London

“Penith,” I tell him.

“Excuse me?”

“Penithsss,” I try to pronunciation peanuts. “I’m awerthic to peniths.”

“Right. Now call or I will.” He’s mad at me, pissed.

Then I realize what I am saying is coming out almost like penis, and I can’t help laughing.

“Stop fucking around and just do it.” He grabs my hand that holds my phone. “Now, dammit.”

“In my puss. Penith...”

The door swings open to one of the stalls. It’s Toxic. “You really are something, Logan Links!”

“Get the fuck out,” he snaps at her.

I try to walk around him, but he grabs my arm.

“Puth. Puth!”

“It’s not like that. She stopped over. I didn’t fucking touch her.” I realize that Logan is defending himself to me, which shocks me, but makes me smile. It also makes Toxic storm out of the bathroom. “It’s not because of you, so cut the shit. Call your mom and—”

I cover his mouth with my hand because he needs to listen to me.

“Pen-ith in the puss!” I yell in his face.

His eyes get huge, and then he closes his eyes and hisses, “I can’t with you. You’re un-fucking-touchable and—”

I groan because I’m annoyed, or is it because my tongue is swelling? I don’t know, but I push him hard and manage to get past him.

As I push through the crowd, I hear him behind me. “Dammit! Will you stop!”

I get to the table, sit down, open my cross body, grab my EpiPen, and stab myself in the leg.

When I look up, I see my friends, Logan, and Mitch looking at me with horrified expressions on their faces.

“Hothpita,” I say, standing up.

“Call an ambulance.”

“Get an Uber.”

“Oh, my God. Oh, my God. Oh, my God.”

I hear them all and shake my head.

“Logan...”

He takes the two steps between us and swoops me up.

“I can walk.”

“We’re coming with you,” Jamie says, grabbing her coat.

“No, I got her,” Logan tells her from over his shoulder as he rushes to the door.

I wrap my arms around his neck so I don’t fall as he runs down the block to his truck. I hear my friends behind us.

“They can’t—”

“I know.” He sets me on my feet, one arm around my waist as he pulls his keys out of his pocket and hits the unlock. When he opens the door, I start to move to get in. “I got you.” Once in the truck, he then yells at them, “I got it.”

They look pissed.

I roll down the window and give them the okay sign. Jamie runs up and hands me my purse as Logan leans over and grabs the seatbelt. I smile at him, and he sighs and rolls his eyes as he buckles me in.

Jamie starts to yell, “You call me if—”

Logan peels away from the curb then hits the control panel on the dashboard and says, “Call Emma.”

I cover my face and groan, knowing she’s going to freak out. Thankfully, Dad answers.

“Logan?”

“Yes. I have London in my truck and am a minute from University Hospital,” he begins.

“Hi, Daddio,” I jump in, knowing if he hears me, he won’t freak out.

“What’s going on?”

I giggle. “Penith.”

“What?” Brody gasps.

“Peanuts, I think she’s saying peanuts,” Logan clarifies, which makes me laugh harder. “It’s not fucking funny.”

“Not funny indeed,” Brody replies.

“She shot herself with an EpiPen,” Logan interjects.

“Mom and I are on our way.”

“I’m fine,” I insist.

“And we’re your parents.” His voice is deep and gruff.

“If they tell me I’m going to die, I’ww have them caww you. But my fwendth—”

“London,” he growls.

“Pweese,” I beg.

“Your mother—”

“Take cawwe of it, pweese.”

“I’ll see what I can do,” he says on a sigh, giving in.

“We’re here,” Logan says, throwing the truck in park in front of the hospital.

“Keep me informed, Logan,” Brody barks out, and my hopes of them staying away dwindle. “And thank you.”

“Will do,” Logan replies and turns off the truck.

By time I unbuckle, my door opens and he’s picking me up...again.

“I can—” I grab my stomach, lean as far away from him as I can, and throw up. “I’m so sowwy.”

“You’re fine.” He kicks the door shut and hurries to the automatic door as I throw up again.

---

When I wake up, I’m in a room with an IV inserted in my arm, and Logan is pacing at the foot of the bed, running his hands through his hair while wearing a green scrub top.

“I bet you miss your hat,” I say, my words now clear and making sense.

“Jesus L. Christ,” he curses, walking quickly to my side and scowling at me.

I smile. “It’s H. Christ. And H is for Hines, or so I’ve been told.”

He sits down and sighs.

“Sorry for throwing up on you.”

“How about sorry for almost dying?” he snaps, then covers his face and shakes his head.

“Drama’s my department,” I joke. “I didn’t almost die.”

“Good,” he snarls, head still down, face still covered.

The nurse walks in. “She’s awake.”

“She is,” I answer for myself.

