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Chapter 6 - Family Affairs

"You will call me if you need anything." I told Laura as I got her comfortable on Beth's couch. "Yes?"

"I will. I also have Beth and Viv." I put a pillow underneath her leg. "Thank you, Em. I really mean it."

"Of course." I smiled. "It may be my job, but I really do care about you guys. Now, I will leave you to it. I have places to be and things to do. Don't be dumb."

Laura had her surgery today to repair her ACL tear, and luckily Beth and Viv offered her a place to stay until she can get back to being independent again.

I walked outside to the car. Leah was waiting for me. She had an appointment right after Laura's surgery, so she came to pick me up from Beth's.

"Hey," I kissed her cheek. She smiled and picked up my hand. "You're quiet."

"I need a nap."

"You want to take one when we get back to yours? I have some things to—"

"Why don't you just move in?"

She started driving down the street.

"What?" I chuckled. "Leah we've been together for a month. I can't move in."

"You have a drawer—"

"Le, look, I want to one day, but not now. Okay? I don't even know your favorite type of ham."

"My favorite type of what?" She laughed. "If you don't want to, you don't have to." She kissed my hand three times then ran her thumb over my knuckles. "Honey ham is good. I like that."

"Then we should buy some."

"Want to go to the grocery?"

"Sure." I reached behind me and grabbed her hat and put it on her head. "There you go, Captain."

She only laughed and kissed my hand again. My phone began to ring and went over the Bluetooth in Leah's car. She looked at me.

"It's your mum."

"You can answer." She pressed the answer on the wheel. "Hey, Mom."

"Hi, honey. What are you up to?"

"I'm with Leah right now. We're going to the store, or we were. Why?"

"Well, your father and I are taking a day trip to London and wanted to know if you'd be home."

I looked at Leah and scratched my head. "My apartment is an absolute disaster."

"They can come to mine." Le whispered. "Since yours is a disaster."

"Is that her?" Mom asked.

"Yes, Mom. Um, why don't you come to Leah's? Meet her and—"

"We'd love that. Dinner tonight then? We'll meet at a restaurant then go back to Leah's?"

"Yeah, sure. That's fine."

"Okay honey. We'll see you in a couple hours then." She hung up before saying goodbye.

"So..." I looked at my girlfriend. "We need to go to the store."

"But we're going out."

"I need wine if my mom and dad are coming."

"Oh, come on." Leah turned left. "They can't be that bad."