Mom smiled sadly. “I just don’t want to see you hurt. I don’t want to see him hurt, either. Maybe I was wrong about you two.”
I shook my head. “No, Mom, that’s the thing. Everyone knew except for me. I mean, I felt something when I was with him. I did. I felt this Zing, and it was amazing, and I thought I had that same kind of feeling for Jessup, but…”
“It wasn’t there?” Mom asked. She placed her hands in front of her on the table and leaned back in the chair.
“No. It left. I guess the thought of having something with someone close to where I was, someone who liked the same things that I liked was exciting, and I wanted to have it all. I wanted to be in college, have the normal experience, date, love and all that, and it was impossible with Payton a million miles away. He’s not innocent either. Honestly, he kept pestering me every few minutes about what I was doing, and he was so jealous… He was different. I thought it would be easier for both of us if we just…”
“Found someone else?”
“No, I guess, if we just did whatever until I was done.”
Mom frowned, and looked at me as if I disappointed her.
“Keri…”
I put my head down. “It’s not that I wanted to… well…”
“Sex is a serious thing, Keri. You don’t just do that with whomever…”
Mom’s face was red now, and she looked mad.
I felt stupid, the kind of stupid only a mother could make you feel. “I didn’t do anything. I couldn’t.”
Mom took a deep breath and shook her head. “I love you, Keri, but honestly what the hell were you thinking?”
“I don’t know. I just… I really thought Jessup and I had this thing… and then we didn’t.”
“And now you want Payton?”
“I know I sound immature, and that I don’t sound like I know what I want, but I do.”
“And that is?” Mom asked.
“I just want to be with Payton. Around him, with him… friends, really whatever it is I can get at this point.”
“That’s going to be harder than you think, honey.”
I nodded. “I know I really screwed things up, but I’m going to fix it.”
“What if he doesn’t want what you want?”
“Then I’ll go back to school knowing that I tried. I’m not leaving until he knows how much I love him.”
Mom’s frown left her face and she smiled. “I’m proud of you, honey.”
I smiled back at her. “I’m proud of me, too.” Then we both laughed.
Two days later, I was standing in a waiting room at Aeris International. Aeris was a job finding service that helped place people into careers. I found out about them through a high school buddy that told me they hired people to work at the Fun Fair.
When they called my name, I stood and walked to the reception area. A woman came out right away and led me through some glass doors into her office.
“I’m Samantha Salzbrennar,” she said as she held out her hand for me to shake. I shook it, and she gestured me toward one of her empty chairs.
“So, you want to work at the Fun Fair?” she asked, and I nodded.
“Yeah, it would be an ideal place,” I said, smiling. I had a folder with me that held my resume and references. She held her hand out and I handed it to her.
“So, you’re a college girl?”
I nodded. “Yes, I go to Ohio State.”
“Nice. I went to Ohio Northern.”
I smiled, and looked at her. “Ohio weather, am I right?”
She laughed, and I felt more at ease. When in doubt, go with the weather.
“So, how long do you plan on being home?”
“Just until September, and then I’ll be heading back to Ohio.”
Samantha nodded. “And what about breaks?”
“Well, I guess I never really thought about it. If I have a job, I’d be more than happy to come home for those as well.” I couldn’t help but think of Payton. Would we still be fighting like we were now, or would we have made up by then? The promise of that made my heart flutter.
“So, you’d be willing to come home and work for your Thanksgiving and Spring breaks?”
“Yeah, and Christmas, too, if you need the extra help,” I offered. Samantha smiled and marked something down on her clipboard.
“Do you have any experience in food service?” she asked.
I shook my head. “Unfortunately, I don’t. I work at the University Library while in school. I have good references, though.”
Samantha nodded once more, and then frowned. “You wouldn’t be interested in a mascot job, would you?”
My eyes widened, and I laughed. “Um, yeah, of course, that would be fine. Anything would be great.”