Logan jumps up and steps back. “She’s gonna be fine, right?”

“It was smart of her to keep an EpiPen with her.” She smiles at me as she walks toward me. “We’ll check your vitals, keep you here for a couple more hours to make sure you don’t have a secondary reaction, and then let you rest at home.”

“She’s in the dorms,” Logan tells her.

“Well, then I suppose you’re going to have an even longer night watching over her.”

“Oh no, he doesn’t have to.”

“Hell I don’t,” he grumbles.

“You have a game Saturday; you need sleep. My friends will—”

I stop talking when I hear a knock on the door and see Mom. I’m shocked when I see Tessa, too.

“What, no Dad?”

“He’s at the hotel with your sister.” Mom walks toward me, leans down, and gives me a kiss.

“We thought he’d draw too much attention,” Tessa jokes as she leans down and kisses my other cheek.

Logan is standing next to Tessa now, and she gives him a hug and kiss on the cheek. “You did good getting her here.”

He nods. “Right place, right time. No big deal.”

The nurse tells Mom and Tessa everything that happened and that I should be watched for the next sixteen hours or so for secondary anaphylactic symptoms. Not once does Tessa mention she’s a nurse, nor does Mom.

“I’ll go get discharge papers and instructions ready for you.” The nurse nods to me. “You have a fan club.”

“She’s gonna be a star,” Logan tells the nurse, and she blushes.

As soon as she walks out the door, I groan and Logan narrows his eyes.

“What?”

“I’m not the only one with a fan club here,” I state the obvious, which makes Mom and Tessa laugh. “I mean, seriously, it’s almost as bad as having Dad and Maddox around.” I look at Tessa. “My roommates think Lucas is Jesus.” She laughs again. “And this one”—I point to Logan—“thinks he’s a direct descendent. Mom, tell Brody it’s Jesus L. Christ, as in Links, and not H for Hines.”

“Oh, he’s going to be disappointed when he finds that out.” Mom smiles and a tear falls down her cheek.

“It’s not that bad, Mom.” I wipe it away.

“I miss you, London.” She takes my hand and kisses it. “And tonight, you terrified me.”

“I miss you more. And I promise, it’ll take a lot more than a peanut to bring me down.”

Tessa laughs. “Emma, I thought you said she was allergic to penis.”

“She is. Deathly allergic.” I notice Mom side-glance at Logan. I want to die. His hand running over his hatless head gives me the impression he does, as well.

“Are you picking on me, in the condition I’m in?” I scowl at them both in jest.

“Oh, London, you should have seen Brody’s face.” Mom now laughs genuinely, and I realize how much I really miss her.

“I miss him, and Lexington, too.”

“Well, you’ll be happy to know they are waiting to see you at the hotel.” Mom then places a kiss to my forehead.

“What time is it?” I ask.

“Almost midnight, why?” Mom asks.

“Lexi has school in the morning, and I have classes. Logan, you should go—”

“Lucas and I are staying the night, as well.” Tessa looks over at Logan. “He’d love to see you.”

Logan smiles at her. “I’ll stop over when we’re done here.”

“Would love for you to stay. He’s having Ava issues.”

“Still trying to keep everyone away.” He sighs and looks down. “Barely answers her phone anymore.”

“He’s driving himself and me crazy trying to come up with a way to get her to move back home.” Tessa shrugs. “I keep telling him to let her come when she’s ready.”

“Will she ever be?” Logan’s eyebrows knit together.

“When Brody was gone, I felt the same way.” Mom looks at Logan. “Right now, her focus is on those babies. She’ll get there. She’s just trying to work her way through it.”

Brody was missing for nearly a year, and Mom refused to believe he was gone. She was right. And she held tighter to me than she ever had before. Even at eight years old, I remember how hard it was for her, for us.

He nods.

“Logan posted a Snap tonight and she replied,” I tell them, hoping it’ll brighten the somber mood.

“A Snap, huh?” Tessa says, grabbing her phone from her coat pocket.

“For fuck’s sake,” Logan mumbles.

“Nice mouth, sailor,” I joke.

“Sorry, Tessa, Emma,” he sighs.

Tessa starts laughing and reaches over to Mom, “This is great. Logan, I had no idea you could sing.”

“I don’t,” he mumbles.

I laugh. “You so did.”

“Well, maybe you should do it more if it makes Ava reach out.” Tessa gives his hand a squeeze.

“Where was this?” Mom asks in a way I know she’s trying to get information.

“Place called Sound,” Logan tells her.

“Is this where the penis incident occurred?” Tessa snickers, and so do I.

“Is it a bar?” Mom asks.

“They have karaoke on Thursday nights. My friends and I are going to make it a weekly thing.”

