by Liz Botts
Jake gave me a small smile, one corner of his mouth tugging up slightly. “I want to believe that. Jimmy’s never been a quitter. I just wish we’d get some more information. It’s been two hours. Wouldn’t you think he’d be out of surgery by now?”
“Maybe we should go downstairs to check?” I didn’t want to rush him out of this safe place, but the part of me that didn’t want to think about what all this meant to my heart; thought that getting around other people would be the best idea.
“Yeah, that’s a good idea.”
We both climbed back into his room, and were almost at the door when Jake put his hand on my shoulder, stopping me. “Thanks, Allie. I’m really glad you’re here.”
He gave me a quick hug before opening the door to lead the way downstairs. I followed a few paces behind, confusion drilling into my head and into my heart. The fact that we had drifted apart over this past semester made it feel like we were getting to know each other all over again, even though I already knew most of what there was to know about him. The distance had allowed something to creep in that had never been there before, something that felt strangely like romance. That was impossible, though; I couldn’t have feelings like that for my best friend, could I?
I swallowed all my questions as I trailed Jake down the stairs, trying not to notice the way his jeans fit over his rear. When we entered the living room, Melinda was crying into Jake’s mom’s arms. My stomach knotted with fresh fear.
“What happened?” Jake demanded in a hoarse voice.
Jake’s dad cleared his throat. “Jimmy made it through surgery, but he—he lost his left leg above the knee. The officer who called thought that they might try to expedite his homecoming so he can get better medical care here.”
Jake balled his hands into fists, and in one fluid movement punched the wall beside him. Everyone gasped, and Jake’s little sister, Emily started to cry, while her twin, Eric, just gaped at his older brother. A small dent had appeared in the dry wall, and once Jake’s dad got over his initial surprise, the scowl on his face told me that Jake was about to get in one deep hole of trouble.
Not taking too long to think about the consequences, I grabbed Jake’s non-injured hand, and pulled him toward the front door. He allowed me to drag him outside, across our yards, and into my house. When we got inside, I pointed him toward my living room.
When I had retrieved an ice pack from the kitchen, I came in and sat beside him. “You are going to be in so much trouble when you get home.”
“Naw,” Jake said with a sad grin. “My dad will make me patch the hole and apologize to the kids. I’m just glad Kelsey and Michael weren’t there.”
I hadn’t noticed the absence of his niece and nephew, but I had been pretty focused on Jake. Without anything to say, I leaned back on the sofa, and just looked at him. I understood why he’d done it, even if it was a completely out of character action. The unfairness of the fact that Jimmy would never walk again made me fighting mad too.
I couldn’t think of anything to say that would make the situation better so I just reached out and took his hand again.
Chapter Seventeen
“Don’t put that there. The balloon bouquets belong on the buffet table.”
I clutched the strings of the balloons in my hand, and squeezed my eyes shut. Ever since Mary Beth had returned to school she had taken her role as prom coordinator back with a vengeance. Nothing I had done during my stint in charge had been right, and nothing I had done since had been good enough.
I was just about to say something snarky when Jake walked by. Mary Beth lit up and shot me a smug smile. Ever since they had picked me up at Club Lemonade three weeks ago, she had been acting territorial about Jake. And it drove me to distraction. Every time she grabbed his hand or batted her eyes at him, I wanted to tear out my hair. Or her hair. Jake kept moving, though. He carried an old crate that would be added to our rather eclectic collection near the buffet.
Since the class had decided to embrace the whole down home farm theme, we’d come up with great ideas. Mary Beth hated them all, but given our time frame she went along with it. My favorite touches were the big metal wash tubs that we were using for drinks. No punch at our prom. Just soda and lemonade in glass bottles.
“Put the balloons on the buffet table.” Mary Beth’s voice held a note of irritation, but also of defeat. I barely felt sorry for her.
I trudged toward the long tables set up for the food. My grandparents had done a great job getting the place ready. I knew without being told that they were working extra hard because this was for me.
