“Oh, Aunt Opal,” I sighed for what seemed like the hundredth time. “So you already made the appointment? When is it?”
“It’s in a month, with a Dr. Pfeiffer in Orlando.”
“Okay. That’s good.” I wondered how Mr. Davis knew a neurologist and thought about asking him later.
“Oh!” Opal sounded alarmed.
“What now?” I asked, slightly alarmed.
“That lil’ chile used all of my laxatives. I need to stay regular. I need more,” she said frantically.
I chuckled at the turn of conversation. “It’s okay, Auntie. I will ask her to drop more off after school.”
“Make sure she does. I’m on a schedule, you know.”
“Ahh, thanks for that, Auntie,” I cringed.
I attempted to offer her something more substantial than pudding for breakfast, but she said she was full. So I grabbed a cereal bar and was on my way out the door. I texted Aria to tell her Opal wanted her “chocolate bars” replaced after school. She said she would drop them off after she met with Riley to rehearse for her audition, since it was tomorrow.
My phone buzzed as I was putting it back in my book bag. It was a text from Tina.
I’m in love
Rolling my eyes as I read, she proceeded to tell me about her professor who didn’t know she was alive, but that wasn’t going to stop her from trying. I then told her the news about Opal’s sudden interest in her health, and she offered to come to the appointment and check out this Dr. Pfeiffer right before she said she had class and would text me later.
I put my phone back up and was happy that Tina had offered to come to the appointment, even though it was a two-hour drive for her. I didn’t know how I would handle it if the doctor told me bad news and I was alone. I headed to campus figuring I should get to class on time, since apparently I always came in late, and see if I actually noticed Kelly this time.
When I got there, Kelly was sitting in the front row, right in front of the professor’s podium. No wonder I didn’t notice her—I hardly ever stared straight ahead, as Professor Harris was a walker when he lectured and never stood in one spot. I was always so focused on him I never noticed anyone else.
“Hey, roomie!” She waved wildly.
“Hey.” I waved back but less wildly and made my way to my seat in the back.
The lecture went on, and I made notes trying to catch up from my absence yesterday. Halfway through the class, the professor said we were having a timed writing on yesterday’s material, and I looked up, panicked. He addressed me and told me to do my best, then proceeded to tell the class about the assignment. Thank goodness it seemed that yesterday’s assignment was on the Brothers Grimm fairy tales. I knew the material well, as it was one of the few nonpoetry books Mom had. During the power outage from the hurricane, I would read it to Aria during the day when we got bored.
The writing assignment took the rest of the class to complete, and I turned in my paper feeling pretty confident.
Kelly caught up to me just outside the door.
“Oh, man. I didn’t know we would have timed writing, otherwise I would have given you my notes.”
“It’s okay. I knew the material. My mom has the book. I used to read them to my sister,” I said nonchalantly.
“Oh, phew. Disaster averted.” She made a sweeping motion with the back of her hand across her forehead.
“Hey, Dac!” I heard Riley call my name.
I turned around as he came up to us.
“You’re in my Econ class, right?” Kelly asked him when he stopped at my side.
“I think so. Riley.” He offered his hand. “Nice to meet you.”
“Kelly,” she shook his hand. “Well, I’ll see you later, roomie,” she said cheerfully and bounced away.
“Wow, she would give your sister a run for her money.” We headed down the hallway.
“Yeah, well, I only allow one person around me that cheerful, and it’s not her.”
“Roomie?” He gestured to the departing Kelly.
“She is in the same dorm. I have run into her a few times, and she had done a favor for Trevor. Now she’s just around everywhere.”
“How is Trevor?”
“He’s okay,” I said, making my way down some stairs.
“So, how are you feeling?” he asked with an amused look on his face.
“Aria has a big mouth,” I grumbled, guessing he knew how I spent my day yesterday.
“I didn’t say anything.” He started laughing.
“You didn’t have to. It’s written all over your face that you know,” I accused.
