Suzie’s House 348 : A Casual Meal

There was something weird going on in the house. Around six o’clock Ben went down stairs to see what happened to supper. He’d just reached the front hall when someone knocked on the door. He opened the door for Lisa and Tracy, who walked right in.

“Hey, Ben,” Lisa said. “Mom’s working late again. Mind if we eat here?”

“Yeah, but I don’t know what’s going on. I mean, I can smell the food, but no one has called me to supper and I don’t know where Gene is.”

“He isn’t here?” Tracy glanced at the staircase as they walked past as if Gene might miraculously come down it.

“I thought he was with you.”

“Where’s that noise coming from?” Lisa walked right through the kitchen to the back door, which had been left open.

Ben knew something really was going on when her eyebrows shot up.

“It’s Drew.”

“Who?” Tracy came up next to Lisa blocked the doorway. “Oh. Right. That guy.”

“Drew!” Ben shoved roughly between them, too eager to be nice about it. He bashed the screen door open and ran down the steps into the yard with only one thought. “Drew! You’re home!”

Ben wanted desperately to leap into Drew’s arms, but for a minute he couldn’t find him. And not just because there were so many grown ups and TV trays full of food on the patio – Mom, Vin, Miranda, some old guy with white hair and a kind of nice smile and… Drew.

His hair was slicked back and wet like he’d just had a shower and his face looked super-smooth, like he’d just shaved, but his clothes were dirty. Not just dirty. Crusty. He had the familiar look in his eye, but also something really tired and a little scary.

Ben faltered.

“Come here.” Drew stood up and opened his arms.

All doubts set aside, Ben ran up and threw his arms around him. Had he shrunk in the time he’d been gone? Or just that Ben had grown? It didn’t matter. They pounded on each other’s backs and started laughing like men. It felt fantastic to have him back.

“Heh. How indulgent.” Tracy smiled a kind of smug smile. She was rubbing her arm where he’d body-slammed her into the door jam so maybe he should forgive her being snarky.

“Is that the right word?” Lisa looked mildly entertained.

“I’m not always wrong.” Tracy rolled her eyes up on exasperation.

Ben turned his back on them. Idiots. Having Drew back was way to important to worry about stuff like that.

“Are you home for good?” Ben couldn’t help grinning. And maybe he looked kind of sort of devout or something, but he couldn’t help that. Drew was finally home. Finally. Ben had so much to tell him, so much to ask.

“Um… I… don’t know yet.” Drew glanced at Mom like she had everything to do with whether or not he stayed.

Mom smiled, but she looked kind of pained too.

“Get some food from the kitchen and bring it in,” she said.

“Go on. I’ll be here when you get back.”

Lisa and Tracy didn’t need to be told twice, but Ben hesitated. He was so happy he could hardly believe it. He gave Drew a quick slap on the arm, then went to get some food.

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