I arranged the balloons half a dozen times before glancing over my shoulder to see if Mary Beth was watching me. Paranoia was not a good fit for me, and I wanted to pop a balloon just to spite her. I sighed. When I joined the event planning class, I’d known I wouldn’t have any fun, but this was ridiculous.
“Hey, it looks good.” Jake appeared next to me, and relief washed over me. Knowing that the two of us had turned a corner in our struggles made me feel good, but all the emotions that had crept in during the interim made me feel queasy if I thought about them too long.
“Thanks, but I don’t think Mary Beth would agree.” We both looked over at her, where she was tapping her clipboard furiously while speaking to one of our classmates.
Jake gave me a half grin, his mouth lifting up at one corner. “I wouldn’t worry too much about her. She’s just stressed.”
“I just don’t understand how you can go out with her,” I said. The words popped out before I could stop them. I pressed a hand to my mouth, but the way Jake’s smile widened I knew he wasn’t mad at least. “Ugh. I’m sorry. I know it’s none of my business.”
With a shrug, Jake leaned over to grab one of the crates on the floor. He set it on the table, glanced at Mary Beth, and then focused on me. “Same way it’s not my business about Roddy, right?”
My brows knit together as I tried to figure out what he was trying to say. I didn’t know if he was joking or if he was being self-deprecating or if he was serious. The implications of each of those possibilities meant different things, but I wasn’t sure how I felt about any of them so I just avoided the subject altogether.
“Have you heard about the band yet?” I asked, moving a miniature hay bale to the other side of the table. I started to fuss with the fake flowers that were overflowing from mason jars. Despite Mary Beth’s numerous protests, I’d won the fight that the faux petals would make our budget stretch farther. Sure real ones would have given off a better scent, but we’d pulled some strings to get a live band instead of a DJ so it seemed like a good trade off to me.
“You did a nice job on all of this.” Jake put his hands on his hips, and surveyed the table scape. His voice held a note of something that I decided had to be pride. I swelled a little under his praise. It had been a long time since I’d gotten that attention without sarcasm being infused into each word.
Unsure how to handle the onslaught of emotions that ran over me, I fidgeted with the closest vase. “Did you know that lily-of-the-valley represents happiness returning? I just thought that was really nice.” I glanced at him from the corner of my eye. “I kind of feel like it represents were I’m at right now, you know?”
A frown flitted briefly over Jake’s face, but then he smiled at me again, a soft smile that reminded me of the Jake I knew before all our troubles started. “Well, I like the forget-me-nots.”
“Oh? Yeah. I mean, it’s a good flower as we get near graduation, I guess.” Somehow his choice left me feeling disappointed.
Jake grinned. “Yeah, memories are good. It seems like I’ve been living in memories lately, but no, it’s something Melinda told me. She and Jimmy use a forget-me-not to symbolize their relationship.”
I nodded, warming slightly to the idea. “Yeah, that’s sweet.”
“It helps them remember that true love never fades, no matter how many obstacles it faces. That’s what it stands for; true love.” Jake shoved his
hands into his pockets, and he rocked back on his heels. He looked adorably like a younger version of himself, and the realization knocked me off kilter straight to my core. “Listen, I got you something for your birthday, but I haven’t had a chance to give it to you yet. Come on. I left it up with your grandma.”
“Okay,” I said, still feeling odd with a nervous twitching in my stomach. Somewhere between excitement and nausea.
We left the barn without saying anything to anyone, and we continued up to the house in silence. Jake always got me something silly for my birthday so that was what I was counting on. The fact that he wanted to keep our tradition going gave me hope that we could go back to the way things used to be between us.
My grandma met us at the door with a wink and a smile. “Everything’s been fine. I put it on the dining room table. I’ll just be out at the garden if you need me.”
Curiosity got the better of me as I followed Jake into the other room. On the table there was a bright orange shoebox with holes poked in the lid. My heart stuttered as I realized what he had done for me. I grabbed on to his arm, and looked up at him. He grinned back down at me.
