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“This is possibly the worst day of my life.” Jamie cried out in mock horror, letting his body go limp as landed face-first into the couch. Only a muffled whine would follow.
“Aw, you poor thing.” Cove cooed, now wearing a smirk. “How dare the world expect you to do two loads of laundry all on your own?” Even if Jamie had heard him, he didn’t bother giving his fiancée an answer. Cove only shook his head, shifting his focus back to the work in front of him.
Cove couldn’t blame Jamie if he were actually having a tantrum. The last month had been quite busy for both of them, especially with the move. Most of it had been spent packing just to quickly begin unpacking only two weeks later. Cove had been living in his own place for two years now, but while Jamie spent much of his time with Cove anyways, this was the first place that would be officially theirs. It was still a huge change for both of them.
Of course, a move was not the only change in their lives. Not long ago, Cove had switched to a new job, and not only did that mean Jamie would be forced to work with someone new, but he was left with the extra hours until they had finally found a person to fill the space Cove had left behind. It was only this week that he had returned back to his normal schedule, of course, this would be after he had finally gotten used to it.
They had finally finished unpacking and today was supposed to be spent catching up on some chores and settling into their new home. Of course, this wasn’t what their family had in mind. Terry and Miranda had at least called ahead and waited till three to show up, though no one had expected Baxter and Derek to show up along with them. Cove’s parents didn’t bother calling, but at least they showed up not long before them. Jamie’s moms decided to announce they’d be arriving at ten, hanging up before Jamie could argue. They arrived at nine, and with them came Elizabeth.
The rest of the day was spent trying to balance out chores while simultaneously trying to impress and entertain their guests. As well as Jamie trying (and failing) to stop one of his mothers from taking over the kitchen. By the time everyone had left, they had done most of what they had planned to. The only thing left was the laundry.
This wouldn’t be a problem normally, even if it were so late in the day. Just run the dryer and head to bed, right? Well, that would have been fine. If their dryer wasn’t older than they were and didn’t have a mind of its own. Some days it would run just fine, some you’d have to run it a few times, the worst days were when it seemed to shut off on its own. Cove believed the poor thing was going to break down any day now. Jamie was convinced one day it’d simply explode. Cove would have laughed it off if Pamela hadn’t added how she believed they were lucky it didn’t just burst into flames. Cove tried not to think about it.
“I can’t wait to go to bed.” Jamie sighed, bringing Cove back to reality. At some point Jamie had changed position, now laying on his back. He was watching Cove with tired eyes now, and sporting a frown.
“I know how you feel, I’m exhausted. Hopefully, that will be the last time we have to run the dryer.” Cove mumbled, looking down at the pile of clothes he was still folding. “I think we can leave these out in the living room for now as long as we get them all folded. I should have sorted them instead of just folding them.”
“I can put them away since you folded the first load.” Jamie yawned. “I guess we can leave the second one out here when it’s done. It’s not like they’re going anywhere. If we had a dog or something I’d be worried they’d get into it. But, it’s just us and the fish.”
“Another reason we shouldn’t get a dog.”
“Hey, I want a cat . You’re the one who wants a dog.”
“What’s wrong with dogs?”
“If we can’t afford a decent dryer, we definitely can’t take care of an entire dog.”
“Right, we could only take care of its two back legs.”
“Your jokes are worse than dad’s.” Jamie snorted, now sitting up.
Cove couldn’t help but smile at the comment. Jamie had always joked about calling Cove’s parents ‘mom number three’ and dad. After all, the boys had been best friends since they were eight. Pamela, Noelani, Cliff, and Kyra had practically raised them both and Elizabeth together. However by the time they had become engaged they weren’t jokes anymore. They didn’t exactly have a date set yet, but some part of them knew it had been official for a very long time anyways.
“We really are becoming just like them.” Jamie had meant to keep the thought to himself, but once the words slipped he couldn’t help but continue. “I mean, look at us. We moved into our own little place, and we had our first neighborhood welcoming party. Well, they weren’t our neighbors but it still counts in my book. We’re doing chores together, we even had a little family get-together. It’s so cheesy.”
“Maybe I should start baking apple pies.” Cove teased, the last of the clothes finally finished. He couldn’t help but sigh in relief. One step closer to sinking into bed.
“Nah, I always saw myself as the stay-at-home dad. You’re the busy husband who takes one bite out of the breakfast I make and then run out the door with your briefcase.” Jamie yawned, putting his hand over his chest and letting out a sigh. “I spend all day making sure our son doesn’t take his sister’s eye out with a slingshot and work on my award-winning garden.”
