I sigh into his kiss, feeling totally rebellious.
Mom and Dad weren't home, having gone out for something, so he stayed with me, with the intentionally of moral suppose, But since they were out and his Parents had Owen…well we ended up in my bed as we were the only ones here as Shirley was working and Wynnie was out with friends from what he texted when I asked if he was home or not.
Hands run over each other's body and hair. Breathing in the cologne and perfume that we wore. It was positively thrilling to think that he was in my bed, in my room without anyone knowing.
"You need a bigger bed," Ken mumbles against my lips.
"Tell me about it," I answer him back. "Which is why I love coming to your place?"
"Oh, I get it now," His voice teasingly but with a touch of hurt.
I shut him up as I catch his lip, and his tongue the moment I can. No more talk, no time for talk.
His hands are under my shirt now, which he had unbuttoned so it was just my bralette in the open.
"Rilla—shit I am so sorry!" I hear Wynnie's voice from my doorway turning around, hand up as if she was ready to knock on my open door.
"Shit," I say, pushing aside Ken and holding my shirt together.
"I should have…I am so sorry! I was looking for something my friend was going to borrow that was in the laundry…I thought maybe it got put up here instead?" Wynnie says at the same time and we both stare at each other as I follow her into the hallway "So you and Ken huh?"
"I'm going to tell them, I was going to tell them when they get back tonight, please don't say anything to them or Shirley, " I beg her.
"Why would I?" Wynnie asked. "You're practically 20 years old, hell I married Lee when we were twenty! Who, or what you have in your bed consensually is not mine or Lee's business, let alone your parents. I will just ask you one thing, you want this?"
"I never wanted anything more, and it was all my idea," I say nodding my head.
"I figured it was, and all that matters is that you are happy, you deserve to be happy. At least this explains all the smiles and humming over the past weeks," Wynnie tells me.
"I haven't" I disagree.
"You might fool your parents and your brother, but I know when I see a woman in love," Wynnie grins. "Be safe," she says before skipping back down the stairs.
I look back towards my room and see Ken standing just by the door. His shirt rumpled still, as well as his hair.
"I guess we stick to your place?" I say to him.
"Might be wise," Ken says nodding his head.
I end up telling Ken it will be fine, and that it will be easier for me to tell my parents on my own, he tells me he's only a call or text away before departing only fifteen minutes before my parents get home. I hide away in my room trying to gain courage, as I grab the accessories that I knew I would need for Owen for tomorrow and her three years old birthday portraits that Leslie and Owen want to get done. I also make myself a bag of my own things just in case not knowing how things were going to go down.
I wait until I hear things in the kitchen before gathering my courage and making my way downstairs.
I find myself taking a deep breath as I see my parents prep something for dinner in the kitchen together. Watching them move around each other like they were dancing. As if they had years of being together to perfect it.
"Rilla, I didn't know you were back," Dad says seeing me. "Where is Owen?"
"Uhh, she is with Leslie and Ken's Dad? He came in to drop me off for work," I explain. "She'll be back tomorrow," I add on.
"Shouldn't you be at work?" Mom says looking at the time. It wasn't even four in the afternoon yet, and Ken had snuck out before they got home.
"I work seven to eleven," I tell her, taking another breath. "Can I talk to you guys?" I ask.
They both look at me with a queer look on their faces and the each other but nod their heads.
"Of course sweetheart," Dad says. "What do you want to talk about?"
"Well, I figure that you have concluded that I've been seeing someone?" I say as I feel my heart racing.
"We may have picked up on a few things here and there," Mom nods her head. "Do you want to invite him over for dinner is that what it's about? Or is it her, you know we don't care about such things."
"No, not quite, umm, he is a he," I say biting my lip. "It's just who this person is, we've been waiting to make sure that this would work out, which is why I haven't said anything about him."
I watch Mom's face falter slightly as Dad squares his shoulders a bit more as if they know what is coming.
"I didn't mean to hide anything, it was just easier. It was easier to know what we wanted, if this could or would work for us and we think it will." I try to explain to them, my nerves getting the better of me.
"When did this start?" Mom voices ask evenly.
"March," I say quietly. "I had been thinking about things on and off since probably Christmas."
"You said there was nothing between you," Dad speaks up.
"There wasn't, but the more time we spent together, with Owen. I don't know it just happened and I got tired of lying to myself. Pretending that I didn't care? I needed to know that all the little things that were happening were not just in my head. This was all me, Ken—," I say his name for the first time and Mom sucks in her breath.
"That's why you went to the Fords, they know already," Mom says her voice louder.
"He told them two weeks ago," I say quietly nodding my head.
