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“Little D?! Ah. Little D, it is.” He folds his arms around her, and she smiles from within his hold.
“It’s nice to meet you,” she says. At least that’s what I’m assuming she says, voice muffled from where she’s buried in his hold. When he pulls away, her cheeks are flushed pink.
He’s oblivious, slinging an arm over her shoulders and leading her away from me. “I’ve got all the best dirt on Little J if you’re interested. Naked baby photos, the story of his first kiss and how he fumbled the shit out of that ball—the time he pissed his pants in middle school—”
“That was thefirstgrade, asshole,” I shout as I jog to catch up with them. “And give me back my girl.” I come in from behind and lift her off the ground, spinning her out of Thomas’ grasp. Her loose hair sticks to her face as I set her feet back on the lawn.
Laughter puffs out with each of her breaths. “Wow, Jude. Your family is… welcoming.”
“You could say that again. Come on, Little D.” I guide her over to where my father is throwing burgers on the grill. “You should be safe here.” I chuckle. “Can I grab you anything to drink?”
She glances down at her feet and smiles. “Some water would be great. Thank you.”
“Got it.” I kiss her cheek and head inside.
Mom is pulling a stack of plates from the cabinet when she sees me. She sets them down on the counter, leans against it, and signs, “How have you been? Good? You look good.”
I grab a glass for Declan, filling it with ice and water. “Yeah. Really good. Enjoying the summer before I head back to Oklahoma.”
“I can’t believe it,” she responds. “My baby, a senior and graduating college this year. Time flies. How was your meeting with Ontrel? Did it go well?”
“Yeah, it went great. He was a cool guy. Showed me around the stadium and offered me a lot of helpful advice.”
“Oh, that’s wonderful,” she signs. “I’m happy to hear it. It would be amazing if you were drafted somewhere close to home. That would be a dream come true, right?”
“Yeah. That would be.” My heartbeat accelerates with the thought. I’ve tried not to focus too hard on the future, only on what can be done now, in my present, to ensure I’ll get to where I want to be. But with this being my last year in school, it’s hard not to think about the future and where I’ll end up.
IfI end up anywhere, God willing.
“Come on, sweetheart. Let’s go set up the table outside,” Mom signs with a knowing smile, and I follow her out into the backyard.
I search for Declan and find that Elijah now has her full attention. Her head falls back in laughter at something he says, and then Thomas joins in and her laugh dives even deeper than before. I stand beside my mother, placing Declan’s glass of water down onto the table as I watch her. I can sense the raw possessiveness in my stare when I look at her, but I don’t cut it short or lessen it whatsoever. I want every asshole in the world to know I’m possessive of her—that she’s mine—starting with the two I’m blood related to, who are intentionally fucking with me just for the hell of it.
Thomas winks over Declan’s shoulder, and Elijah smothers his smile behind his glass of whiskey.
They’re lucky I love them more than life itself. And that, no matter how much they’re attempting to dig beneath my skin simply because they can, I trust them with her completely.
Finishing up at the table with my mom, I head their way and slide an arm around Little D from behind, pulling her flush against me. I splay my other hand against her stomach and drag her closer. My eyes meet Thomas’ blue-grays from where my chin rests on her shoulder, and his grin tips sideways in an all-too-knowing way. It matches Elijah’s smile as he ruffles my hairand takes off in my parents’ direction with an amused shake of his head.
With Declan secured firmly within my hold, I catch up with Thomas. He took paid leave to be here for the full weekend, but my family is lucky enough that he’s stationed only two hours away—for the last three years now, and until next year when he’ll be assigned elsewhere. He’s hoping to be stationed abroad next time around, and with seven years under his belt, it isn’t unlikely.
He asks about school, and football, and if I’ve heard any talk about being drafted next season. I have, but I keep the information to myself, not wanting to get anyone’s hopes up. My own, included.
When Dad calls that dinner is ready, the three of us turn toward the house and head for the table that’s been set up outside. My parents sit at each end, my brothers on one side and Declan and I on the other.
“So, Little D,” Thomas scoots forward in his seat and takes a sip of his beer. “How did you learn sign language?” he signs and voices simultaneously.
“Oh, um, well.” Declan’s throat bobs, hand growing tighter around my own before lifting to sign. “I was in a pretty bad accident when I was younger.” Mom’s eyes immediately meet mine, a long list of questions stacking within them. “And while I was recovering in the hospital, there was this one nurse who was deaf. She was my favorite. And it made me wish I knew sign language so I could communicate with her. So when the opportunity presented itself my sophomore year of high school, I took it. American Sign Language is a beautiful language, and it’ll be really nice to know when I’m a nurse someday, if I have any deaf patients.”
Pride expands within my chest. I’m certain she can sense it when she glances up at me. I take her hand in mine and give it a reassuring squeeze, settling our clasped hands down in my lap.
“That’s amazing,” Mom swoons. “Beautiful.”
Conversation continues on effortlessly from there. My parents ask a dozen more questions, getting to know the girl I’m quickly realizing means the world to me. The tables turn as she asks them questions in return, and before long, they become questions about me and what I was like as a kid.
My brothers jump on the opportunity to roast me headfirst, telling her every embarrassing story they can come up with. The time I tripped and landed hard on a girl I was crushing on, spilling her lunch all over the floor. The time I snuck our cat to school in the second grade, and he shit in my backpack. The time my friends stole my clothes from Brenna’s, and I had to walk the two blocks home with my junk in my hands at three in the morning.
Declan’s laughing so damn hard that I don’t care about any of it, though.