Expectations (Book Two)

Chapter 12

Shawn

The nervous feeling in my gut starts to intensify as I turn the car onto my street. I glance over at Lyla and find her peering out the window, looking at the houses as we pass them. I have never felt ashamed or embarrassed of where I come from until this moment. Not that Lyla has done or said anything to make me feel this way. I just can't help but compare the house we left a few hours ago to the one I am pulling up to now.

From the street, it looks like most of the other houses on the block. It's one story, has faded white siding, an off white steal door front and center. The yard is scarce, no garden or flowerbed, just neatly trimmed grass. There isn't anything special about it that's for sure and I start to worry what Lyla is thinking at this moment as I park my car and climb out of the driver's seat.

I round the car quickly to open her door and help her out. She smiles sweetly at me and doesn't seem at all phased or bothered by the look of our destination. I take a deep breath to try and calm myself before I gather our bags from the trunk.

I take Lyla's hand as we walk up the path to the front door. It's unlocked when I turn the handle and I push the door open and gesture for Lyla to go in ahead of me. We step into the small entryway that is a part of the living room and I can hear footsteps coming down the hallway. Bailey appears from around the corner and yelps excitedly.

"You're here!" She squeals and skips across the room to us urgently as she crashes into my chest and I let out a gasp of air as she knocks the wind out of me.

Lyla is next in line for a hug from Bailey and the two girls giggle excitedly with one another. I will never understand the giddiness that takes over girls as soon as they get together with each other, one of the great mysteries of the female population.

"Give the girl some room," I tell my sister as I watch her continue to crowd Lyla and receive a smack from Lyla in the arm instead. "Right. Well my bag boy duties call, I'm going to go put our stuff in my room."

I steal a kiss from Lyla before I carry our bags down the hallway into my bedroom and toss them on the floor in the corner. I eye my single mattress bed that sits in the corner of the room. That'll be interesting.

I have never actually had a girl stay over in my room before. Probably since I knew there was no way we'd be hooking up in here. Firstly, my bed doesn't even fit me in it let alone two people. Secondly, I share one wall with my sister's room and one wall with my father's room and let's just say these walls are thin.

When I return to the living room, Lyla and Bailey are gossiping away about what I can gather is some reality TV show as I roll my eyes and catch Lyla glancing my way as she smirks.

"Did you want to come with us to the grocery store Bails? We thought we would cook dinner tonight for when dad gets home from work," I ask Bailey as she turns her attention to me and nods in agreement.

I glance at my watch and see that it's just past four o'clock. I know my dad will be getting home from work around six so we have plenty of time to pick up the food and then prepare it. We all gear up for the cold before we head outside and are off to the store.

"That was delicious," my dad comments as he leans back in his chair and stares down at his empty plate. "Lyla, you are welcome to visit anytime."

I hear Lyla laugh softly beside me at his words. Lyla and I are sitting on one side of the table with my dad and Bailey on the other, my dad directly across from me. Bailey is the only one still picking away at her food as the rest of us relax and sip at our drinks.

Lyla had been the head chef today and made chicken parmigiana for dinner. She had ordered me around the kitchen like she was Gordon Ramsey, but I didn't mind it a bit. I actually found the whole thing a pretty big turn on watching her completely focused on every detail.