I gave her the grand tour. Okay, that took all of thirty seconds.
“Feel free to take a shower, and if you want, the sheets are clean, you can take a nap.”
“Are you trying to say I need a shower?”
“Yes, I am. Now go in there and get presentable. We’ll have dinner at six, and I don’t want to have to explain why you smell.”
She stuck her tongue out at me, grabbed her duffle, and closed my bedroom door. I went downstairs to talk to my mom. She was in the kitchen, talking to Angie.
“Just like your brother, showing up with a new girl every week. Is she staying for dinner?” Mom asked.
“Yes, Sun is staying for dinner, and no, this isn’t like Greg. I think she needs help. I suspect that she may be homeless.”
“What makes you think that?” Angie asked.
I told them about what happened at the arcade, how she acted with the other boys, and about lunch and how much she ate. Then I told them about her need for a shower and the duffle bag. My guess was that she was couch-surfing. That was where you went from friend to friend, sleeping on their couch.
“Mom, I’m not sure what to do. She doesn’t want to talk to me. Can you talk to her after dinner?”
Mom may say whatever was on her mind, and it sometimes came across as uncaring. She wasn’t like that at all. If Sun needed help, she’d move mountains to help her.
“Just so I’m clear, you’re not interested in her as more than a friend?” Mom asked me.
“He’s a teenage boy,” Angie laughed.
“Yes, that’s true, but I actually think me not hitting on her will help more.”
“I just wanted to make sure you’re doing this for the right reasons. I’m glad you made the effort. Most people would have either not noticed, or not gotten involved. I’ll do what I can.”
“Thanks, Mom. I need to get back.”
I went back upstairs and could hear the shower still going. I pulled out my tablet and opened the book I was reading, Beautiful Creatures. Ridley was messing with Ethan, and I was engrossed in the story. I came to the end of a chapter and looked at the time. It was 5:45. Sun must have taken me up on my offer of a nap, since almost two hours had gone by. I gently knocked on the bedroom door. There was a muffled, ‘Yes?’
“Sun, it’s almost six. We need to get downstairs for dinner.”
She opened my door wearing one of my t-shirts and shorts.
“My clothes are dirty, is it okay if I wear this to dinner?”
“Sure. I have to do laundry. Why don’t we sort it, and you can throw your things in with mine.”
I walked past her, pulled out my laundry basket, and started sorting clothes. Sun opened her duffle bag and added to my piles. When we were done, I dumped a pile into the basket, and we walked into the house. Sun watched as I pulled a load out of the washer and put it in the dryer. It was a load of Kyle’s clothes. I put my load in and started the washing machine.
As we came out of the laundry room, Sun grabbed my hand. I acted as if I didn’t notice, but she seemed to need the security of being close to me. Angie and my mom noticed when we walked in, but neither commented. Greg and Dad just acted as if it was normal for me to bring a strange girl home. I introduced everyone to Sun, and she seemed to relax when they didn’t give her the third degree.
We had a nice dinner, and this time Sun didn’t eat as much. I think three-quarters of a pizza had filled her up earlier. After dinner, Mom led her off to the office to talk. I busied myself with doing another load of laundry. By the time Mom and Sun came out of the office, I had done all the laundry. When Angie figured out what I was doing, she had me do her and Greg’s laundry also. I went up to my apartment and put all of Sun’s laundry into her duffle bag. I was sure I didn’t pack it right—what guy ever does—but I figured that she had about two weeks’ worth of clothes.
When I got back to the house, Angie told me to join Mom and Sun in the office. I knocked, and Mom opened the door. She indicated that I was to sit in the chair behind the desk. She sat down next to Sun, and it was obvious that both of them had been crying. I just sat silently and waited. After several minutes, Sun finally smiled and looked at Mom.
“You win. He really has been trained well.”
“I can take no credit for that. He learned that from his dad and brother. It’s most infuriating when they go stone quiet on you. The good news for you is that you can trust them to keep their mouths shut. It’s your choice if you want to tell him or not. He’ll not treat you any differently if you’re not ready.”
Sun got a sad look on her face.
“No. I’m sorry, David. I’m not ready to share this with you.”
Mom patted her hand.
“Don’t worry about it.” She turned to me. “Sun is going to be staying with us for a while. We agreed that she could stay with you in your apartment. I only ask two things: please don’t bring any guest home while she’s here, and don’t share with anyone that she’s staying with us.”
I didn’t have anything to add, so I got up, and Sun followed me to my apartment. I made up the couch for her, went into my room and closed the door. I got undressed and went to bed. After I turned off my light, there was a soft knock on the door.
“Yes,” I answered.
“I need to use the bathroom.”
“Come on in.”
She did her business, then came over, and sat on the edge of the bed.
“Thank you for not being nosy. It means a lot to me.”
She leaned down and gave me a kiss on the cheek. I just smiled and she went back to the couch.
Chapter 11 – So I See You’re Expanding Your Harem
Monday November 18
I WOKE UP TO FIND SUN in my bed. She wasn’t touching me, but I do sleep nude. My queen-size bed had enough room that she wasn’t on top of me. I slipped out of bed to take my shower. I came back into the bedroom and put on my underwear. Sun chuckled.
I looked over and she gave me a silly grin.
“Hey, you’re the one that got into my bed. No smart comments.”
“Sorry, I was just thinking about what John said.”
John was the jerk swimmer in our math class.
“He said you’re hung like a mouse. I was just thinking Mickey’s hung pretty well. I can’t wait to tell him.”
“And how are you going to explain how you know how well I’m hung?”
She realized her dilemma.
“Oh.”
“Not that I mind you spreading that rumor. Just be careful who you tell. I had my first girlfriend explain to my mom how big my package is. I still have nightmares about that.”
“No shit! I would have died!” she cried. Then she thought about it for a moment. “I can see your mom being cool about it. She might even join in joking about it.”
“You have my mom pegged. She was egging my girlfriend on. I’m sure it’ll be the topic of conversation at some family event, if not at my therapy sessions.”
“Can I ask you a serious question?”
“As long as I can choose not to answer it, then ask away.”
“Do you find me attractive?”
Sun was of Asian descent and average-looking. I would rate Sun a solid six.
“You’re very attractive.”
I had learned to be careful when a woman asked these kinds of questions. I just finished getting dressed. Sun took her shower, and before she was done, I went downstairs to the kitchen. I was eating cereal when Greg came in to join me.
“What’s up with the new girl?”
“You’ll have to ask Mom. She just told me that she’s staying in my apartment for a while. I elected not to ask any questions.”
Greg got it.
“Oh. I guess they’ll tell us when we need to know.”
Angie walked in with Kyle.
“Smart boy.”
We all chuckled because we knew it was true.
GREG GAVE SUN AND ME a ride to school. I gave Sun a key to my apartment so she could get in after school since I had football practice. When we got out of the car, Sun took my hand and we walked onto the school grounds. Alan and Gina had waited at the entrance for Jeff. When they saw us, I guided Sun over to them.