Page 156 of Rescued
It doesn’tfeellike a formality. It feels like a big fucking deal, and also like everything is working against us. Arlo and Jasper applied to adopt us literally the day after their wedding, but everything has gone wrong. The courthouse lost our paperwork, and then it took months for my fuckass parents to get their rights taken away.
A big part of me wants to be excited, and Iam,but I’m also still getting used to the idea that things can work out for me the way they’re supposed to.
“Wanna drive?”
I shake my head. “I can’t drive with Nora. You know that’s Arlo’s rule.”
“I know,” Jasper says. “But I already talked to him, and he’s gonna take Nora, and I thought maybe you’d wanna take your new car out with me.”
I sit straight up in bed, my heart jumping. “Are you deadass?”
Jasper’s brows draw together in confusion. “Am I what now?”
“Deadass. It’s like serious.” I roll my eyes. Old man.
He nods. “I am indeed deadass.”
That makes me laugh. “Okay, ew. Don’t say that.”
Putting on a pouty face, Jasper cocks his head. “What? Is it cringe or something?”
That makes me laugh even harder. “Oh my God. Don’t say that either.”
He rolls his eyes. “You kids don’t let me have any fun.”
I shake my head with a grin. “Are you sure you want me to drive? Arlo’s, like, always acting like I’m gonna kill us or something.”
He’s really dramatic about it. Last time I drove him somewhere, he kept grabbing the dash and slamming his foot into the floorboard.
I was on a back road.
Going five under the speed limit.
I looked in my mirror, and he yelled at me to keep my eyes on the road.
I nearly roll my eyes at the memory. God forbid I stay aware of my surroundings the way Jasper taught me to do.
“Burning buildings, kid,” he sing-songs as he walks out of the room. “Now come on!”
I get dressed in record time, and when I walk into the kitchen, Nora and Arlo are sitting at the island. “I’m really the last one up, huh?”
“Guess that’s being a teenager for you.” Arlo grins. “I’m glad you get to sleep in.”
Me too. After Arlo left, I spent a lot of time not sleeping. It wasn’t long after that Dad moved back in and Mom started using again. I didn’t tell Arlo for a long time. I didn’t want him to feel bad. But I spent a long time staying up late to keep an eye on Nora and getting up early to get us both to school.
Sleeping in is a privilege. Even more so in a house that’s safe.
“Jasper told me to hurry up, but he’s not even in here.”
“He’s starting the cars,” Nora says. “Said he doesn’t want us to be cold.”
That right there is the shit I’m talking about. What do you mean someone is looking out for my well-being and actually cares about things like if I’m cold or not?
The door opens, and Jasper walks in, blowing on his hands. “Cold as hell out there.”
“Language,” Nora and Arlo say in unison.
Damn. We really don’t let him have any fun. I’m gonna tell him he can cuss all he wants on the way to the courthouse. Get it all out of his system or whatever.
