Page 38 of Reviving Kendall

“Kendall?” he asks curiously.

Ryleigh rolls her eyes and smiles as I mouth ‘sorry.’ “Yeah, it’s me. Sorry. We had the radio going and I didn’t hear my phone.”

“It’s cool,” he says. “What are you ladies up to today?”

We look at each other in question, and I answer, “Ummm, shopping.”

There’s rustling on his end of the line like he’s moving around, “You guys heading over to the square? We can meet up for lunch if you want.”

“Actually,” Ryleigh starts and then runs her words together really fast, “We’re going to Riceville.”

She makes an uh oh face at me, and I try to fight the laugh in my chest. It takes a few seconds before Teagan finally answers, “Sprout, what did you do?”

“Nothing. We’re just going shopping like Kendall said,” she smiles.

“Yeah right. Because I believe that for a second,” he says into the phone. “Knew we should have waited until the last second to tell you.”

Jumping on the defensive, she sasses, “We are leaving in a week and Kendall has nothing to wear up there. Besides, she’s my best friend and I tell her everything.”

Wow. I knew we were good friends, but her words almost bring a tear to my eyes.

He sighs, and I can tell he’s smiling when he says, “Whatever, sprout. So, you’re in, Kendall?”

Ry’s face turns red at his drop of the dreaded nickname yet again, so I save him, “I need to talk to Gramps about it, but I don’t think Ryleigh’s taking no for answer.”

“We aren’t either,” Goose says.

They must already be together in the Rover, because Maverick says, “We’re going to meet you guys up there in Riceville.”

“So much for a girls’ shopping day,” Ry says in fake dramatics.

“Well, you should have waited on us to talk to Kendall and then you could have had your girls’ day,” he chastises.

She makes a face toward the hood of the Jeep, “Whatever.”

I laugh, and she ends the call.

I’m not getting a lecture again, so I unlock my phone and text a quick goodbye in the group chat and laugh again as I hit send.

Blinding As The Snow

I manage to survive the shopping expedition. It eats at me to let Ryleigh pay for everything, but I’m pretty sure that once the guys got there a few of their cards were replacing hers. She manages to set a rule, even though she had to talk me into it to begin with. The rule was no looking at price tags. Maybe she got the impression that I would try to pay her back anyways, and that’s not too far from the truth. Between Ryleigh and the guys, they pull all of the tags off of everything before the bags make it to my house. They’re all cheaters, but it’s not like I could ask for them back.

Gramps gives me the all clear to go. He says he’s feeling better, and I can tell by how much he’s moving around and not wheezing that he’s not lying. I’ll only be gone for three days, and Robert’s already promised to stop by and check on him during the day while I’m gone. Plus, they will both have my cell phone number just in case. Gramps just warns to me to be safe and not get into any trouble.

When the guys show up Friday morning, I’m packed and ready to go. Goose and Lucas meet me at the door to take all of my stuff out to the Rover. Gramps is already up and sitting in his chair, so I go to hug him.

“Remember what I said now,” he reminds me. “Don’t be getting into any trouble up there and have fun. Lord knows you deserve to after the past few years.”

I throw my arms around his neck and kiss the bald spot on his head, “Thanks Gramps. I promise, no trouble. You don’t cause any trouble for Robert here either.”

He laughs and ends up in a fit of coughs that doesn’t sound too good. When I try to say something about it, he just waves me off, saying that he’s fine and not to worry.

When I start to pull away, he hugs me back and says, “I love you, Pea.”

“I love you too, Gramps,” I say, not wanting to let go.

It takes a minute, but I do. When I look back, he’s lighting up a cigarette, and it makes me smile. Same ole Gramps.

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