Page 78 of Game Over

“Hey, Allie, babe, ya busy?” Spencer swung open the door and walked into my office without knocking.

“Oh my god, what!” I shouted at him as I slammed my hands down on my desk, my head whipping in his direction. I could feel my body heat from head to toe in frustration, and I immediately regretted yelling as soon as it happened, but I couldn’t stop it.

“Hey, what’s going on? What’s wrong?” He scanned my face, worry etched into features at my sudden outburst. The room was suddenly too hot and small. I needed air and his attention off of me. Deep down, I knew this would be what broke us. It was only a matter of time until I fucked this up.

“Nothing's wrong, I'm fine.” I turned away from him, embarrassed that I lashed out like a toddler and went back to fighting with my computer. I clicked around aimlessly, hoping that whatever was causing it to freeze up over and over would miraculously stop. I should've known it wouldn’t be that easy. He stepped up behind me and gently massaged my neck and shoulders, releasing the tension from them.

“It’s not you against me and the problem. It’s me and you against the problem. We’re a team, okay?” I simply nodded my head and sniffled, still too embarrassed to meet his eyes. He turned me around in my chair and lifted my chin up, forcing me to meet his gaze. “Okay?”

They say that if you grew up with an angry man in your house, there will always be an angry man in your house. It’s times like this I fear I was that angry man in my house. Forever bothered by the small things or things I couldn’t control. Lashing out at people when I become too overwhelmed or anxious.

“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to act that way. That wasn’t fair to you at all for me to take my anger out like that. I’m overwhelmed and frustrated. That’s not an excuse, but I’m still really sorry.”

“Do you want to talk about it, or would you like me to give you some space?” God, he was kind and more patient than I deserved. I let out a sigh and rested my forehead against his stomach.

“It’s not been a great day at work today. Everything seems to be going wrong, and then I forgot I have to go to my mom’s house, and I really don’t want to after a long day, but I promised my sister I’d help her. I can’t let her down.” Tears started to flow freely now. I knew I was being dramatic, but I couldn’t help it. My mom was always so tired or stressed that I learned early on to keep my emotions close to my chest to make life easier for her and those around me.

“How about this? The day is almost over. Why don’t I get you some cold water and a snack, and then I’ll drive us to your mom’s, so you can read on the way. When we get there, I’ll order us some Mexican food to be delivered. Does that sound good, sweetheart?”

“That sounds really fucking great, actually.” I let out a small laugh, still mind blown that even after this short time, he knew better than I knew myself, and knew exactly what I needed. For once, someone is taking care of me the way I take care of others.

As promised, he brought me one of my big cups filled with fresh water and a bowl of white cheddar Cheez-its while I wrapped up my work day. There were several unanswered emails and still multiple items on my to-do list, but that could wait till tomorrow.

Gathering up all of my sewing stuff, I put it in my basket to safely carry, and then grabbed all the extra fabrics I knew I might need as well. I knew my mom still had a sewing machine at her house, so if there was something I couldn’t hand-stitch, then I could use hers.

Fall was in full swing in Maplewood. The weather stopped swinging from hot to cold to hot again. Especially as the evenings rolled in. The cool evenings were perfect for sitting outside and not being eaten alive by bugs. Our porch was fully decked out in fall, and Halloween decorations with skeletons set up on some of the chairs, pumpkins and mums lined the stairs, and then a fake cemetery in the front yard. All the trees were painted in deep, beautiful shades of orange, yellow, and red. The sidewalk and roads are littered with fallen leaves.

I rolled the windows down to enjoy the breeze and the smell of the crisp fall air as we made my way to my mom’s. Everything about me loved the spooky season and all the fun things that came along with it.

Pulling up to my mom’s, Spencer helped grab everything, and we made our way inside. Olivia was lounging on the couch when we came up, her costume already hanging in the doorframe, waiting. When she saw us, she jumped up and came over to me, wrapping her arms around me. She may be seventeen, but she wasn’t too big yet to stop hugging me. I always worried that once she’d hit the teenage phase, she’d stop wanting to hang out with her older sister, but it never happened. Did we hang out less because she had her own friends and school? Yes, but never because she didn’t want to. Even when I did embarrass her.

“Hey sis, you ready to get this finished up?” I squeezed her back and placed a quick kiss on the top of her head.

“Yep, I am! I’m excited. I think it’s going to turn out really, really good. Hey Spencer, how are you?” She went over and hugged him too, which surprised both him and me. Normally, she didn’t show physical affection to anyone who wasn’t me or my mom.

“Hey there, kid, I’m good. You also a big fan of Halloween like your sister?”

“Well, duh, it is the best holiday.” She popped her hip out and playfully rolled her eyes, and looked at him like he asked if the sky was blue or the grass was green.

“Told ya, boy wonder.” I couldn’t help the smirk that I slid Spencer’s way. He now had three of us to deal with, counting Em, of course. The flat glare I got back said he knew exactly what I was thinking. Outnumbered. I grinned back even wider. “Go ahead and throw the costume on, and then we’ll see what needs to be finished. It shouldn’t take us long.”

Olivia and her group of friends had decided to go as zombie versions of princesses. She already had Belle’s blue dress from an old play to use, but we decided to make some alterations to fit the zombie theme a little better. We made the hem ragged, added some holes to the base layer and the apron as well, and we also added bloody handprints and marks around it too. Along with that, we created a fake brain to put in her basket with an old book, and then a shattered mirror as well.

Spencer stepped into the kitchen to place our dinner order, and Olivia came bounding back down the hall moments later. I was humming an old Disney tune as I double-checked all my materials.

“You really love him, don’t you?” Olivia had taken her spot on the stool for me and was peering down at me like I was a problem she couldn’t solve. “I don’t think I’ve ever seen you this… carefree? Happy? I’m not sure what it is, but something changed in you, and it started once he came around.”

“I do, but I don’t know why that’s so surprising. I am capable of loving people. Plus, I was plenty happy before he came around!” I jerked back slightly, and my brows shot to my hairline. I sounded slightly more defensive than I should have, but it was true. I was happy. Somewhat.

As if reading my mind, she shot back, “Yes, you were kind of happy, but also not really, sissy. Besides that shitty ass ex of yours, you never brought anyone home. You started working all the time, always seemed tired, and when we had time together, you didn’t seem fully present. Which is fine, I understand there are things in your big girl life I won’t always know, but I could tell.”I blinked at her, for once feeling out of my depth at how to respond to her.

“First off, language, ma’am.” Standing from the ottoman, I flicked her on the nose and cocked my brow at her, which earned me her signature overdramatic eyeroll. “Second off, you’re way too damn perceptive for your age. Also, there wasn’t anyone worth bringing around. Not that I was dating much anyway, but that isn’t totally your business, spawn. As far as work goes, I wanted to prove myself. To show I was just as good, if not better than, everyone else. Looking back, though, I realize now that I sacrificed parts of myself for a job that didn’t care and I regret that. Please don’t ever make that mistake, Olivia. Please.”

I took a deep breath and looked toward the kitchen, where I knew Spencer was, and smiled. “To answer your question, though, yes. I do love him. So much. He’s treated me better than any man has before, and it’s almost scary cause I feel like I should be waiting for the other shoe to drop, and it hasn’t yet. He treats me like a queen, and I hope you find a love like this one day, Olivia. I really do. Promise me you’ll never settle.” I grabbed her hands in mine and squeezed them tight.

“I promise. I’m glad you have him. You deserve to be happy, sissy. Really and truly happy.” We hugged each other tightly, and then I sat back down to set to work on her costume.

I finished the last stitch, and Spencer watched while he ate his food that had been delivered not long ago.