Rewrite the Stars (bxb)

Chapter 15 Meet the Parentals

We're all eating lunch when the doorbell rings.

Orion stands up. "That must be them." He goes to the front door, and I hear two more voices. Then three people enter the kitchen. The others immediately get up and greet the two strangers, but I stay put. One reason is because of my foot. But the other is because I don't do well with people. At all. Especially when they're strangers.

"You must be Blythe," I hear and look up to see an older woman smiling at me.

I smile and nod, hoping that she doesn't think that I'm being rude.

"It's nice to meet you. I'm Phebe." She points to the other older man. "And that's my husband, Cameron. We're Orion's parents. He told me what happened. If there is anything you need, don't hesitate to ask, okay?"

I nod again. "Thank you."

"No problem, dear. I hope you get better soon." She sits down where Sam was sitting and whispers, "Though, if I were you, I'd milk this for as long as you have it. Make them wait on you hand and foot."

"Okay, mom. Let's not give him any ideas." Orion puts his hands on her shoulders and steers her into another seat, away from me.

I laugh.

Phebe waves Orion away as the others sit down as well.

We're one seat short, so Orion brings over a bar stool to sit on.

"I have no idea what you're talking about, Orion," Phebe continues. "What was that, Blythe? You want some food? But you can't get up? Well, Orion." She pats his shoulder. "You're up."

He rolls his eyes but gets up anyway. As soon as he's gone, Phebe looks at me and winks. "If you won't, I will."

We all laugh.

The others catch up as we eat, but I'm content to just watch them and laugh at whatever they're saying. I even forget about my foot until everyone gets up to clean up, and then I remember I can't walk on my foot yet.

"Oh, mom," Orion says, making Phebe pause her conversation with Lincoln, "did you bring the crutches like I asked?"

"Yes, honey. They're in the car."

He nods and leaves through the front door.

Crutches? Did someone break their leg?

Orion returns a moment later and comes over to me. "Try using these," he says and holds them out for me.

"Huh?" I'm confused.

"It won't be the most pleasant, but hopefully you'll be able to move around yourself until your foot heals enough to walk on."

"Oh, uh." I'm still a little confused on why he brought me crutches, but with everyone looking at me, I stand up and at least try to walk with them.

I've seen people walk on crutches so many times throughout my life that I just assumed they were easy to walk on. I was wrong. I was very very wrong. These things are difficult as hell.

"Just make it to me," Dev says, and it would be endearing if the smirk on his face didn't tell a different story.

"I'm not a baby," I tell him.

"You're acting like a baby learning to walk," he says back.

"I'm gonna cry like a baby if you don't shut up." I ignore him and focus on actually walking with these things. I've made it out of the kitchen and half way down the hallway before I start to get the hang of it, and I make my way back to the kitchen. "Where'd the crutches come from?"