She looks at me.

“It’s fun, Mom.”

“Looks like it,” Tessa says, taking back the phone from Mom and looks at Logan. “You and your boys go there often?”

He looks at me and then at her. “Once in a while.”

He totally just lied.

Shit, I think.

“Hey, someone needs to call them and tell them I’ll be back in a couple hours; let them know I’m okay.”

“Mitch is keeping them informed,” Logan assures me.

“Well, then someone needs to tell Mitch if he doesn’t leave Jamie alone, I’m going to crush his...nuts.”

“London!” Mom gasps.

“He’s a good guy,” Logan defends his friend.

“Yeah, I’m sure.”

“He is.”

“Logan Links,” I say, sitting up. “He used Christy to get to Jamie, then used Jamie and blew her off. Then he comes around and—”

“She blows him off,” he tells me.

“Whatever. He’s a total dick.”

“London,” Mom scolds.

“He’s not—”

“He spent the night with her then ghosted for almost two weeks,” I interrupt him.

“He was busy,” Logan says, his jaw muscles tightening.

“Busy doing what? Or should I say whom?”

“First two months of football are ball-breaking, London. Add classes to that and there is no time,” he further defends.

“What happened to ‘Logan, it’s almost snuggle season’?” I say in my best Mitch voice.

“He’s trying, and she’s blowing him off every chance she gets.”

“Good.”

“Good?”

“Yeah, maybe he should buy an electric blanket, or...I don’t know, explain to a girl he pitted against her friend that, if he can’t pay ball and focus at the same time, then he should leave her the hell alone.”

“You need to check with your girl.” He chuckles darkly. “She’s playing a game of her own.”

I throw my hands in the air. “What game is that?”

“Give just a little, just enough to make him trip over his own two feet trying to get more, and then be a disrespectful brat when he’s legit trying.”

“Wow, you two haven’t changed.” Tessa laughs, breaking into our conversation.

“Oh no, he’s still Lord Logan, ruler of all the lands.” I flop back down.

“Lord Logan?” Logan laughs. “Or is it...?” He smirks and rubs his hand over his scruff. “What is it you called me to Carla?”

“Oh, whatever,” I sigh.

“Devil dimples?” He crinkles his nose.

“So? What of it?”

“Anyone stupid enough to get that close will be sucked into Hell?”

When Mom and Tessa giggle, I close my eyes. “Wake me up when they discharge me.”

“I want you to know that Brody and I appreciate you bringing London to the hospital, and that you made sure she was safe when she was”—Mom pauses, and I open one eye to look at her. She gives me the mom look, and I give her the don’t one—“out.”

“Right time, right place,” Logan replies in what I assume is his acceptance of her praise voice.

“I’m not ungrateful, Logan,” I say, eyes closed again.

“It’s Lord Logan to you.”

I open my eyes and see his cocky smirk.

“Yes, Lord Logan, SU golden boy. I’m but a peasant in your presence.”

“God, I miss your spunk.” Tessa laughs.

“It’s always present, Tessa. It’s London Fields, center stage.”

I roll my eyes at Logan, and he smiles fully. Damn if those dimples don’t seem deeper than ever.

---

“It’s not a fight, London,” Brody whispers so Lexington doesn’t wake up. “Just tell them they’re keeping you overnight.”

“I’m fine,” I huff.

“We’re doing the very best we can to honor your wishes of doing college your way. We’ve done quite well. I’m sure you’ll agree. And you know it’s not easy to do so. This family has been through an awfully lot.” He stops pacing and sits next to me. “Give a little to princess.”

I look up at Mom, whose arms are crossed against her chest, watching me.

“I can’t miss classes. I’m struggling with breath control and broadening my vocal range. This isn’t our tiny little hometown; I can’t get by on natural talent. I need to push harder, grow, improve, and—”

“Breathe, London, you need to just breathe sometimes and accept that your natural talent is good enough.” Brody puts his arm behind me.

“Mezzos don’t have as many opportunities as sopranos, Dad. It’s very competitive. I’ll age out at the ripe old age of thirty. I have a short window of time to make it.”

“You’ll make it.” He squeezes me in a hug. “You work twenty times harder at your craft than I ever did. And London, if it gets to be too much, you’ll just be center stage on another platform.”

“I’m going to make this happen. I’m not quitting.”

“Of course you’re not.” Mom sits on the other side of me. “But stay tonight, London.”

I nod. “I swear I miss you all, but I just want to do this, you know?”

“We’re proud of you for that.” Brody smiles down at me.

---

I wake up where I fell asleep, snuggled up to Lexington, except Mom is now snuggled up to me on the other side. I can’t help the stupid grin from splaying across my face.