Samantha’s eyebrow hitched. “Why’d you laugh?”
It was embarrassing, but I needed the job. “I had an incident years ago at the fun fair with a mascot.”
“An incident?”
“Yeah. When I was five. My Dad and I came here every summer with my buddy, Payton, and I had an accident…”
Samantha looked confused.
“While sitting on the mascot’s lap,” I finished.
Samantha grinned. “You know what they say about karma, right?”
I laughed once more, and nodded. “I’ll take the job.”
“Good. You’ll start on Friday.”
“Ms. Salzbrennar?” I asked, nearly forgetting the other question I wanted her to answer.
“Yes?”
“My friends from school are looking for a job, too. They’ve both worked in food service. Do you have anything else?”
“As a matter of fact, I do… How soon will they be here?”
“Monday.”
“Bring them in with you when you come in to work. You’ll be a busy girl this summer. Our hours are 9 to 5, Monday thru Friday.”
“Thanks so much for this opportunity!”
Ms. Salzbrennar laughed. “Oh, I wouldn’t thank me yet!”
Chapter Five
* Friends…*
The Dallas Fortworth Airport was probably the dumbest place on earth. I’d been circling the airport for nearly an hour when I finally saw Alexis and Todd on one of the curbs. I honked my horn, and they both looked up.
“Hey,” I said, as I put my window down. “You guys have a lot?”
“Hey!” Alexis yelled.
“What do you think?” Todd asked, and looked to his right. There were five suitcases and two overnight bags.
“Holy shit! How much did you guys have to pay to have that on the plane?”
Alexis rolled her eyes. “Don’t even ask. I’ve heard nothing but Todd’s bitching the entire way over here.”
“Not the entire way,” Todd said, and then had the nerve to look sheepish. Alexis sighed.
“Anyway, it’s hot as balls out here. Please tell me you have a swimming pool somewhere near you.”
“I have a swimming pool somewhere near me,” I said, and Alexis’s eyes lit. I frowned. “I was just saying that.”
“Oh.” Her shoulders slumped. Alexis was spoiled.
“But, we do have a creek.”
“Oh, God help us,” Alexis said, and Todd snorted.
“Let’s get Ms. Kardashian’s bags in your trunk before that cop over there has you go around again.”
I grinned, and put the car in park and walked around to help Todd. Alexis crawled into the passenger side and immediately started messing with the radio.
After a while, we finally pulled up to my house, and Alexis smiled. “This is exactly how you described.”
“I hope that’s a good thing,” I said, wondering if I somehow made the place sound better or worse than she thought It’d be.
“No, it’s great.”
I popped the trunk, and my mom opened the door and came out to greet my friends.
“It’s so nice to see all of you together again. Keri has been going crazy.”
Alexis nodded and slugged me in the arm
. “I knew she couldn’t stay away from me.”
I laughed. “Uh, you do know that you’re the one that came to see me, right?”
“Sure because you begged me, too.”
Mom frowned for a second, and then I realized she was joking. My mom, joking… crazy.
“I didn’t beg.”
“You did so.”
“No, I didn’t,” I said, and then Todd came up behind me with two large suitcases. “And where do these go, Madame?”
I grinned. “Alexis, you need to help him with those.”
Alexis rolled her eyes and walked back to my car and got out her overnight bag. “This is good.”
I rolled my eyes. “I’ll help you, Todd.” I went to my trunk and tried to grab one of the bags. “Holy crap! What do you have in here?”
Alexis shrugged. “Power tools.”
I shook my head fast. “Wait, what?”
“My drill, a few hammers…stuff like that.”
Surprised, I looked from Alexis to Todd, then back. “Your drill?”
“Yeah, I like building stuff.”
“What?”
Alexis rolled her eyes and started talking about how she used to help out with Habitat for Humanity in the summers. She completely shocked me.
I smiled. “Who are you?”