"Those nights, where you were out or coming home late from work?" Dad asks next and I blush bright red. I tried my best to not mention names ever but I know they wouldn't see it as anything other than lying.
"So you abused our kindness to watch Owen too spend the evening or Night with Ken?" Mom says with an edge to her voice. "So you could go out and have sex?"
"Oh, thanks for making me sound like a whore," I spit out rolling my eyes suddenly angry. "Also The only time you have watched her for the entire night in the past two months was for the Telethon and I said I would find a place to crash, I never actually ever lied to you! Otherwise, she has either been at daycare, or we make the best of time with her. We didn't rush into this."
"You lied by omission Rilla, you snuck around, omitted truths because you knew we wouldn't like this!" Mom's voice raises.
"Of course I did! You're beginning to react just like I pictured in my head," I find my voice whining slightly. "I'm not sixteen anymore! I can decide who I want to be with, and if we're both okay with it, why does it matter!"
"Because! There is history there, and that will always cloud your judgement," Mom retorts.
"We've spent the past almost two years dating other people and having relationships that only made us realize that you can't help what the heart wants sometimes. I know you don't think that highly of me, but I give me some credit, I mean I should know my own heart!"
"Anne, we cannot stop her if this is what she wants," Dad cuts in, "Rilla, you shouldn't have been secretive and told us from the start," he adds on.
"Why so you can poison the idea before I could even give a real chance? So you could sit us down and talk about it like were children?" I spit at him. "We made our own decisions, we made sure that we understood what this could mean to Owen, and how could this affect her. We made sure we had backup and contingency plans. We didn't just jump into bed together, we didn't make any rash decisions."
"Well, thank god for that," Mom says sarcastically. "For a moment I was beginning to think that the only reason you were telling us is that you found yourself pregnant again."
"I can't," I say holding my head. "Give us an ounce of credit, we made one stupid mistake four years ago, and you will never let it go. Trust me, if I thought I was paranoid about getting pregnant again, Ken in ten times worse, god the guy can't even go one round without asking that I haven't missed a pill or if I took it."
"There is no need to be crude Rilla," Mom snaps rolling her eyes.
"Are you serious? You would have been over the moon to hear that if I was dating anyone else!" I say frustrated, I feel tears well up behind my eyes.
"Who else knows?"
"Does it matter?" I snap at the question.
"Rilla," Dad warns me.
"Friends, and Joy, but she only knows because she overheard me talking to Olivia," I say, "God even Owen didn't really even know up until yesterday morning."
"Oh so I get it, you realized that Owen wouldn't be able to keep it a secret and you had to tell us, that is the only reason why you're telling us right now," Mom responds sarcastically.
"Anne," Dad says sharply.
But I make no move to refute the accusation and Dad sighs.
"We'll talk about this later," Mom tells me.
"There's nothing to bloody talk about," I say holding my ground. "I'm telling you as a courtesy, nothing more. I am dating Ken, who is the father of my child and if you don't like it, tough, because I have never been happier!. If you don't like it then I will find another place to live and I will be out of your hair."
I threaten them and they both look afraid for a moment.
"Let not resort to saying such things," Dad says and I groan. What would it take for them to throw me out of the house? Probably nothing I say in the back of my mind, they aren't those sorts of parents.
No one says anything for a good moment so I turn on my heel.
"Where are you going!" Mom exclaims.
"Away from here," I say back sarcastically. I grab my bags and drive over to Kens, my anger slowly turning more into tears. I sneak into his building at someone's leave, they've seen me enough they probably think I live here. When he opens the door I bury my face in his chest and just cry.
His arms are around me in a millisecond pulling me into a hug.
"Hey—hey it will be all right. You will see?" He says into my ear. "They don't have to like it, but they also have no right to tell you or us how feel."
I nod my head still sniffling in his chest.
"I should have stayed and been with you," and I shake my head. That would have only made it ten times worse.
"Come on, I'll make some food up for us, you need to eat before work," Ken tells me, I don't have the heart to tell him that I'm not hungry, that any food would just be pushed around my plate until I gave up on eating.
To his credit he doesn't plate up much, roasted broccoli and cauliflower he keeps around more mostly for me. A small piece of chicken with some seasonings on it. I am pretty sure that he feeds Owen more food than he gave me.
I find myself breaking down as I struggle to finish the little he gave me. I don't know why it was hitting me as hard as it was. I knew they would react in such a way, and while I know they can't actually separate us at this point, it still hurt more than I thought it ever would.
I don't say much as he takes my plate and leads me into his room, pulling me down to lie in his bed, I cry and cry in his arms until I am forced to either call into work or work. He ends up driving me, my eyes still puffy and Stacy looks at me as I enter.
"Oh dear, what happened?" She asks as I try and grab my apron.
