Until then

Dan expected Ivy to hate him before the month was over. Maybe it was the fact he'd lived alone all these years. Maybe he liked being alone after all.

There were goals he'd given himself long ago. His parents were old when they adopted him and he'd always been more of a helping hand than anything else. Of course, he was there for them even to the end.

It had never occurred to him that he might want a family of his own one day. He was an only child who always studied. Sure, there were friends. Although, few and far in-between. But he'd never needed a companion and why try now.

He was only letting Ivy stay out of favor for her brother. Honestly, he'd wished he was as smart as her brother. But he didn't envy him now. Yet apart of Dan felt hollow. Perhaps something was missing, but he wouldn't dare overthink it. He would go on living.

But life seemed to be one favor after another from all that he knew. If it weren't helping out at the Parrish it was seeing to meals for a friend of the family or even grocery shopping for some family he didn't even know but who needed food.

Truly he was one act of kindness after another. No one really cramped his lifestyle until now.

But he couldn't go back on his word. It would just have to do for now. Yet the facts were changing. Ivy was going to have a baby. And this shouldn't be a shock. Yet, he had to include all the immediate factors. Like her boyfriend in prison and Keanu's family just a few floors down.

It was unfamiliar. In fact, it was foreign to him. He didn't know what to say. Sure being around people for a few minutes was one thing, but now to spend dinners and outing was totally different. 

"Just don't overthink it," Ivy told him. "It will be fine."

But she folded his clothes all wrong, and the dishes were never quite clean enough. She didn't even know how to use the dishwasher.

He would try. The fact remained no one could make an omelet as good as he could. His waffles were fluffy and his coffee was better than any coffee shop around.

"You stop overthinking," he told her to leave the cooking and cleaning to him.

"But, but I'll have nothing to do then," Ivy said she wanted to help.

Dan pressed a smile when he could. Obviously, her stay would take a lot to getting used too.

today is the day

 Lynsey somehow made it through facetime with Casey and his parents who were happy to hear the baby news. Perhaps, Casey was warming up. She knew he was a thinker and he sometimes went cold with all the overthinking, but he didn't get angry either. Although, she doubted he really liked the idea of her working at the library.

On one hand, she knew he was a protector. She'd seen this in the last few months. At times, she found him a little selfish too. Obviously, she knew what she was getting into with the likes of him. And she knew no relationship was completely perfect, but she couldn't see herself with anyone else and she was happy to be a part of his life.

And then out of nowhere her little brother Jory showed up. Lynsey couldn't remember the last time she'd seen him, possibly first grade. It was overwhelming, seeing him standing in the new book area of the library. Honestly, she wasn't possibly sure it was even her little brother.

"Oh, it has to be, he looks like your twin," Henry, the young adult librarian told her. 

She told him he was four years younger than her, but now a foot or so taller than her. They'd been split up when they were in an orphanage, many years ago. He'd been adopted by an American family before she was and she doubted she would ever see him again.

"Surprise!" It was a  long-awaited hug and she hugged him with delight, When she looked him over he told her it was all her father's doing. He'd found him and wanted them to meet. "Guess he had a lot of time on his hands during lockdown," Jory told her.

Lynsey smiled as she detected a British accent. "Oh, you must be well educated." She imagined him a scholar of some kind.

"I'm not that smart," he said he'd lived various places and had numerous jobs. As of yet, he hadn't started any University studies.

She asked if he had kids. He said no. Lynsey smiled with a nod. He was young yet, but she wanted him to have a family. 

"You're going to be an uncle," Lynsey wanted him to know. At last, she felt happy knowing Jory again, after all this time.

Here we are

Simon had done his best talking with Steve's parents about his situation. Of course, a relationship did not come up.

1. He insisted Steve was his best friend.

2. He needed someone organized like Steve to help him at the Uni and life skills.

3. He just couldn't survive without a roommate.

"I think they believed me," Simon guessed he smoothed out any ruffled feathers Steve might have about the move. "You're here, aren't you?"

"But..but what if ..they stop by and.." He was full of buts about the new living arrangements.

"You have your own room, don't you?" Simon reminded him it wasn't like Steve had exactly let him have his way with him. They hadn't even had a first kiss. Honestly, Simon wasn't so sure they'd ever be anything more than roommates. Although, he'd promised his brother Xander that he would take it slow with Steve. Maybe in the next ten years, they might hug. He was doubtful even that would happen. 

Steve was certainly a neat freak and perhaps a perfectionist. Simon never knew cleaning could be such an art, but Steve certainly took care of the room he'd be in and then some.

It was definitely not a honeymoon, but Steve was here, and hopefully, it was a good thing.

Simon felt it was the right move, even if it were very tiny steps. Yet, he hadn't intended for Steve to do all the cooking and cleaning, but Steve definitely loved that sort of thing so he let him. 

"Does this mean, we will never go out?" Simon was a little hurt on the subject. A part of him wanted everyone to know they were together while he wasn't sure how Steve felt about the matter.

"I just get a little nervous, that's all," Steve said. Although, Simon didn't know if that were COVID related or lifestyle-related. "It'll get better," Steve promised. 

Simon supposed he was right. But he couldn't remember the last time he'd waited so long to kiss someone.

It's about time

 

Ivy really didn't have much to move to Dan's. Honestly, she felt awkward. She didn't have Keanu to tend too so she felt a little lost.

Dan went over his schedule and when he came home from the hospital the first thing he did was take a shower and wash his clothes. He said he hadn't felt sick during the pandemic and he always did this when he came home.

Ivy understood. She didn't think he saw COVID patients but she understood his precautions. They talked a bit about the pandemic and how everything was different and how so many were going back to their old lifestyle and now was not the time. It sort of felt like listening to the news. And suddenly it was quiet. They had nothing to say to each other.

"Oh, what about Rosco and Cho?" Ivy looked at Dan wide-eyed as if he might know. Her brother Cho never told her anything anymore. He was studying to be a dentist. She just assumed he was still with his boyfriend Rosco.

"What about them?" Dan looked at her as if he didn't know what she wanted to hear.

"I..I just didn't know. You know..if.." She shrugged knowing she really was the worst sister in the world, not knowing how her brother Cho was actually doing.

"Oh, they broke up." Dan nodded.

"He told you?" Ivy looked at him blankly as if Dan was from some other world and just visiting this one.

"Well," now he shrugged. "We've been friends since we were little, why wouldn't he tell me?"

She cleared her throat wondering if all their conversations were going to be this clumsy and empty.

"I talk to Rosco too," he nodded.

"Where is he?" She winced wondering what did this mean. 

"He's in Alaska. Some internship on a fishing boat," Dan nodded as he went to the kitchen to look in the fridge to make dinner.

"Huh?"

"Your brother is really busy studying, you know," Dan said it was a mutual breakup. Rosco and Cho were still friends. There was no drama. Just going their own way.

It was true. Not everything was about her, after all. And she felt cruel for thinking of her universe while others were in their own orbits surpassing hers.