"Hey Dad! Do you have any dirty laundry?" I yell from the basement, stuffing clothes into the washing machine. Since moving in with him, I've taken over the role of cleaning and cooking. Dad likes to help occasionally but honestly, I don't mind. It keeps me occupied along with my friends and work.
"Just a few shirts for my business trip honey!" Dad yells back at me. I hear footsteps upstairs, growing louder the closer they get to me. I walk over to the basement door and hold out my arms, signalling for Dad to hand me the clothes.
"Thank you sweetheart, you're a lifesaver." Dad smiles, handing me a pile of shirts.
"No problem. Do you leave in a week?" I ask him and he nods, fixing his tie before he jets off out to work. He begins to bite down nervously as he glances at me.
"Are you sure you're going to be okay? Im going away for a few months Trish. I know you're an adult and the house is yours just as much as mine. You know that right?" He asks me and I nod.
"Dad, stop worrying. I've told you I'll be fine. I have my friends." I shrug. I will miss him but I'm used to him leaving for long periods of time. However this time round is slightly different, it's the first time he's left since Leroy's death. The thought of being alone causes me to grow nervous and anxious but I have to do it sometime. I feel like I've been getting better at coping . . . Which means not sobbing myself to sleep every night.
"I just worry about you darling." Dad mumbles softly, glancing down at his watch.
"It's your job to but honestly I'll be fine. We'll Skype every weekend, okay? Now leave for work before you're late." I tell him. He nods and leans forward, placing a quick kiss on the side of my head.
"Have a good day and call me if you need me." He says quickly before rushing out. I give him a small smile in return and put my attention back to the chores as Dad leaves. My eyes land on a business card that must have fallen on the floor and I bend down —
"Hey Dad! — " I call up to him but he's already gone. I pick the card up and turn it over but it never was one of his. I completely forgot about the adoption card the lady handed me at the shopping centre weeks ago. I pause and allow the dirty clothes to fall to the floor as my eyes scan over the paper. It's creased and slightly faded but the address and number is still intact. I bite my lower lip as I re-read all the information.
Tobias' words spring to mind —
"Fostering is a career and a damn rewarding one."
Could he be right? I pull my phone out from my back pocket and scroll down until I find his number. It only takes one or two rings before he answers. When he does, his voice ignites the excitement inside my body.
"Hey Sugar."
"Hey Tobias, what are you doing today?" I ask him, a small smile on my lips as I play with the card with my free hand.
*****
I watch as his black car comes to a halt in front of me and he leans over, opening the door. My heart somersaults from his dark hair, plain white tee and black jeans. I give him a wide smile and slide in, my eyes wondering over his good looks.
"You're looking beautiful today," Tobias says, a suggestive tone to his voice. He leans over, one hand on the steering wheel. I bite down and quickly peck him because I'm too excited to be distracted by Tobias and his distracting abilities.
He's seriously good at it.
"Thank you but that's not why I called you." I giggle, fastening my seatbelt. Tobias revs the engine before setting off, his eyes still flickering over to glance at me every now and then. I try and not freak out every time he acts like we're together because I feel like labels freak him out. I'm cool with going along with the flow but lately I wished he'd make things a little more official.
"It's not? Damn." He pouts, his adorable face becoming ten times more adorable when he does that. My stomach tightens as I watch his left hand settle on my leg and despite the fabric of my jeans, the heat travels up my body. He gives my thigh the simplest of squeezes and I have to turn my head and glance out of the window to distract myself.
"So where are we going?" Tobias asks, his hand still firmly on my thigh. I continue to chew on my bottom lip nervously as I turn to face him once again.
"Do you remember the time at the shopping centre when the woman gave me the card for adoption?" I ask him. His eyebrows raise in surprise but he doesn't say anything and turns to look at me.
"I just want to check it out." I say hurriedly, trying to explain myself. Tobias takes hold of my hand and brings it up to his lips before kissing the tips of my fingers. It's an affectionate move but my heart basically melts right there and then. Whilst I struggle to pull myself together, he speaks.
"I think it's a great idea, I really do."
I exhale a deep breath, my shoulders relaxing in relief. I'm not sure why I felt the need to gain his approval but now I have it, I feel better about the situation.
"Do you honestly think I can do it?" I ask him, wanting his truthful opinion. Tobias pauses before answering and finally, he nods.
"I think you'd make an amazing foster parent. You're smart, caring and loyal. You're insanely fun to be around and any child would be lucky to have you."
I look at him and blink a few times, taken aback by his words. They really hit home and I feel a lump beginning to form in the back of my throat. A comfortable silence falls upon us yet I can't bring myself to stop smiling at him.
"Thank you." I say softly after a few moments. The way my heart reacted to his lovely words confirmed one thing for me . . . I'm falling for Tobias Melvin.
"You look like you're about to confess your love for me Sugar." Tobias grins, his boyish charm re-appearing. I sit up straighter and run a hand through my hair quickly.
"Would that be such a bad thing?" I tease him. I realise despite my joking tone, I'm watching to analyse his reaction. Tobias Melvin is a seriously hard character to read and lately I've been wondering whether he truly does see a future with me or not. When I speak the words, he chuckles lowly, the sound of it causing the hairs on the back of my neck to prickle with anticipation.
"If you confess your undying love for me, I may just have to marry you on the spot."
His words cause my heart to skip a beat and immediately I picture a dream wedding with Tobias dressed in a charcoal grey suit waiting for me at the alter . . .
"You'd look so hot in a suit." I tell him, a flirtatious smile on my lips. He briefly takes his eyes off the road to turn and give me a stomach clenching wink.
"I bet you'd be the most beautiful bride I've ever seen." He says, the playful tone to his voice disappearing. My body stills for a moment as we make eye contact but he quickly clears his throat and turns back towards the road. I watch him shift uncomfortably in his seat and I glance out of the window, trying to ignore the thick tension between us.
Part of me wonders why he won't admit his true feelings but the other part of me knows the wait will be worth it because something with him feels special.
You shouldn't ever let that go when you find it.