Page 7 of Lose You to Find Me

My whole life I’ve had to hear them bicker about something. Dad left a few dirty dishes in the sink. Mom didn’t set the code for the garage door. It never failed.

Dad has always loved me, but I don’t know if he’s always loved her. He’s never cheated, at least to my knowledge, but it was obvious that he wasn’t all that invested in making things work. Which, sadly, is probably for the best in the end. The only thing I truly care about is if they’re happy, even if it means them living two separate lives.

“I’m sad you’re not here,” I tell her quietly, playing with a loose thread on the towel. “The neighbors put a new pool in, so I got to spend the Fourth there while they grilled. It was fun. The whole neighborhood basically got together. You would have loved it.”

Mom loves being social. It was one of the reasons I liked her being here. She took the lead when people talked us up, and that way I didn’t have to answer a million questions about my life.

“I wish I was there too. I’ll do my best to find time before you’re back here for school. Which reminds me—”

I groan, knowing what’s coming next.

“Are you sure that you want to go back to Lindon? You have other and frankly better options for getting your master’s and certification. I googled it and saw at least three other universities that would be a better fit for your academic level. You’d have a better reputation with degrees from one of those.”

We both know it isn’t the school’s reputation that she’s trying to save me from. “I already told you that I’m going to be fine, Mom. It’s not the end of the world. Lindon is my home, and nothing will change that.”

When she’s quiet, I know it’s because she’s trying to find any excuse to convince me otherwise. But she knows I’m right. Lindon is where I was born and raised. All my memories are there. The good and the bad.

Caleb is a mix I can’t avoid forever.

“I just worry,” she finally admits softly.

“I know.”

“I want you to be happy.”

“I know.”

“Maybe if your father stops trying to take half of everything, we can get you into a better program elsewhere once you finish your first semester. Or you could talk to him about it. You’ve always had him wrapped around that little finger of yours.”

Eye twitching at the undertone in her voice, I rub my clammy palm down the side of my thigh. “I’ll think about it.”

I won’t.

I’ve made up my mind already.

Hoping to turn the conversation around, I change gears with a hopeful tone to my voice. “Since today is my—”

“Baby, I’ve got to go. Your father is calling meagain.”

Blowing out an agitated breath, I say, “Okay. Well, can you call me—”

The call ends before I can finish my sentence, leaving me staring at the background picture of me and Caleb from last year. I changed it shortly after graduation, but my chest tightened whenever I looked at the pretty garden picture I replaced it with. It was too much change too quickly.

With the reluctant truth that the people closest to me forgot my birthday, I spend the rest of the day watching sappy eighties movies and sulking in my room.

Just before I go to bed, a text comes through from the last person I expect.

Caleb:Happy birthday

Chapter Three

CALEB

I’m grabbing myratty notebook off the desk and sliding my pen into the pocket of my jeans when the professor says, “I expect the first draft of your business proposals to be in my inbox by midnight tomorrow. All late assignments will have two points deducted for every hour it hasn’t been submitted. I’m not allowing any excuses because it’s summer. I don’t care if you’re going on a beach vacation. Send your work in before you hit the surf or whatever the hell you kids do for fun.”

Squeezing my eyes closed at the newest addition to my growing to-do list, I swear silently to myself and push up from the desk. Even if I approach Professor Neilson, the likelihood of him giving me an extension isn’t as strong as from my other teachers.

In fact, this assignmentshouldbe easy considering I’ve been working at Dad’s store basically my whole life. I learned to count by helping with inventory, learned addition and subtraction while helping with the books, and learned manners and common courtesy by watching my old man deal with customers.

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