“Okay, okay. If you’re referring to your brownie surprise, then yes, I do know.” He dodged my fist as I tried to punch him in the shoulder.
“God, can I not live this down today? First Tina, now you.”
“I’m just keeping up with the trend then.”
“Shut up, Riley. I assume Aria told you?”
“I texted her yesterday to see if she wanted to meet up after school, and she told me the whole story. But, in her defense, I have done that, you know.”
I cocked my head to the side in question.
“I have mistaken Ex-Lax for a chocolate bar. They look the same,” he said defensively.
“Except for the label that says EX-LAX on it.” I shook my head.
“Well, I’m just saying. Don’t be too hard on her. I’m meeting her tonight to give her some last-minute pointers on her audition tomorrow. It’s a closed audition, so we can’t see her when she goes in.”
“She didn’t tell me the time. Do you know?”
“I think it’s at eleven, but you may want to check that with her.” He looked at his watch. “I gotta do that run-walk thing so I will only be three minutes late to class this time.”
I waved bye to him as he shimmied/ran down the opposite hall to get to class.
It wasn’t that hard to pick up from where I left off in my classes after being absent only one day. Most of my professors were pretty forgiving. Even though I didn’t have a doctor’s note, they operated on the honesty policy, so they excused my absence.
I got back to my dorm and put my book bag down just as my phone was ringing. I looked at the display and saw it was Mom.
“Hey, Mom,” I said, kicking off my shoes.
“Hi, sweetie. How are you feeling?”
“I’m much better. I just got in from class.”
“Good, I wanted to make sure. I’m still at work, but I wanted to check on you.” She was about to hang up.
“Mom, wait,” I sat on my bed. “Opal made an appointment to some neurologist for next month.”
“Oh, Dacey, you did it—you got her to go!” she said proudly.
“Actually, I didn’t,” I confessed. “She asked me to take her. She made the appointment already. Well, actually, I think Mr. Davis did,” I said under my breath.
“Oh, well. I guess she found her fish.”
“Yeah, but you don’t think they are moving too fast?” I asked without thinking.
“Well, I can’t really say. When you know, you know.”
I had forgotten that she and Wally had almost the same type of whirlwind romance, and it turned out fine.
“I didn’t mean that, Mom. I just meant that he comes in, and she’s just different. I’m not used to it,” I huffed.
“Well, Dacey, you’ve never been one for change, and people change when emotions run high. Opal and Eugene are not your age, so they don’t have time to date and figure it out, when you know—”
“I know. You know,” I finished for her, glad she couldn’t see my eyes roll.
“As long as the outcome is the same, Dac, I don’t see the problem.”
“I guess,” I grumbled. She was right. I didn’t like change, and it took me awhile to get used to it.
“Well, dear, I know that Opal has never warmed up to me, but if you want me to go with you, I’ll be more than happy to.”
“Thanks, Mom. Tina said she would
go as well. It’s a month away, and I’m sure that Mr. Davis will want to go too.”
“Right. Well, I have to get back to work, but come by for dinner again, soon.”
“I will,” I promised and hung up.
I began to catch up on my assignments and tried to get a head start on a few of my others. I had gotten all of yesterday’s assignments done and was starting on the extra one when my phone buzzed with a text from Tina letting me know she had info on the doctor. Turns out this Dr. Pfeiffer was on the list I was going to get from Dr. D, so that was a plus.
I put my phone up feeling a little better knowing that the doctor Opal was going to was legit. I just hoped that she would be able to help my aunt with her memory lapse, and although I didn’t attend church, I did pray to God that Opal was okay and this, whatever it was, was something fixable. If she got worse, I just didn’t know if I could handle her not knowing who I was or her thinking I was my mother every day. Would Mr. Davis even stick around then? What would become of her? Of me? Since I was her only living relative...I had so many questions, and all I knew was that so many people’s fates lie in waiting until next month, mine included.
