Becoming His

Chapter 16 - Being Greater

Christian

We sat on the sofa, her legs resting in my lap as I kneaded into the soles of her feet and she replied to work emails on her laptop. I would usually try to get out of masseur duty by whining, making jokes about her feet stinking or something, but today was different. She's been a little stressed after getting a phone call from her mom asking for money. With promises of a foot rub and pizza, I'd just gotten her to calm down after a very long, very loud rant.

She stops typing and looks to the ceiling holding her pointer finger in the air next to her head. "You know what's funny?" I'm pretty sure that's rhetorical so I keep my mouth shut and do my job. "Instead of raising me, like a real mother would, she made me raise myself and now expects me to take care of her. Unbelievable!"

She rolled her eyes throwing her head back as her hand came down slapping her thigh. I reach my arms up rubbing her legs as if it reassured her that I understood her frustration. A few seconds pass without her saying anything and I hear a sniffle before she starts speaking in a whispered tone.

"You know she didn't even ask how I was. I haven't seen or spoken to my mother in almost 7 years and the first thing she says is "I need $6000". I shouldn't be upset, I'm used to this version of Esther. It's not like she's been a mom. She gave up on that a long time ago. I woke myself up and made my own lunches for school, I sat by myself at parent/teacher meetings making excuses for her, I took up paper rounds to buy shit I needed. Hell, I put myself through college to start a career I'm proud of. Telling me I should be thankful for all she's done?! I'm nothing but a joke to her, so fucking stupid."

I closed the laptop and put it on the coffee table. Gripping under her knees, I pull her body down on the couch so she was on her back; a knee positioned between her legs, I leaned over her, burying my fists in the cushions next to her head.

"You aren't stupid. Wanting your mother to give a shit about you isn't stupid. If anything she's stupid. She ruined a relationship with the smartest, funniest, most caring person I've ever met. Now, I don't know how much that means seeing as all I meet are spoilt assholes, but you get what I'm saying."

Tears were still slipping from her eyes, but she held a small smile on her lips.

"I'll take it, but you forgot to mention hottest."

"I thought it went without saying, my bad. She missed out on a great relationship, with the hottest person I've ever met."

She broke into a chuckle, making me grin in return. I lived for this feeling. Anytime I made her smile it felt like I'd achieved something beyond greatness.

I settled my arms by her side hugging her torso. Resting my head on her chest, I listen to her heartbeat through the fabric of her sweater as she ran her fingers through my hair and gently raked her other hand up and down my back. Her usual sweet cocoa butter scent was mixed with lavender, making me relax into her even more.

"Could you ever see yourself just up and running away, never looking back?" she spoke breaking the silence we sat in.

"I mean it depends, who am I running with and where are we headed?"

Her chest vibrated with another chuckle. My God, this girl. I was savouring everything about right now.

"What about Europe? You told me you used to toy with the idea of backpacking when you were younger. Why didn't you ever go with your best friend?"