Page 52 of Family Affair

She wanted to laugh. If she relaxed any more, she'd form a boneless puddle on the floor.

The kitchen spun crazily as she flew up in the air. Wait, no, not flying. He lifted her off her feet and held her in his arms.

All of a sudden, a wave of dizziness hit her, and then she felt nothing at all.

Coco came to at the sound of a car door slamming shut. The sound echoed like a small explosion in her head and the nausea returned with a vengeance.

She realized she was propped up in the passenger seat with hands folded in her lap. The door on her side opened, and Cade leaned in, reaching across to unbuckle her.

“Welcome home, princess.”

Sure enough, they were parked in front of her mother’s house.

“How did we get here?” Her tongue felt awkward in her mouth, and the words came out with a heavy accent.

“We drove. Or rather, I drove. You passed out.”

“You make it sound like I’m drunk.” Her indignation would’ve carried more impact if her speech wasn’t slurred.

“Absolutely not.” He didn’t crack a smile.

“No, wait, you can’t carry me in the house!”

He paused. “I can’t?”

“No! The neighbors will see.”

“What horror.” He reached under and lifted her right out of the car.

He carried her inside and slowly set her on her feet.

“Let’s take it real easy and see if you can stand. Hold on, don’t let go yet.”

She grabbed his shirt, her grasp feeble like a baby’s. But her legs held. Together, they moved to the kitchen and she was allowed to sit down. The house felt empty, and Chap was nowhere in sight. Lucy must still be out with her bingo friends.

“What did Ross give me?”

His mouth turned down at the corners. “Just what he said, mulled wine. He may have overestimated the dose.”

“Ya think?” She was feeling more aware of herself but still had difficulty concentrating.

Cade was opening and closing cabinet doors.

“What are you looking for?”

“Tea. Isn’t it what you wanted? Ah, here we go.” He paused, studying her mother’s extensive collection of exotic varieties before taking one box at a time to read the label.

“So, which one do you prefer? Assam black tea, Fancy Golden Tippy Hao Ya, Jasmine green tea, Himalayan green, Kashi… Kashiriri… What the hell? Kash-mi-ri Chai, Organic Lung Ching – what does it even mean? I don’t want to know. Wait, there are more. Spearmint Herbal tea, Mellow Moments Herb – definitely not for today, - Cranberry Pomegranate, or Chanakara White Lotus?”

Coco put her head in her hands, laughing silently. He was so incongruous, surrounded by her mother’s little tea boxes decorated with cheerful leaves and delicate flowers.

“I’ll have Assam black tea. You could’ve stopped at the first one.”

“I’m glad I didn’t. Now I’m dead sure I’ll never be a tea drinker.”

“Never say never.”

“Never say never.” He scratched his brow. “But if I had to choose between a cup of black coffee and…” He gestured toward the boxes, “…Golden Tippy Hao Ya, coffee it is. At least I can say it in public.”