Teddy snorts. "Rylie would never go for Finn," she declares.

Finn brushes a hand over his face, considering her statement, and then he issues a shit-eating grin. "I feel like I've been issued a challenge."

Teddy shoots him a disgusted look. "Gross. Is it allowed to declare my best friend off limits?"

"For fuck's sake," Sully swears. He dribbles the ball angrily. "Is social hour over yet so we can fucking play?"

We spend an hour chasing each other around the makeshift basketball course, screaming foul play and demanding replays, before we finally call the game. My team loses by a landslide, but I can't muster the energy to care when my girlfriend jumps onto my back and kisses her apologies along my neck.

She's never been athletic. I've known it since the first day she showed up on the cul-de-sac when we were eight; but fuck if it isn't cute watching her poor sportsmanship when her competitive side sneaks out.

As everyone is hugging their goodbyes, Maxine sidles up to me. Teddy is pinned between Finn and Charlie in a bear hug, her high-pitched laugh loud on the quiet street. My stepmom follows my line of sight and nudges me with her shoulder. "Looks to me like you really like her," she says, smiling brightly up at me.

"It's more than just a mild cause of like at this point," I admit softly, my eyes never tearing away from my girlfriend as she moves onto the next sibling hug.

Maxine pats my back a few times in acknowledgement before leaving me to take her turn hugging Teddy.

Yep, definitely way more than a mild case of like. More like a burgeoning outbreak bordering on love. Ahhh, hell, who is I am kidding? It's full-blown love.

Shit. The thought sucker punches me. Love.