a dog. We can go on smelling adventures. "
He smiled. " That would be fun. "
~*~
" Well, she ' s down, " Summer said as she took a seat next to Matthew on the back patio. The sky was finally getting dark, and while Emma wanted to stay up, it was already nine, and she ' d been yawning all through the card games they had been playing.
So had Summer.
" I probably should be going, " Matthew said. He didn ' t really want to, but he didn ' t think he could hang around all night.
Part of him just wanted to make sure Summer was okay from her asthma attack earlier. She hadn ' t wheezed once all evening, so he had no reason to worry. If he was honest with himself, though, he really only wanted to be around her more.
He wasn ' t the best with being honest with himself.
" You don ' t have to, " Summer said. She had a fresh glass of wine. " Sit down, relax. "
He glanced toward the back door, expecting the rest of the family to come out and join them. It seemed that every chance they had alone together was soon flooded by her sisters. Her mother seemed to keep her distance, but her sisters, especially Autumn, seemed intent on butting into any private moment they had.
Perhaps that wasn ' t a bad thing. Maybe he didn ' t need to be alone with her.
Maybe they were just making sure that Summer was taken care of.
She obviously didn ' t need him here, she had her whole life figured out.
Still didn ' t stop his reluctance to leave.
He looked around the backyard, taking in the patio, the little barbecue area in the corner, the seating area they were in now, and the large shed painted with bright swirls and peace signs. Or at least, it was once bright colors, weather had faded it.
" What is the deal with that shed? " he asked.
She grinned. " Me and my sisters decided to honor Mother ' s commune living for Mother ' s Day one year. So we snuck out here the night before, and painted it. "
" How come just on the front? "
" We painted the whole thing. But the neighbors complained it was an eye sore, so Mom repainted the sides that faced out, but she left the front just the way we did it so we could always see it. "
" What did she think? "
" Oh she was amazed. She thought it was wonderful. "
" Do you remember being on the commune? I assume you lived there. "
" Until Mom had Autumn. I was five when we left. "
" Why did you leave? "
She shrugged. " We needed a better house for the family. One with proper running water. " She glanced at the sky, a big grin on her face. " I remember moving in here, and standing in the shower forever. It was like magic to have so much water pour out on me, and not have to worry about wasting it. "
" That ' s an odd thing for a kid to worry about, here. "
She blinked. " What do you mean, here? "
" In the USA. To worry about wasting water like that. I would expect that in Iraq. "
She nodded. " You see a lot of that over there? "
" More than I wanted. Things I hope I never see again. " Images and sensations flashed--memories of the darkness he ' d witnessed while he ' d been in battle. Or on patrol. Or just walking. Even in the brilliant, burning sunshine, it felt dark there. He couldn ' t explain it--like a shadow of anger covered the land.
He didn ' t ever want to see that again.
" I hope you don ' t either, " Summer said.
He ran his hand over his head. " I shouldn ' t have to. I ' m staying stateside now. "
" That ' s good. I won ' t have to worry about you being over there, and watching the news all the time again. "
" Why would you worry about me? " Matthew asked.
She met his gaze. " Because I do that. " She touched his hand.
Their fingers slipped together, and she squeezed. The contact was soothing and the darkness that had been stirred up from memories started to fade.
" You don ' t have to worry about me, " Matthew said. " If anything, I should be the furthest thing from your mind. "
" Why is that? "
" You have enough on your plate. I ' m just passing through. "
" Doesn ' t
He smiled. " That would be fun. "
~*~
" Well, she ' s down, " Summer said as she took a seat next to Matthew on the back patio. The sky was finally getting dark, and while Emma wanted to stay up, it was already nine, and she ' d been yawning all through the card games they had been playing.
So had Summer.
" I probably should be going, " Matthew said. He didn ' t really want to, but he didn ' t think he could hang around all night.
Part of him just wanted to make sure Summer was okay from her asthma attack earlier. She hadn ' t wheezed once all evening, so he had no reason to worry. If he was honest with himself, though, he really only wanted to be around her more.
He wasn ' t the best with being honest with himself.
" You don ' t have to, " Summer said. She had a fresh glass of wine. " Sit down, relax. "
He glanced toward the back door, expecting the rest of the family to come out and join them. It seemed that every chance they had alone together was soon flooded by her sisters. Her mother seemed to keep her distance, but her sisters, especially Autumn, seemed intent on butting into any private moment they had.
Perhaps that wasn ' t a bad thing. Maybe he didn ' t need to be alone with her.
Maybe they were just making sure that Summer was taken care of.
She obviously didn ' t need him here, she had her whole life figured out.
Still didn ' t stop his reluctance to leave.
He looked around the backyard, taking in the patio, the little barbecue area in the corner, the seating area they were in now, and the large shed painted with bright swirls and peace signs. Or at least, it was once bright colors, weather had faded it.
" What is the deal with that shed? " he asked.
She grinned. " Me and my sisters decided to honor Mother ' s commune living for Mother ' s Day one year. So we snuck out here the night before, and painted it. "
" How come just on the front? "
" We painted the whole thing. But the neighbors complained it was an eye sore, so Mom repainted the sides that faced out, but she left the front just the way we did it so we could always see it. "
" What did she think? "
" Oh she was amazed. She thought it was wonderful. "
" Do you remember being on the commune? I assume you lived there. "
" Until Mom had Autumn. I was five when we left. "
" Why did you leave? "
She shrugged. " We needed a better house for the family. One with proper running water. " She glanced at the sky, a big grin on her face. " I remember moving in here, and standing in the shower forever. It was like magic to have so much water pour out on me, and not have to worry about wasting it. "
" That ' s an odd thing for a kid to worry about, here. "
She blinked. " What do you mean, here? "
" In the USA. To worry about wasting water like that. I would expect that in Iraq. "
She nodded. " You see a lot of that over there? "
" More than I wanted. Things I hope I never see again. " Images and sensations flashed--memories of the darkness he ' d witnessed while he ' d been in battle. Or on patrol. Or just walking. Even in the brilliant, burning sunshine, it felt dark there. He couldn ' t explain it--like a shadow of anger covered the land.
He didn ' t ever want to see that again.
" I hope you don ' t either, " Summer said.
He ran his hand over his head. " I shouldn ' t have to. I ' m staying stateside now. "
" That ' s good. I won ' t have to worry about you being over there, and watching the news all the time again. "
" Why would you worry about me? " Matthew asked.
She met his gaze. " Because I do that. " She touched his hand.
Their fingers slipped together, and she squeezed. The contact was soothing and the darkness that had been stirred up from memories started to fade.
" You don ' t have to worry about me, " Matthew said. " If anything, I should be the furthest thing from your mind. "
" Why is that? "
" You have enough on your plate. I ' m just passing through. "
" Doesn ' t