in for the long haul

 

Misty wasn't sure how to console Slater. It was hard to talk about certain things with him. Like his family. He never said a word about his mother nor his father. But now he was stoic. Maybe too mad to say anything.

"Possibly, Jay just wants to know the truth about himself, and ....and he wants to take you there, every step of the way," Misty said when she hugged him. They were very still for a moment as if they'd captured their own selfie when in fact their phones were far from them, charging by the bed.

He sighed. She kept holding on to him as if he didn't have to be so angry. It would do no good. Finally, the baby kicked and she knew he could feel it in his gut too. It was now that mattered. Not the past. They both smiled.

"I can't believe Jay's doing this," Slater said as he took a deep breath. "What does he expect to find? This is so not the Jay I know."

"Just because he's your friend, doesn't mean you know everything about him." Misty stretched her neck back and looked up at him.

"He's..he's making me think I know nothing about myself either." He was still sad. Maybe teary-eyed.

"Maybe he's growing up," Misty decided with a nod and went toward the electric kettle when it shut off. She made them tea as if that would help soothe his pain, but instead, he pulled her back and they kissed as if this was the important part. This was how it should be.

She smiled at him after the long kiss as if maybe they were just coming up for air only for a moment. Finally, she went back to the tea.

"I kind of doubt that," Slater said over hot herbal lemon tea. He looked at her with a squint. "About Jay growing up. He's always had a sad way about him. Like, like he was hungry to have his own family because his mother was too busy to make him feel he was really a part of one. I mean, yeah..I was never around my own parents. They were long gone. But there were my aunts and uncles and of course, my grandmother. I never felt left out."

Misty smiled with a nod. She knew he wasn't deprived.

"But..but to think Lindy..and even Lenny..me a part of that family?" Slater shook his head no as if he was no renegade.

"Well, who knows, you might be somebody's pride and joy who never met you," Misty's smile was open. "You know, you're the best thing that's happened to Jay. Don't let him down now. He needs you to be the brother he always wanted."

Slater didn't smile but he gave her a nod as he went back to his tea.