I finished up with the rest of my extra assignments right around the time Trevor came. He knocked once, then opened the door.
“Hey, babe.” He came in, giving me a kiss on the forehead.
“Hey,” I said halfheartedly, still distracted with my thoughts.
Seeing the frown on my face, he pulled the rolling chair I was in away from the desk toward the bed facing him and swiveled me around so I was facing him.
“Okay, enough schoolwork, or whatever has that frown on your face—talk to me. What’s going on?”
“I just have a lot on my mind.”
“So tell me. It’s what I’m here for,” he said softly.
“You’re my island, remember? I don’t want to bring my crazy to my island.”
“Okay. Well, your island helps you get away, so let me help.”
Seeing he wasn’t going to give up, I told him about Opal going to the doctor next month and how I was worried about her and her memory loss and whether it might be more than just old age. I also told him about her and Mr. Davis moving too fast. Trevor sat there and listened to me without saying a word as I unloaded my frustration about everyone saying I had a problem with it because it was change and I don’t like change. When I was done, he took me by the hand and was dragging me to the door.
“What are you doing?”
“We are going out. We need to do something fun,” he declared.
“What are you talking about?” I let him drag me.
“You’re so stressed, and we haven’t done anything fun. You need to take your mind off of all this for a while. I’m your island getaway, so I say let’s get away! I’m taking you out,” he said with finality.
“Okay,” I gave in as I closed my door and locked it. We ran into Kelly on the way out the door as she was coming in.
“Hey, Dacey, pizza boy. You guys headed out?” she said bubbly.
“Yeah, we are, actually. Want to join us?”
I looked at Trevor as if he’d lost his mind. There was only so much bubbly I could take from someone who was not my sister. I hoped she would take his offer as him just being polite and wouldn’t really take him up on it, but she did.
“Thanks. I was just going to veg out tonight, but I’d love to hang!”
I squeezed Trevor’s hand tighter to let him know how much I would not love to hang with Kelly, but he leaned over and whispered in my ear.
“Come on, it’ll be fun.”
“Yeah, fun,” I muttered.
“So where are going?” Kelly asked.
“It’s a surprise.” Trevor opened the door of his truck for us both.
I groaned. If there was one thing I hated more than change, it was surprise. And this was supposed to be my island getaway?
Chapter 7
We pulled up to Spinner’s, a roller-skating rink near the college where most of the college kids and a few high schoolers hung out. I hadn’t hung out there since I was actually in high school and had started looking in on Opal full-time. The place still looked the same and held a nostalgic feel to it for me. It was where Trevor had asked me out. No one but the high schoolers actually roller-skated. The older crowed usually hung out and talked, and we were no exception. Skates and I had a love-hate relationship; I loved to hate them. I never got the hang of them, even when Mom had tried to teach me. I think I was past the point of learning, so I gave up.
“Oh, fun! I love to skate,” exclaimed Kelly from the back seat.
“Really, babe? This is my getaway?” I asked, skeptical.
“You haven’t been here since high school, and you used to have fun here. We used to have fun here,” he reminded me.
“You’re right. Okay, let’s go.” He was right. I did used to have fun with him. I pushed all my worries to the side and got out of the truck. Grabbing his hand, I let him lead me inside as Kelly followed beside us.
Inside, music was blaring and people were scattered around everywhere. I saw a few people from around school whom I knew, and Trevor saw a few people from high school he knew. Kelly waved to several people she knew, but never went over to their table. We found a table near the back of the rink, and a waitress rolled up on skates to take our order and get our sizes.
“Oh, I’m not skat—” I started, but Trevor interrupted me.
“She’ll need a size 9, and I’ll need a size 12, plus two Cokes to start.”
“I’ll need a size 7½, and a Diet Coke,” added Kelly.
I looked at him as the waitress rolled away, and he winked at me.
“Fun, remember? Let me show you how to skate.”
“Mom already tried, and it didn’t work.”
