the here and now

Nora was a little dizzy. It wasn't easy trying to be alone with Greyson, but he stuck to her like glue.

"Are you sure they're taking good care of you?" He wanted to know as he squeezed her a little more with a hug, on the livingroom sofa.

"Well, of course, your parents are great." And she meant it. They'd made sure she was part of Christmas and all the other holidays too. Of course, she couldn't say that about her own parents. She didn't hear a word from her father, but her mother sent her a check and told her her brother was still in the hospital.

A part of her wanted to see him, but her mother wrote not to bother. Her mother didn't send her an airplane ticket and she really wanted to save the money she'd sent.

"Its Joel." Nora finally told Greyson about Joel's car crash with a girl in Paris. "It happened right before Christmas."

"Well, is he OK?" Greyson wanted to know.

"He's in a coma." She looked as if it was about to take a toll on her. As if she might be going through the agony for him. Then she remembered how Joel could fall asleep anywhere. He was just asleep. Calm Joel.

"So that's why..you've been..so..I dunno..I knew something was off." He looked as if he understood.

She hugged him closer, wishing she could stay this way with him, but a holiday dinner was ready to be served at his parents.

Greyson wished he knew how to help. He hated to think of Joel laying in a hospital bed in another country. It was hard to be cheerful, but he knew his parents expected a certain manner about him, and his sister invited someone.

He shook Rico's hand. He'd helped bring the turkey out with all the trimmings.

"I think Rico's a keeper." Greyson's mom smiled. "He knew how to make gravy. "

Greyson chuckled. His mom was doing good if she could get the directions right on a box of Stove Top Stuffing.

They sat down and ate because that was what his family did during the holidays, even if it wasn't really a holiday.

Soon enough he asked Rico some questions. He was a little shocked to find out that Rico wasn't a jock, and he'd just moved here.

"Right now, I'm getting to know my sister and my Step-Mom," Rico said. "I'll probably go to Texas this summer." He said his grandmother lived near the beach.

"I think right now would be the time to go." Greyson joked. It was the dead of winter, after all.It might as well be upstate Alaska. He liked Rico. He was glad to see his little sister was seeing someone different.

After dinner, he caught up with Caitlin who was actually helping with the dishes.

"I didn't think you liked dishpan hands?" He looked her delicate fingers over. There was no wedding ring. Maybe she was over Roman.

She gave him a hug while his mother went to get out the cherry covered cheese cake. Rico was off in the livingroom talking to their Dad.

"I hope Rico isn't one of those guys you are trying to makeover." He held her hands, hoping he wasn't wrong about his little sister.

"What makes you, say that?" She looked at Greyson.

"Well, it wouldn't be the first time. " Greyson smirked.

"He's just a friend." She protested, but the way she smiled said something else.

"Hey, those are the best kind." He smiled more and kissed her forehead. He wished he could come here more, but it looked like if he weren't at sea he'd be in Washington state. He wasn't so sure how Nora would feel, moving so far away.