She laughed. “I’m still me. I’ll build the fort, but If I ruin any of these nails, you’re paying for them to get done.” She held out her hand and showed me her French tips. “I just got these.”
Todd leaned in and kissed Alexis on the lips. “That’s my girl.”
“I’ve missed you both so much!” I said, and meant it. I couldn’t imagine ever not having Alexis and Todd in my life. “Remember what I was telling you about me getting a job?” I asked, waiting to tell them the good news.
Alexis nodded. “Yeah, you’re going to wear a costume.” She laughed, and Todd joined in.
“I really can’t wait to see this,” Todd said.
“Trust me, it’s nothing great.”
“What are you, anyway?” Alexis asked.
“I’m a parakeet.”
Todd snorted. “You’re a huge ass parakeet then.”
“Yeah, no kidding,” I said, and thought about the smell of the inside of the costume. I flinched. “I worked Friday. Anyway, I got you both jobs, too. You start tomorrow.”
Todd laughed and Alexis was already shaking her head. “Uh, no.”
I grinned. “Too late, I already asked, and you don’t want me to look bad in front of my new boss.”
“I am not dressing up in this weather. It’s like a million degrees here.”
To be fair, it was hot, but it wasn’t as bad as it was going to get, but they didn’t need to know that just yet. “No, I’m the only one wearing a costume. You both are going to work in the restaurant.”
Todd laughed. “Thanks, that’ll be fun. What’s this restaurant called?”
“At least someone’s appreciative,” I said, and Alexis groaned.
“Hey, I’m appreciative, I just don’t want to wear a million layers for seven bucks an hour.”
I nodded and looked at Todd. “Pirate Cove.”
Todd’s eyes sparkled. “Nice.”
“And guess what, slurpy?” I asked, waiting for Todd to answer.
“What?”
“You get to wear an eyepatch.”
Todd put his head back and laughed. “That’s awesome.”
“I thought you’d like that.”
“And what about me?”
“You’ll be dressed up like a serving wench,” I added with a smile.
Todd grinned at that, and put his eyebrows up and down. “I love the sound of this job already.”
“I can’t thank you guys enough for coming. I’m going to need all of the money I can get to build this fort.”
“I know what you mean,” Todd said, and then looked at Alexis. “Do you want to tell her?”
I looked at Alexis, too. “Tell me what?”
Alexis smiled at Todd and then at me. “Let’s make her wait until the end of summer.”
Payton
I wanted to go to the Fun Fair about as much as I wanted to be scalped. I looked at Patti, and saw how happy she was. She was still excited to go to this place. I guess I would have been, too, if I didn’t have so many damned memories of it, and of Keri.
“What’s wrong?” Patti asked, and she turned toward me after we gave our tickets to the guy at the gate.
“Nothing.”
Patti sighed. “Are you going to tell me or am I going to have to play the guessing game?”
“I just don’t like this place,” I admitted. Patti frowned.
“How can you not like the Fun Fair?” She was completely aghast.
“I don’t know, I just don’t.”
“Have you ever been here?” she asked, clearly not understanding how someone could hate the place. In truth, it wasn’t that great, and there was always a feint smell of urine in the air. I sniffed, and cringed.
“Yes, I’ve been here, and I don’t know, it’s just not that great.”
Patti smiled. “Well, you’re going to love it after today. You know, new memories and all.”
“Sure.”
At that moment, I looked over and saw one of the infamous mascots playing with some kids. I couldn’t help it, I laughed, and then Patti heard me. She turned fast and had a crazy-looking grin on her face.
“I knew you’d have fun!” she cried. “Let’s go get a picture!”
That was the last thing I wanted to do. I shook my head. “Those mascots are here for the children. I’m not going to get in their way—”
“Nonsense!” Patti interrupted. “The kids are gone. Look, that stupid-looking parakeet over there doesn’t have anyone with him. Let’s go.”