I look up to see Brody standing in the doorway to the adjoining room. Beside him is...Logan?

“What the...?” I begin to sit up, waking Lexi and Mom in the process.

Lexi’s arms squeeze tighter around me as she whispers, “Don’t leave me alone with them. I can’t handle it.”

“I heard that.” Mom sits up, still in her clothes from last night.

“Oh, boy,” Lexi groans.

Brody laughs. “London needs to get to school. Logan’s headed that way,” he says, picking her up as she tries to wiggle away.

“No,” she fakes sadness. “I need you, London. They smother me!”

I give Mom a quick kiss on the cheek and slide out.

“Hold her still, Daddio. Restrain those arms.” I giggle as I kiss Lexi’s cheek and then his.

“I will snatch your weave right off your head,” Lexington yells after me.

“Love you all more.” I giggle, walking into the other room and looking for my shoes.

Logan points. “There.”

“I need to use the bathroom.” I grab my shoes up and step into the bathroom.

I look in the mirror and about die. My weave, as Lexi calls it, looks like a ten-year-old’s Barbie doll’s hair. I grab Mom’s brush and sit down to pee.

After using the toilet, I wash my hands and pull my hair back in a ponytail.

“You may not take her from me,” I hear Lexi from outside, and then she starts banging on the door. “London, take me with you. Please, I’ll do anything if you spring me from this parental imprisonment.”

I brush my teeth with my finger and laugh as she keeps banging.

“It’s been torture. Pure torture. Too much attention. Too many hugs and kisses. I can’t take it!” she cries then giggles. “Hands off, Dad. I’m gonna pee my pants!”

“You got her?” I call out.

“Yep, run while you can.” Dad laughs. “This one is a wiggle worm.”

I open the door a crack and peek out. “You sure?”

“Don’t leave me!” Lexi starts flailing her arms and legs as she reaches for me. “Logan, don’t take her.”

He laughs. “Sorry, Lexi, but we need to get to class.”

“Someday, Lord Logan, you’ll need my help and I shall look down on you and say, ‘poo-poo’.”

“Please accept my apology, Lady Lexington, but in this situation, it cannot be help.”

“Unacceptable.” She covers her face. “Someday you’ll need me to do you a solid, and I shall remember this moment.”

With her eyes still covered, I kiss her cheek then jump back so she can’t grab me. “Love you, Lady Lexington.”

“Love you more.” She sticks out her lower lip in full pout.

“Here,” Mom says, bringing me a bag. “Brody ordered breakfast. Take yours to go. There’s enough for you, too, Logan.” She gives him a quick hug. “Thank you again.”

“Right time, right place,” he says, hugging her back.

She gives me a hug and a kiss. “Love you more.”

When Logan shuts the door behind me, I see he’s in his normal running attire.

“Go without me?”

“Figured you needed your beauty sleep.” He smirks, looking me over.

“Ha, ha.” I stick my tongue out as I push the elevator button.

“I see the penis affect has worn off,” he picks on me.

“You wanna talk about the penis incident? The whole thing? Like in the bathroom when you thought—”

He shoves me in the elevator. “It’s too early to deal with you.” When the door closes, he looks at me.

“So, that’s a no?”

“It’s always a no.” He rolls his eyes as he leans against the elevator wall.

His white tank top is sweat drenched and sticking to his body. His arms bulge as he crosses them over his chest and leans his head against the wall, looking up.

I make it a point to crinkle the paper on the breakfast sandwich to get his attention. When he looks at me, I take a bite. “Mmm...” I glance down at his black ball shorts then look away quickly.

“Stop eyeing the goods.”

“Oh, please,” I huff.

“Whatever. You were probably just wanting to see what all the fuss is about. Can’t blame you.”

“Really? You think that’s what I was thinking?” I ask, taking another bite.

He smirks. “Tell me I’m wrong.”

“You’re wrong.”

“Then what were you looking at?”

“There’s a lot of movement down there.” I point my finger at his lower half.

And he smirks again.

“Oh, don’t let it get to your head, big guy. I was just going to suggest something.”

His eyes narrow a bit, and he bites the corner of his lower lip and gives a sharp lift of his chin.

I look at the lighted numbers and wait until the elevator stops before telling him, “I was gonna suggest underwear. It looks like a bounce house down there.”

He grins and reaches for me. I jump out of the elevator, and he closes in on me. The lobby is full. I look over at him as he notices. Then he looks at me as if he’s unaffected by just getting off an elevator and walking out into a sea of orange. Everyone in the lobby is wearing SU football colors. He nods to the door and I walk to it, but when I reach to open the door, he beats me to it.

Outside, I see his truck and start toward it.

“Hey, you gonna give me some?”

“The answer is always a no,” I reply, to which he laughs.