"I do, but I’m being facetious." She teased, "Would you like Mom and me to leave the room while you ask him?"
"No. It’s not that big a deal—"
"Isn’t it? If that’s stopping you from wanting to meet them on FaceTime?"
I heaved a sigh. "You’re not going to drop this, huh?"
"It’s Christmas, Aidan! Don’t be the Grinch."
"I thought I’d been remarkably cheerful today actually."
"Why? Are you normally a grouch?"
I winced. "Sometimes. It’s the first Christmas in years I’ve been lucid and didn’t need to pop pills."
She tipped her head to the side. "I meant it when I said I expect you to get your knee sorted out within the next twelve months. You can’t manage the pain with meds, so you’re going to have to do something else.
“Even if they can just check the knee replacement, maybe there’s something wrong with it. I know they misalign. Maybe it’s a quick and simple fix. Either way, you have to try because the addiction will be ten times harder to control when you’re in constant pain."
I pursed my lips. "I have to tell you something."
"What?" She frowned when I grimaced. "Is it bad?"
"Well, no. Not really. Maybe not anymore. When I was a kid, it was weird."
"What is it?"
"I have dyslexia."
"And?"
I heaved another sigh. "I guess a lifetime of this is going to get wearing."
"What? Me knowing your secrets before you do?" She laughed. "You take a long time to read things, Aidan.
“Plus, the first time we met, you said to me that you read the reports on me, but then later on, you mentioned that you listened to them." She hitched a shoulder. "That’s more common now, but five years ago, less so. I could be wrong, but it just stood out to me at the time, so I made sure to watch out for signs. You mouth letters and whenever you’re reading, it’s like you’re doing math."
Embarrassment filtered through me. ”I didn’t realize it was so obvious—"
Her hand came to my shoulder. "Aidan, haven’t you figured it out yet? I was obsessed with you." She chuckled, and I knew she’d had one too many glasses of wine because that chuckle was a little slurred. It also eased my mortification. "I watched you all the time. No one else would be that fascinated by you. When you were reading, it gave me the chance to watch you without you knowing." Her eyes twinkled. "I was such a stalker. If anything, your mom should have clipped me by the ear, not you."
I snorted, then reached around her, palmed the back of her neck and hauled her into me so I could give her a kiss. God, this woman. She took my shame and made it into a thing. Our thing. "Such a fucking pair. Me watching you, you watching me,” I said, shaking my head.
"Would have saved a lot of time if we’d watched each other simultaneously."
Laughing, I nodded. "You’re not wrong."
"Of course not." Her grin peeped out. "Is that what the problem was, do you think? You didn’t read what the doctors were doing or something?"
I shrugged. "Maybe." I wondered if she knew how hard that was to choke out. "On the other hand, it could be that I did something wrong. I had physio and everything and tried to do what she said, but, I don’t know... Maybe this time, it’ll be better if you’re around."
"Well, naturally it will," she chirped. "I’m going to make everything better."
Snickering, I asked, "How much have you been drinking?"
"Waaaay too much. Now, are you going to meet my folks?"
Forty-Five
Conor
aCooooig: **Thank you**
Lodestar: **You’re welcome. Did you like it?**
aCooooig: **I love it.**
Lodestar: **I figured. You mentioned the cat before and then, the other night, Eoghan did as well. I don’t know, I figured you needed a dog to level shit out.**
aCooooig: **How does that level shit out?**
Lodestar: **Well, it’s like yin and yang. Don’t you think you’re either a dog or a pussy person?**
aCooooig: **Lol! Well, I’m definitely a pussy person, but I appreciate your yin.**
Lodestar: **My dog is yang. Haha. I want to see a picture.**
aCooooig: **Two mins.**
*aCooooig upldd pctr to cht*
Lodestar: **Oh, my God, they go so perfectly together! It’s fate!**
aCooooig: **They do actually. Where did you get it from?**
Lodestar: **That would be revealing my source. How am I going to surprise you next year if you know where I get the good shit from?**
aCooooig: **This is very true.**
aCooooig: **Although... does that mean we’ll still be talking next year?**
Lodestar: **Well, yeah? Duh. You’re the only person who can beat me from time to time.**
aCooooig: **We both know it’s more than time to time. :P**
Lodestar: **Don’t be a jerk.**
aCooooig: **Being truthful doesn’t make me a jerk.**
Lodestar: **It does! You’re mean! After I got you the perfect Christmas gift too. Men. Sheesh.**
aCooooig: **Haha. It is pretty perfect. Exactly what I didn’t know I wanted.**
Lodestar: **Of course, it is.**
aCooooig: **I’m glad you want to talk to me.**
aCooooig: **Until next year at least.**
Lodestar: **Well, don’t piss me off and that won’t change.**
aCooooig: **It’s funny because it’s true.**
Lodestar: **Damn straight.**
aCooooig: **Your gift is underway.**
Lodestar: **I didn’t expect one.**
aCooooig: **Bullshit. You did. And you were right to. But... it’s an odd gift.**
Lodestar: **Oh! I love odd.**
aCooooig: **You believe me? That it’s underway?**
Lodestar: **Why wouldn’t I? You wouldn’t tell me it was otherwise, would you?**
aCooooig: **No. I wouldn’t. But I didn’t know if you knew that.**
Lodestar: **So, when do you think I’ll get it?**
aCooooig: **When I finish making it.**
Lodestar: **You’re making me something?**
aCooooig: **Yes.**
Lodestar: **Like... woodwork?**
aCooooig: **Do I look like the kind of guy who crafts in his spare time?**
Lodestar: **True. But I mean, even cuties can get jiggy with it with Elmer’s glue.**
aCooooig: **Yeah, well, let’s not forget I’m an Irish mobster too. Allegedly.**
Lodestar: **Allegedly. Shit, yeah, I forgot.**
Lodestar: **Oddly enough, that makes you hotter. Allegedly.**
aCooooig: **Good to know.**
Lodestar: **Isn’t it though? :P You going to give me a clue?**
aCooooig: **Nope. But the second it’s complete, I’ll send it to you. I was hoping to have it done in time, but... well, you weren’t ready for it so even though it was in my head, and I could foresee what I wanted, I didn’t really bother.**
aCooooig: **Also, nice to know you think I’m cute. O.o**
Lodestar: **Allegedly.**
Lodestar: **Anyway, you have a mirror. Not telling you anything you don’t see every day.**
aCooooig: **You’d be surprised. Reflections aren’t always an accurate depiction.**