“Is that what I think it is?”
Jake nodded. “Exactly what I’ve been promising to get you for your eighteenth birthday since we were in the sixth grade.”
I squealed. I couldn’t help it. When I lifted the lid off the box there sat a tiny hedgehog dozing in a pile of fabric scraps. I touched it gently with my index finger, and it stirred. “He’s perfect.”
“He?” Jake questioned with laughter in his voice. “How can you tell it’s a boy? I don’t see anything…particularly distinctive of males.”
I laughed. “I don’t care. I’m naming him Jake, so he’s a boy. That simple.”
Jake moved closer to stand beside me as I scooped the miniscule creature from the box. “How did you even find a hedgehog?”
“It wasn’t easy, but I had to get him. You’ve wanted one forever. Happy birthday, Al.” Jake wrapped both arms around me, and I laid my head on his chest briefly, savoring the feeling of being close to him.
When we stepped apart, I found that I couldn’t talk because a lump the size of Texas had lodged itself in my throat. The hedgehog snuffled against my hand, causing me to gasp and giggle at the same time.
“Thank you,” I whispered. “He’s the most perfect thing I’ve ever been given.”
I left the hedgehog in the dining room to be picked up later because I didn’t want to share him with my classmates. Having all of them at my grandparents’ place was already weirding me out, never mind allowing them to see something as personal as my birthday present. Especially with Mary Beth.
When we reentered the barn, Mary Beth charged up to us. “Where have you two been?” Her voice had an accusatory tone that made me mad. Before I could answer she continued, “We have a major problem, and I need everyone to gather on the dance floor for an emergency planning meeting.”
I shot Jake a look that ended with an eye roll, but my stomach sank when I realized that he was watching Mary Beth with a look of genuine concern on his face. Following after him, I tried to tell myself that he was just such a nice guy that he couldn’t help himself, but I knew Jake better than that, and that’s why I felt so down. Jake cared deeply about the people in his life, and from the way he looked at her I knew Mary Beth meant something to him.
“So, I just got a call from the band. They’ve bailed on us. The lead singer said they got a better gig. Can you believe that? He didn’t even apologize. Now what are we going to do? Ideas, people! Like, right now!” Mary Beth’s voice rose several octaves, and she was breathing rapidly. I was worried that she might start to hyperventilate. Jake put his arm around her shoulders, and leaned close to her ear. As he whispered something to her, I felt a stab of jealousy.
Mary Beth shook her silky blond ponytail, and took a step away from Jake. She ran her hands over her cheeks. I wondered if she was trying to calm down or if she was just going through the motions because in a way she seemed nervous, which was as rare as sighting a dodo bird. Sure, she got passionate and disagreeable and angry, but she always seemed to be in control of the emotions, like she put them into place, orchestrated them for her own benefit.
“My fellow students,” she said. “As you heard, our band has canceled on us at the last minute. I need suggestions of who can replace them on no notice. Don’t be deceived. Our situation is dire. Now think hard. You have five minutes to come up with a solution.”
I squirmed. The idea that popped into my head wasn’t exactly ideal, but it was a solution. I glanced at Jake, who was watching me. When our gazes met, he raised an eyebrow at me. At first I just shook my head because I knew that if I opened my mouth Mary Beth would shoot down any idea I had, no matter how good. When Jake rolled his eyes at me, I couldn’t help but smile.
“Mary Beth?” I waited for her to acknowledge me. When she turned to me with an annoyed look on her face and her hand propped on her hip. “My older sister is in a country band. I could give you her phone number. I know it isn’t what you wanted, but they are really good and it fits our theme. Don’t discount this idea because you don’t like me or whatever crawled up your rear.”
Her mouth dropped open briefly, and pink tinged her cheek, but she recovered quickly. “I’ll consider it.”
“I’ve heard the band, and they are really good,” Jake said. “Back Roads Rebels.”