“Let me show you the Trevor way,” he smirked.
“That is so cu-uuute.” Kelly looked at us, head tilted to the side. I was happy that our waitress returned with our drinks and skates at that moment so I didn’t have to reply.
We ordered a large pizza to split among the three of us and laced up our skates to start skating while our pizza cooked. Kelly was the first one out, saying she would see us out there. I was not so fast to make it. Standing up on shaking legs, I had to balance check myself fifty times before actually getting to the rink.
As I was holding onto Trevor’s outstretched arms, he led me onto the skating floor, and I half-walked, half-stumbled with my arms stretched out like a newborn learning to walk. He smiled and shook his head, then came to place his arms around my waist from behind and pulled me close, his front to my back, and we made our way around the rink.
“I think I like the Trevor way,” I said as he leaned down to kiss the side of my neck.
“I do too,” he said into my hair.
We would have been fine if some high school kid hadn’t been speeding past us like it was Roller Derby and clipped Trevor’s shoulder, making me pivot forward and lose my balance, taking Trevor with me. He turned sideways at the last minute and landed on my side instead of on top of me, laughing. I started laughing too, as I had no idea how I was going to get up off this slippery floor with skates on. We were both laughing when Kelly rolled over to us.
“Um, are you guys okay? You went down pretty hard.”
“Yeah, we are good,” I said between laughs. Trevor had pulled me up into a sitting position now.
“Are you sure you didn’t bump your head? You’re so giggly.”
“No, no. I’m okay,” I said, still laughing as Trevor attempted to pull me up and failed as I slid back down on my butt.
“A little help here?” He gestured to Kelly to grab my other arm, and together they both got me to a standing position. Trevor guided me back over to our table. I finally calmed down when our pizza arrived, and we started talking and getting to know Kelly. She had moved here with her mom a few years ago and finished her senior year being home-schooled. No wonder she was so...Kelly.
Aft
er hearing her talk for an hour, Trevor and I opted to leave early while she stayed behind with some friend she met up with, which suited me just fine because three was completely a crowd when all I wanted was to be carefree and twenty-two, alone with Trevor.
* * *
I awoke the next day wrapped in my favorite blanket, Trevor. I slid out from underneath him and slid on a T-shirt and shorts to go to the shower stalls and take a quick morning shower.
“Hey, where you going?” His voice was heavy with sleep.
“To take a quick shower before I head out.” I leaned over to kiss him.
“Hand me my boxers.”
I went to grab them off the floor from where they were thrown last night. The double feature had started the second we walked in the door, and the clothes went flying as I was determined to be young and carefree last night. I might have been a little too determined. I saw his jeans, socks, shirt, and belt but no boxers.
“Um, were you wearing any?”
“You don’t remember?” He cocked an eyebrow at me.
“No, I was a little distracted.” I looked back at him from the closet.
“I know. I barely made it inside before you attacked me.”
“You weren’t fighting it.” I continued to look.
“Baby, you can attack me like that anytime.” He winked at me.
“How attached are you to those boxers?” I asked, giving up my search.
“Don’t worry about it, babe. I have to go home and shower anyway, since I got a workout last night.” He got up and started putting on his clothes.
“I’ll find them later,” I said as I headed out to take my shower before he left.
When I got back, he was laying on the bed with his hands behind his head, waiting for me, but he sat right up when I came in.
“It’s about time...dammmn.” He dropped a kiss on my forehead and said he that would text me later and that he loved me on his way out.
“Bye, baby. Love you too!” I called behind him.
I took my time getting ready, since it wasn’t my day to check in on Opal. I texted Aria to find out when her audition was. Even though I knew it was going to be a closed audition, I still wanted to be there for her. She responded two minutes later, telling me it was before her class and to look outside. I hadn’t looked out my window since I’d gotten up, but I went to look then and saw that it was gloomy and rainy. It was normal in Florida for it to be sunny one day and then the next be rainy and gloomy.
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