"I fought with my parents," I tell her simply. "I'll be okay, I just need a moment."
"Fight about what?"
"My choice of a relationship," I say quietly and sigh. "I'll be okay, I can make it through four hours tonight, it will give me something other than their disapproval to think about?"
Stacy nods her head. "Well, everything is freshly stocked up, if you can make sure the bathrooms are cleaned properly you'll have an easy night. But I can call in Avery if you want the need off?"
I shake my head, I definitely need the money. Forcing a smile on my face as I try to make myself feel better.
Ken comes in after running to the store to grab a few things before they closed, with his laptop and grabs a tea from the counter. He sits in the corner, typing away on something that I can only imagine for some history magazine or paper. His presence keeps me calm, so far my phone is silent which means there is a good chance my parents are still in enough shock that they haven't tried to figure out what Joy knew, or told any of my other siblings.
I realize I don't want my other siblings to know from my parents first.
I pull up the old group chat that we use from time to time and look around it was dead at work, because it was a weekday. We have our usual D&D group that rents table time and a few random dates but nothing more and I begin typing.
I have an announcement that I would like you to hear about before the weekend when you come for Owen's birthday party. Ken and I decided together that we wanted to try being in a relationship a few weeks back. We kept it quiet because we wanted to make sure it was what we both wanted and that it would work. I hope everyone can be at peace with this information and just accept that this is what I want in my life and that I am more than a willing participant. I instigated this development, I am the one who approached him. I hope you can be happy for me and leave whatever doubt you have to yourself. I will not stand for any harassment coming Ken's way either. I am sure that he will get enough from Mom and Dad who think I am still 16. I am almost 20 years old, I can make my own choices and decision. That is all I will say about this right now.
Well, pay up Shirley and Jem. I called it. Di is the first one to respond.
Pay up! They had bets going about this!'
You didn't call it Di, I was the one who told you that Rilla was seeing someone! Shirley responds next.
Yeah and I said if she's that secretive, it's most likely Ken—Di responds.
Hey, all I said is he didn't have the guts to do anything— Jem kicks in. —Faith says we're all dumbasses and says she saw it at our wedding, even if they were both with other people at the time.
You are, Nan kicks in. I mean I saw first hand when they were video chatting in January, I don't think they were together but it was friendlier than what it had been in a long while. I just don't believe in betting on my sister's love life.
I've known for a while, Wynnie pops in.
What! Shirley responds though I am sure they are in the same room.
I was watching Owen she was babbling about how she made mommy and daddy have a tea party and that she saw them kiss. I told her that she probably shouldn't go around saying such things. She did apparently?
You are all horrible for betting on this—Joy joins in chastising them.
You just jelly that you didn't win the 400$—-Di responds.
Oh, but I could have because they have been together since March—Joy texts back egging them on.
You knew!—A bunch of them respond at the same time.
Only because I overheard her talking about him to a friend in a cafe. Trust me I did not ask or want said information.—Joy tells them. Now Scarlett is crying I have to go.
Well to the losers you can e-transfer or pay me in cash when you see me.— Di tells them.
The only person who hasn't responded so far was Walter, to which I frown at but as I feel worried and hurt crowd my stomach, I get a private message from him.
He hurts either of you, he gets tossed into the sea to be never seen again. Rye says he's happy for you, and that everything works out.
And you? I ask him hesitantly but I needed to know.
Let's just be satisfied that I am not wanting to murder him right now? Walter tells me.
I am happy?- I tell him trying to make him feel okay with the news.
I know, but It's still a bit to process- Walter replies back
I tell Ken what I did, and show him some of the messages. He laughs shaking his head, visibly less worried.
"Well, at least your siblings not lining up to kill me with is nice for a change?" Ken says as he stands up. he looks around kissing my temple before he goes to relieve his nervous bladder. A few D&D guys watch us and I smile awkwardly at them, reminding them that it was almost time to close. At least two of the guys have tried to ask me out on occasion, and having Ken around should stop that from happening now.
Ken drives us back to his place at the end of my shift. After I counted the till and filled out the paperwork, not wanting to go home I go back to his place. When I don't come by 11:30 I get messages on my phone that I ignore. Turning it to do not disturb mode I curl into Ken after washing off my face wash and using one of his tees for a night shift.
"Nothing will stop me from loving you," he whispers his hands a steady weight on my shoulder pulling me closer to him. "Because I do love you, I love more than ever thought it was possible to love you."
"I love you too," I say quietly as I lay on his chest listening to his heartbeat. For the first time, I wonder if this was true love? As something so bright felt like it wanted to explode in my chest, but at the same time, it was so content to stay where it was.
Hope everyone enjoys this chapter it was a ton of fun to write!
Tina.