Chapter 22
Glitch
As far as dates go, I have no clue how to rank this one. Ara fits right at home with us. And when she grabs a controller and starts building a castle, I swear my heart explodes.
Ara settles in between Beetle and I on the couch, automatically invested. “How big do you want it?”
“I don’t care. Just make it have lava floors.”
I raise my brow at Beetle, and he quickly adds, “Please and thank you.”
I slip away to talk with Erin while they play. “So?” I lean against the doorway to the kitchen. I wish she’d repaint the place. It needs a serious remodel.
“So?”
“You like her?”
Erin deadpans me. “It doesn’t matter what I like, Sean.”
Yikes. She used my real name. “Do you?”
“I’ve never seen you smile so much at dinner before tonight.” She hands me a towel and we start the dishes. “I’ve never seen you covered in paint before, either.”
“Ara’s…”
“Good for you.”
“I think we’re good for each other.”
“Then you better not let her go.” She hands me the first dish to dry.
By the time we’re done cleaning up, I head back to the living room and stop dead in my tracks. Ara’s laying on her belly, facing Beetle, and they’re sketching something on a big piece of paper from my sister’s arts and crafts stash.
“What’s this?” I squat down for a better look.
“Ara’s showing me how to draw anime.”
Erin creeps over quietly. “Holy shit.”
Yeah. Holy shit is right. Beetle has a night of endless video games and he’s chosen to turn it off to draw.
“Marry her,” Erin whispers before shoving me aside to sit on the floor. “Let me see, Beetle!”
I love this. I love this so much it hurts.
“I’m doing Pikachu. She’s doing Squirtle.”
Ara smiles at Erin. “Beetle says he wants a collage in his room of all his favorites. I promised to come back and help him. It’ll be an after-dinner project.”
“You, Ara, are a gift from the gods.” Erin ruffled her son’s hair and kisses his head. “This looks amazing, buddy.”
“I already screwed it up.”
“There are no mistakes in art,” Ara chides. “It’s impossible to screw up.”
“Well, what’s that then?” Beetle jabs his pencil at a blurry erased spot by Pikachu’s ear.
Ara tilts her head and studies it. “Looks like an opportunity to me.” She squints and tilts her head in the other direction. “Maybe there’s a Poke ball behind him, and that,” she taps her pencil on the blur mark, “is the dark part of the ball.” She looks at him. “May I show you?”
“Yes, please.”
I’m so proud of this kid right now. He usually tosses a fit when things aren’t “just so” which is a flaw I fear he gets from me. But he’s not freaked about it right now.
Ara’s the reason.
“Okay, look.” She quickly sketches out a ball and the blurry spot that’s gray is now incorporated into it. “See? And when we color it in, this will be black.” Next, Ara draws a random line across the top of her Squirtle head. “What can this maybe be?”
Beetle stares at it. “A hat?”
“Awesome idea!” Ara draws a top hat on Squirtle’s head, and I sit down on the couch. It’s either that, or my legs are going to give out.
“Where’s your bathroom?” she asks.
It takes me a second to find my voice. “Upstairs, second door on the right.” When she leaves, I look over at Erin.
“This woman is a fucking unicorn, Glitch.”
“Better put a ring on it,” Beetle adds. Then he looks up and shrugs. “What?”
“You should probably get to bed, little dude.”
And we should probably get out of here. It’s late, and even if my sister doesn’t sleep well, she could probably do with a little quiet time. “How’s the job search going?”
“It’s coming along.” She yawns and elbows me. “Don’t worry.”
I can’t help but worry.
“Oh my God!” Ara squeals from upstairs. “Oh my God! Oh my God! Glitch!” She races down the steps so fast, I’m afraid she’ll fall.
I’m immediately on high alert. “What’s wrong?”
“I got it!” Her eyes are huge as she holds her cell out to me. “I got the job! The elementary school murals! Holy crap, I got it!” She’s so elated she’s shaking. And her joy is contagious.