Rachel & Huck

 It felt as if it were a matter of time. Rachel would awake in the night feeling certain Huck left already, but no his bum was practically touching hers in bed. She'd wiggle a bit, hoping to stir him, but he snoozed like a log of some kind. Yeah, the job took a lot out of him at the hotel.

Of course, it was all turning out like she expected. Mom would call every great once in a while to tell them to expect some kind of bill.

She finally fessed up how her mother drained her bank account a couple of years ago. Why did she come back? It felt as if it might all start over. 

"Well, it's not. It won't happen." Huck's very words. The certainty that he'd be the backbone she needed. But they were still here in her room while her brother had the master bedroom with the bathroom.

Rachel lay awake, thinking back on Iowa politics. She remembered thinking, "Trump won't win. We only pick losers in Iowa." But it was looking crazy these days. Of course, her brother went to the local caucus to vote, but she didn't even have a voter card. And he made no qualms about who he wanted to win. He knew a winner.

Rachel scratched the back of her head. It was useless to even try to go back to sleep. She squinted hard. She'd be up by five anyway. It was a long week at school. Always.

It wasn't that she hated the job, but it did take a toll on her feet. Thinking of the Beachhouse now was like a vacation. Although, she knew it wasn't quite that relaxing, either. Especially, because of a certain someone.

Just then she noticed her phone light up. It was on Do Not Disturb.

"Guess who?" The text read.

Rachel squinted. Maybe she did need her glasses. 

Wally, she thought first, but she didn't see his handle, He's a Dick.

Well, she didn't really know who it was. Just some random phone number she didn't know. She was going to block it.

"Hey, aren't you gonna let your brother-in-law in. It's chilly out here and I didn't bring my jeans."

She practically choked at the thought it might be Cobie. She nudged Huck furiously. 

Somebody wanted to sleep on their couch.