"I can't tell they're grainy."

I purposely didn't choose a holiday scheme for the display and went conservative, warm tones. "You sure they look okay?"

"Hello, insecurity," Todd grumbles.

"I'm not insecure! I'm a perfectionist."

"Whatever." He takes his seat on the floor next to the coffee table. "He'll like it."

Todd is more helpful than usual. I smile as I study the pictures again. "Remember - you can't tell him."

"I know."

I go in to get our hamburgers then settle onto the couch with dinner to work on Anton's project.

The next morning, I wake up early, make my breakfast and immediately start working on the project. It's chilly in the apartment despite the heat being on, and I'm guessing it was the coldest night yet. Todd sleeps in past midmorning. When he emerges around eleven, he's fully dressed, down to his shoes. He has a backpack over his shoulder, and his pillow is strapped to it.

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I'm still in pajamas and look at him quizzically. "Going somewhere?"

"To Petr's. It starts in an hour," he replies. "Did you save me breakfast?"

"Sandwich in the microwave."

"You're not ready," he observes as he passes by the couch.

"I want to finish Anton's project. I hadn't planned on us going until this evening," I say, half-truthfully. The idea of seeing Petr thrills me. I'd rather wait until the house is too full of people, though, so a second kiss doesn't happen. "We're not staying the night, either."

"Come on, Claudia!"

"Get used to it."

"Can I at least go at noon?"

"Alone?"

"Please, please, puh-leeeeeeeeese!"

I laugh at his expression.

"I'll cook dinner for a month," he says hopefully.

"Hmm … maybe if you cleaned your room for a month, too," I tease.

He scowls. "Okay."

"Starting now."

Todd darts across the apartment, breakfast forgotten. I trust him at Petr's. I still have a problem being apart for most of the day, though. Ten minutes later, he announces he's done. I hesitate to give him permission. There was a time, not too long ago, he never would've asked to leave.

He's changed a lot the past month.

"I said I'm done!" he says for a second time.

"All right."

"I can go?"

"Yes. Go get taxi money out of the snowman jar."

"He'll pick me up."

"Todd!" I exclaim, twisting from my spot on the couch to see into his room. "You can't ask him to take time to come get you when he's putting on the party."

"He said I could," Todd says, looking up from his screen. "He said to call him if we need a ride."




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