Page 5 of Fibre and Ink

“Awesome. Thank you.” Aster said.

Harlow gave me a hug and I squeezed her tight, silently thanking her for making this happen.

Aster hugged me next, which I wasn’t prepared for. I didn’t want him to feel unwelcome though, so I gave him one of my best bear hugs.

Aster leaned against me and I felt the muscles in his back relax. In my head I said welcome home. But I kept it in. He’d said temporary. There was no need to get weird about it.

Getting Aster’s things up the stairs and into his room created a flurry of activity. I asked him if he wanted to use his own sheets (he didn’t), and showed him which bathroom he would be using.

Then we all went back downstairs. “I’m headed back.” Harlow kissed my cheek.

“How about I come around for dinner, in a day or two? Once you’re settled in?”

“Sounds great,” my mouth said. My brain had the wild urge to grab her and make her stay, so I wouldn’t be alone with Aster. Which was stupid.

I was too used to being alone.

What did I think was going to happen?

That I would forget how to speak, or Aster would suddenly turn mean?

I needed this more than I thought. I was in serious danger of becoming a weird alpaca hermit.

“Perfect.” Aster hugged her tight and then she was gone, her tidy little jeep pulling out of the drive way.

Silence followed.

Weird, awkward silence with us both sort of staring at the door where she’d just been.

I cleared my throat. “Uh, would you like a tea? Coffee? Cocoa?”

“Cocoa would actually be amazing.” Aster turned, giving me the kind of smile that could be used to sell toothpaste.

I nodded, thankful to have a task to do. “Regular milk, oat or almond?” (Yes, I'd panicked and bought all kinds of milk in case Aster had an allergy.)

“Regular’s fine,” Aster said. “Be back in a sec, I want to unpack some.”

“Oh, sure. I can make it for like, in a half hour if you like?”

“No,” Aster shook his head.

Both of us nodding and shaking heads, staring at each other all awkward. We must look like a couple of Muppets.

“I’ll just do a little, make the cocoa now, please.”

So formal. I barely stopped myself from nodding again and cleared my throat. “Cool.”

“Cool.”

Aster escaped upstairs and I went to the kitchen, getting to work on the cocoas. I made them the old-fashioned way, heating milk on the stovetop and melting chocolate in it... the way Mom always made it. It was good to have the ritual to distract myself with.

I flicked on the radio and hummed along to the Beach Boys. I loved this kind of old dad rock, because I'm uncool. It's fine.

I heard a noise behind me and saw Aster, smiling sheepishly.

“This feels a bit weird, right?”

Relieved, I grinned at him. “Yeah. I can’t think of the last time you were here and Harlow wasn’t.”