I rolled my eyes as Patti dragged me across the pavement toward the pathetic looking bird. When we got there, the parakeet did this weird thing with its arms.
“Well hey there, Mr. Parakeet, can we get our picture taken with you?” Patti asked.
The parakeet shook its head and started to move away from Patti. Clearly, I wasn’t the only person annoyed today. I snorted.
“What do you mean, no?” Patti asked, and then grabbed for the parakeet again. “We paid good money to come here!”
I wanted to slap Patti in the mouth. She was just that kind of person. “Patti, it’s fine, let’s…”
“Noooooo, I’ll get my picky taken with this buccaneer,” the voice said, and it was awfully familiar. I did a double take. If I didn’t know better, that parakeet was Keri.
I stared at the bird. “Picky?”
“Ohhhhh yes, sirreeee,” the bird said, and pretended to peck me on the cheek.
Patti made a face. “What was that?”
“Ohhhhh just a kiss for your swashbuckler, matey,” the parakeet said.
I snorted. It was definitely Keri. I thought back to when we were kids and nearly guffawed. Keri peed on one of the mascots here at the Fun Fair. It was probably one of the best days of my life. I don’t think I’d ever laughed so hard. I smiled.
Patti thought it was for her. She grabbed my arm and leaned in toward me. I looked at Keri.
I couldn’t tell if she was looking at me, or if she was staring at the ground.
“So, parakeet, do you want to be in trouble, or what?” Patti asked. “You’re hitting on my boyfriend.”
“Heeeeee was mine first, wench,” came the voice.
My eyes widened as Patti started to freak out again. Really, the woman had massive problems. “Patti, what are you?”
“I’m telling her manager!”
“Patti, I don’t think that’s…”
“Go ahead,” said the bird as she put out one feathered ‘wing’ and proceeded to put up her middle talon.
I laughed and pulled Patti back. Patti’s face was now a bright red. “I’m going to get that bird bitch fired.”
Later that night, after the fair, and after tak
ing Patti home, I pulled out my cell phone and put in Keri’s number. I knew that I shouldn’t be doing this, but I couldn’t help it.
*Argggg, Matey, how’d your job go?*
I waited with a grin on my face, hoping she’d answer.
Ha! How’d you know it was me?
I laughed, thinking of that damned costume and her middle finger sticking up in Patti’s face. I laughed.
*I think I knew as soon as you said picky*
Snort. I wondered if that’s when you figured it out.
*So you knew?*
Yeah, I knew.
*Then why didn’t you say anything?*
I didn’t want to mess up your life.
She didn’t want to mess with my relationship. I sighed. My relationship…
*I don’t know what I’m doing anymore.*
I waited for a few moments; I didn’t know what I was doing. I shouldn’t have been texting her, and I knew it.
Do you love her?
*No*
Can I see you?
I looked at the message until I thought I’d go blind. Could she see me? I shook my head.
*I don’t think that’s a good idea* I typed back five minutes later.
Do you hate me?
I thought about that. Really thought… *No*
I’m so sorry for everything. I will make it up to you.
*I don’t think you could do anything more, Keri.*
You’ll see.
I put my phone on my dresser and walked into the bathroom. I needed a shower, and then I was going to go to bed. And tomorrow, after I read and reread the messages a thousand times, I’d erase all evidence of her from my phone.
Again.
Keri
“Oh my God!” I cried, and shook Alexis’s body. She was in a deep sleep.
Alexis’s eyes opened. “What the hell?”
“Payton texted me!” I squealed.
Alexis sat up, clearly awake now. “What?!”
“Yeah, he texted me! He knew it was me in that stupid costume!”
“The parakeet?”
“Yeah!”
“What did he say?”
“He just asked me about work, and then I told him that I knew he knew it was me, and well, I thought he did… I guess I wasn’t one-hundred percent sure,” I said, rambling. “Anyway, I asked him if he loved Patti, and he said no.”
The Man I'll Marry Page 3