“I thought we were supposed to run a bed and breakfast together?” Cove jokes, crossing his arms over his chest. “We can be the scary owners with a pair of creepy twins. Somehow we only ever have one couple staying with us but there’s always noise.”
“Yeah, they’re in a failing marriage and thought a vacation would help them get close again.” Jamie added with a laugh.
Cove’s smile fell immediately, and Jamie was quick to notice. His face softened, and he was now wearing a worried smile. The attention made Cove feel a little nervous, and he shifted uncomfortably.
“It didn’t really upset me as much as you think.” Cove admitted with a nervous laugh. “It’s not like the subject of divorce upsets me. It’s not like that at all.”
Cove continued to shift uncomfortably in his seat. He hadn’t meant to make Jamie feel bad, and he wasn’t lying. Cove was well aware his parents loved him, and he knew that in many ways they still loved each other. The changes their separation brought were rough at the time, but Cove felt as if he was closer with his parents than ever before. His relationship with his dad was great now, it had been for years. He used to feel sick at the mention of his parent’s relationship, but by now it had become a bittersweet memory.
“It’s weird.” Cove admitted finally. “It’s weird to think about it. It’s weird to remember how I felt back then, and the stupid stuff that went through my head. God, for an eight year old I was kind of dramatic.” He laughed.
“You were going through a lot.” Jamie reassured, reaching out to take Cove’s hand. “I’m not sure how I would have reacted either.”
“You’re sweet but, I don’t think you get it.” Cove couldn’t help but smile at the gesture. Jamie always knew what he needed, he never had to ask.
“I don’t think you were as dramatic as you think you were. You were a kid.”
“I was emo.”
“I- huh?”
“Okay, maybe not emo. ” Cove laughed. “But I was very dramatic as a kid. I thought my life was completely over. I thought at the ripe age of eight, I had discovered that love wasn’t real. I still believed in mermaids but couldn’t believe that a relationship would last.”
“What changed?” Jamie pried, an eyebrow raised.
Thinking about it now, he felt a little silly. Sure, he had been a kid. Sure, he was going through a tough time. Still, the memory made him feel embarrassed, he remembered being a bit of a mean kid. He was awful to Shiloh when they were growing up and still felt a little bad to this day. He had caused a lot of trouble in his own grief, and while he was embarrassed, he was also a little sad. If it hadn’t been for Jamie, Cove would have stayed that way for a long time.
“Like many things I guess the answer is simple.” Cove finally said, giving Jamie a warm smile. “I found you.”
Jamie pulled his hand away, his face quickly turning red. “I was trying to make fun of you for believing in mermaids.” He admitted, his arms now crossed and pressed against his chest. “God, you’re cheesy.”
“I mean, I’m not lying.” Cove continued, Jamie only shook his head. “I mean, I can definitely get cheesier. Would you like me to go on?” Jamie knew he was only teasing, but he really did mean it.
“Oh God, no,” Jamie replied quickly, sinking back into his seat. “If you get any more nostalgic I think I’d simply just melt. You’d have to pry me off the floor with a shovel.”
“Now that was cheesy.”
“I’m gonna go check the dryer.” Jamie moaned, pushing himself up onto his feet.
Cove could only sigh. The conversation had done a good job of distracting him from how tired he had been. Pulling out his phone to check the time, he let out a groan. Nearly eleven at night. He hadn’t gotten much sleep at all that morning, and from the sound of his fiancée’s whine, he knew he wouldn’t be getting much more anytime soon.
Still, Cove smiled. He wasn’t sure where he believed he’d be at the age of eight. Knowing him, perhaps all he hoped was one day he’d find mermaids that would steal him away from the life he had grown afraid of. Or maybe he assumed he’d be handed his father’s shop, much to his dismay, and that would be his life for the rest of his days. Surfing, swimming, finding seashells, and working. Perhaps he believed he would have been happy with that.
He would have been happy to be alone, or at least he’d learn to be because anything else would only end in pain. That’s what he had believed. He could never fall in love, he could never try. It would only end up awful, he’d end up alone. Or worse, end up with a little boy just like him who would feel the same way he did. No one was worth the risk.
No one except Jamie. No one, except the stranger he had met on the hill that day. The boy he caught fireflies with that summer, and every summer after that. The only person he’d run away with. The only person in the world that was always there every time he feared he was alone.
Jamie was the only exception, and he was fine with that.