I woke up alone and heard the shower running. I stared at the ceiling and wondered if I’d made a mistake. Then Bethany came back to my room wrapped up in one towel while she dried her hair with another. The smile she gave me when she saw me awake reassured me. Then she dangled her damp hair in my face with a big grin before giving me a quick kiss.
“You wouldn’t wake up, so I showered without you,” Bethany said. She flipped her hair back and continued to work it with the towel.
“I never sleep in,” I said as I swung my legs off the bed and stretched.
“I’m sure it’s okay this once,” she chuckled. “Are you hungry? I’m starved.”
Joe and Mark were already in the kitchen drinking coffee when we made it downstairs. During breakfast the four of us kept up a happy front for my parents. Then we all worked together to clean the kitchen before Mom and Dad headed out to spend the day together at an art festival.