Page 49 of Spectacular Things

Domesticated

From a healthy distance, Mia revels in Cricket’s success and openly marvels at the way all the states between them can bring them closer together in such unexpected ways.

When the sisters talk on the phone, Mia does not try to contain her shock at Cricket’s newfound interest in academics, especially psychology.

“I like how it ties into soccer,” Cricket says.

“I’ve been listening to audiobooks on sports psychology when we travel for games.

” It’s the first time Mia has ever heard Cricket speak so enthusiastically about school.

Actually, it’s the first time she’s heard Cricket speak about school, period.

“Oliver and Mom were definitely ahead of their time,” Cricket theorizes from the other side of the country.

While Mia returns to the house for lunch on a Saturday afternoon, Cricket walks to the dining hall for breakfast and explains how positive self-talk has proven effective on the soccer field.

“And all those rituals, like Mom’s hairband snap and Coach’s obsession with visualization, his postgame grounding walks—they encourage mental toughness and are considered, like, legit sports psychology strategies. How cool is that?”

As Cricket continues her lecture, Mia watches Oliver unload the dishwasher in accordance with her system.

If she’s being honest, Mia would say it’s a delight to have Cricket out of the house and Oliver using his own key to let himself in.

She’ll trade the emotional vicissitudes of a teenager for the balled-up socks of a recovering bachelor any day.

“Okay, I’m headed into class,” Cricket says. “Love you.”

After they hang up, Mia walks over to Oliver and takes the clean bowls out of his hands and sets them on the counter. She tells him the dishwasher can wait, but she can’t. With her sister three hours behind and a plane ride away, Mia yanks off his shirt right there in the center of the kitchen.

“I love seeing you in the wild,” she tells Oliver as she fumbles with his belt, his neck still salty from sweating on the sidelines. This morning, in unseasonable heat, he led the University of Southern Maine to victory over MIT in double overtime. It was exhilarating and hot in all the ways.

“Seeing me in the wild?” Oliver asks between clipped breaths as he pulls off her shirt. “We met at a scheduled place and time—I’d say it was more of a date.”

“A date where you have your back to me the entire time?” Mia points out. “And then you give a speech to nineteen girls at the end?”

“Nineteen women, ” Oliver corrects her. “And I made sure to wear deodorant just for you.” He traces her jaw with the back of his finger.

“What else do you do just for me?” She has never been a flirt until now, because now—she can’t help herself, and she can’t stop with Oliver.

A trip wire of lust exists between them, insatiable and unrelenting, which is why Oliver has sort of, kind of—well, Oliver has moved in.

Not officially, but when Mia pointed out how the commute from Oliver’s apartment to Knickerbocker Avenue to his office on USM’s campus was affecting the time they had together, and that Cricket was now out of the house, they had both agreed their highly specialized practice in nude calisthenics should be a top priority.

Mia pushes Oliver up against the refrigerator, and his shoulders make it rain magnets as he suggests they call Cricket, tell her about the plan for him to move in officially when his lease ends.

“Not yet.” Mia bites on his bottom lip to convey why. She’s told him before. “Let me be greedy,” she says. “For once, let me just savor something I don’t have to share.”

“I know, but if she—”

Mia covers Oliver’s mouth with her hand. “We’ll tell her, just not yet. I want to enjoy the fantasy of you being here all the time.”

“It’s not a fantasy,” Oliver says. “It’s the real deal.

You’ll get sick of me.” Mia shakes her head.

It’s hard to imagine such a thing, even as they hone their domesticity by offering and accepting constructive criticism about the best way to fold T-shirts.

On a biweekly basis, Mia and Oliver debate which brand of toothpaste is best and agree to disagree about whether to hang the toilet paper over or under.

In the bedroom, Mia touches Oliver’s forehead with her own. “Besides Cricket, you’re the only person who’s made me happy since my mom died,” Mia says. “I know that sounds overwhelming but it’s true.”

Oliver nods. He holds Mia’s face and kisses the tip of her nose. “That’s what this is,” he says, “overwhelming but true.”