Ghost Bird Fanfiction: Sang's Lyric, The Story of Sang Sorenson's Mother

Love and Doubt

I spent seven blissful days with the guys. I didn't have to worry about anything. Someone would bring me to babysit and pick me up. Cam was in heaven, with a different "big" boy to play with every day. The guys committed to imaginary play, even if they always had to be the bad guy, and I always had to be rescued, or I was relegated to boring characters like "ice cream seller" or some version of fist shaker with the line, "Get back here with my..." I was definitely second best, but that was okay. I had come to prefer the boys above everyone else, too.

I didn't understand why the boys were taking care of me, and when I asked, they would give me a variety of answers, but it always came down to family. I was their family. Family was a choice. Family came first.

And these weren't just words. Every action they took showed me how much they cared. I didn't pay for anything, and when I balked, asking to contribute something, they showed me how I was contributing, even though it wasn't monetarily.

So I cooked my heart out, and when the boys disappeared from class, I took notes. James missed two days of classes earlier in the week, and he asked me to teach him the concepts he'd missed in calculus. I felt like I was doing something, making a difference. Granted, it was on a really small scale; I wasn't saving the world, but I was making life easier for the guys, and that felt good.

Garret Sorenson wasn't at either of my art classes that week, so I stopped feeling sick before entering art. It must have been a fluke, I told myself, relaxing for the first time in months. 

I slept through the night, ate vegetables and fruits, had warm showers.

Like I said: bliss.

I wanted to enjoy every moment, but in the back of my mind came the worrying, nagging idea; this was too good to last.

I woke up Sunday morning when my entire bed bounced. It was Taylor. I knew it without opening my eyes. He was my alarm clock and my favorite way to wake up.

"Good morning, Tex," I said smiling sleepily.

"Mornin' Sunshine Bluebell Crash McCrasherton," he drawled, curling up behind me and pulling me into the cradle of his arms.

That was the other thing with the boys. They were always touching me, hugging me, pushing my hair out of my face, or taking my hand in theirs. I snuggled backward into him, pushing my butt until I could feel his thighs against me.

He pulled in a breath and tensed for a moment before relaxing and smoothing my hair out of my face.

"You ready to get a move on?" he whispered in my ear. It was like I could see the words curl out of his mouth and wrap around my cheek.

I felt myself heat. "Mmmhmm," I answered. "Will there be breakfast?"


Taylor's nose ran up and down the cord of my neck. "Yes ma'am," he said. "But you gotta get your ass in the seat in five minutes."

I spun fast, pushing him with one hand onto his back and kissing him fast on the cheek. "Outta my way," I said, scampering over him and running into the bathroom.

I washed my face fast, and brushed my teeth. Taylor was standing with his arms crossed, watching me when I ran out of the bathroom.

"Out!" I called to him, running into the closet. "You warm up the car so my butt doesn't freeze on those seats."

I heard him chuckle deeply, and the door closed behind him. I giggled, smiling, and looking at the clothes in my closet. I loved those boys.

Oh no.

As soon as the thought crossed my mind, I felt everything in me freeze. Oh no oh no oh no. I couldn't love them. They were my family now. I would mess everything up if I loved them.