Chapter 14 - The First Sleepover
Marcus invited me to his birthday sleepover.
I wanted to go. I also wanted to stay home forever.
Dad noticed me staring at the invitation on the counter.
"You don't have to go."
"I know."
"But?"
"But I want to."
He nodded.
We talked about it for two days. Sarah helped me pack. She did not make it a big deal, but she did put an extra granola bar in the side pocket.
"Just in case," she said.
Dad drove me. He walked me to the door. Marcus's mom was nice. She had a loud laugh and a kitchen that smelled like pizza.
"You must be Ethan," she said. "Marcus talks about you all the time."
I looked at Marcus.
He grinned.
"You're good at kickball."
I felt my shoulders drop.
Dad knelt in front of me.
"I'll be back at nine tomorrow."
"Okay."
"You can call anytime."
"Okay."
He hugged me.
Then he left.
For the first hour, I kept checking the door. Marcus showed me his room. We played video games. His little sister ran in and stole a controller. His mom ordered pizza.
At dinner, there was a big box of pizza and a bowl of salad nobody touched. I took two slices. Then a third.
Marcus's mom laughed.
"Hungry guy."
I froze.
She did not mean it bad. I knew that. But my body did not know.
Marcus handed me a napkin.
"The pepperoni is the best."
I breathed.
"Yeah."
After dinner, we watched a movie. I sat on the floor with a blanket. Marcus sat next to me.
"Are you okay?" he whispered.
"Yeah."
"You look like you're scared."
I thought about lying. Then I didn't.
"Sometimes I get scared about food."
He nodded like that made sense.
"My cousin is like that. He was in foster care."
I looked at him.
"He keeps snacks in his room too."
I felt something loosen.
"Really?"
"Yeah. My mom says it's okay. She says bodies remember stuff."
I looked at Marcus's mom. She was laughing at something on her phone.
"She seems nice."
"She is."
At midnight, I called Dad.
He answered on the first ring.
"Ethan?"
"I'm okay."
"Okay."
"I just wanted to hear you."
"I'm glad you called."
I heard Sarah in the background.
"Is he okay?"
"He's okay."
I smiled.
"Goodnight, Dad."
"Goodnight, buddy."
I hung up and went back to the blanket. Marcus had saved my spot.
The next morning, Dad was at the door at nine exactly.
Marcus's mom gave him a cup of coffee.
"He's a good kid."
Dad looked at me.
"Yeah. He is."
On the drive home, I told him about the pizza and the movie and Marcus's cousin.
Dad listened.
"You did good."
"I was scared."
"You did it anyway."
I looked out the window.
"Yeah."
Sarah was waiting on the porch with Lily.
Lily ran to the car.
"Did you have fun?"
"Yeah."
"Did you miss me?"
"Yeah."
May you like
She hugged me.
I hugged her back.