“Are you joking?” One of the junior girls in our class gasped. “Your sister is in Back Roads Rebels? I love them! We have to book them, Mary Beth. They will be perfect. I’m not even joking.”
Pride swelled in my chest as I said, “Lauren’s the lead singer, and she plays guitar.”
The girl, who I thought was named Michelle, stared at me with a dreamy, star-struck look in her eyes. She must really like the group because to me Lauren’s band was just that, a band. I couldn’t wait to tell her about this girl’s reaction. Lauren always had a negative view of the growth of her group and their following. Probably because my parents didn’t put much stock into her chosen career path, they always said it with air quotes. That had to be a crappy feeling, but seeing Michelle’s face when she talked about the band would have made Lauren dizzy with excitement.
“Actually, I think the band is playing tonight at that place downtown. You know that place where they host Battle of the Bands in the fall? There’s some fundraiser thing there tonight. Anyone want to go check them out? Then you could make your decision based on facts, Mary Beth. What do you say?” I actually held my breath as I waited for her response.
She looked at her watch, and made a show of sighing and rolling her eyes. “Fine. It’s late enough that we can stop for today anyway. Does this place serve food?”
****
Later when our class trooped into the concert venue, I felt a blend of camaraderie and trepidation. Despite everything I felt toward Mary Beth, I wanted her to like Lauren’s band. A lot. I could see my sister tuning her guitar on the side of the stage. While the rest of my class went to the buffet to grab dinner, I made my way to talk to her.
“Allie, what are you doing here?”
“My special events planning class came to see you guys perform. We might want to hire you to play our prom, and you apparently have a huge fan among us. And it isn’t even me or Jake.” I grinned at her.
Lauren blinked at me in surprise, and then smiled back. “That’s pretty cool. Maybe you can introduce us after the show.”
I nodded. “Good luck. Break a leg. All that stuff.”
“Thanks.” Lauren laughed, and went back to her guitar. I made my way back to the group.
“Your sister looks really happy.” Jake handed me a bottle of pop.
Lauren had settled onto a stool in front of the microphone in the middle of the stage. Her newly dyed red hair looked extra shiny under the stage lights, and she self-consciously brushed her bangs off to one side. But she was smiling, and it lit up her whole face.
When she started to sing, the crowd went nuts dancing and singing along. People knew the lyrics. I didn’t know why I was so surprised but I was. Maybe I had just never thought of my sisters as anything but my sisters, and for some reason that role was static and small. As actual members of society they were apparently much cooler than I thought.
Michelle ran up to me, and grabbed my arm. “Your sister is so cool. Can I meet her after the show? I’m going to tell Mary Beth that we have to book them.”
“I never knew Lauren had so much talent,” I said, giving Jake a sideways glance.
He studied me in this way he seemed to have developed in the last few months, like he was trying to figure out what to say to me in a way that I would understand. The whole effect made me uncomfortable, but also made me giggle a little. Probably out of nervousness. Yet another feeling I didn’t entirely understand at the moment.
“Maybe there’s a lot more that you never knew,” he said finally. He gave me a half smile, and then walked away, leaving me to wonder what he had meant by that remark.
Chapter Eighteen
“You can’t make choices like that without my approval. Honestly, do you even realize that you could have gotten us both fired?” Marika glared at me as she paced back and forth in the conference room. She kept her voice low, which was scarier than if she’d been yelling.
“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” I replied, instantly regretting my word choice. Even without a tone, I sounded snotty.
Anger flashed in Marika’s eyes. “The story about the Sisters at the Abbey. It was full of condescending jokes about Catholics. You almost made one of those poor women cry.”
My mind raced as I tried to remember if I had done anything questionable during that interview, which had been weeks ago. All I could think of was that I had been overwhelmingly nervous, and not at all prepared. The women I had talked to had been quite nice, but I had made a few jokes about my lapsed Catholic status. That shouldn’t have been enough to get us in trouble, though.
