Page 112 of Choosing You

CHAPTERTHIRTY-ONE

In the morning,I try to sneak out of bed and go back downstairs. I don’t want Garret to think I’m trying to spend every minute of the day with him. If we start dating, I don’t want to come across as the clingy girlfriend type. We both need our space.

“Where are you going?” He rolls over and catches me as I try to get up.

“I’m going downstairs. It’s already 8. You have to study.”

“Not this very second. Come back. I’m not done with you yet.”

“Not done with me? What does that mean?”

“I need you here.” He yawns. “I’m not done sleeping yet.”

“So you’re using me now?” I lie down again.

“I don’t hear you complaining.” He rests his head on mine and falls back to sleep.

We get up an hour later and agree to meet after lunch to go to the pool. Frank calls just as I’m walking in the door to my room.

“Jade, I keep calling you and you’re not there,” he says. “You must have a full social calendar.”

“No. School’s just been really busy lately. When did you call?”

I’m sure Frank wasn’t the person who called in the middle of the night but I have to at least ask.

“Last night. Probably around 6.”

“Yeah. I was at dinner. I really need to set up voicemail on this phone. Anyway, how are you feeling?”

“Pretty good. I’m tired but that’s nothing new.”

There’s silence. Frank and I don’t have a whole lot to talk about so our calls are usually short. And ever since I asked him about my mom’s letter, they’ve been even shorter. He’s hoping I’ll avoid the topic, which is exactly what I’ve done. “So what’s new in Des Moines?”

“This political nonsense. That’s all they talk about on the news. The ads are nonstop. I can’t even watch TV anymore. And we’re getting those polling calls constantly. I’d unplug the phone but I don’t want to miss any of your calls. Damn caucus. I’m already sick of it.”

“Well, it’s November. It’ll be done in January.”

“Yes, I suppose. You know, you’re almost finished with your first semester. It’s hard to believe Thanksgiving is just a couple weeks away. I feel terrible that we can’t get you home. Do you have someplace to go? Maybe a friend’s house?”

“No. But it’s okay. They’re letting me stay in the dorms. I’ll be fine. I don’t really care about Thanksgiving. Although Iwillmiss going out with you and Ryan and seeing how much you two can eat.”

Growing up, my mom didn’t celebrate Thanksgiving or any of the holidays. She was too out of it to even know what day it was. Sometimes for Thanksgiving, I’d go to the store and get us frozen dinners with turkey and stuffing. They were disgusting, but at least I felt like we were attempting to have Thanksgiving dinner.

When I started living with Frank and Ryan, we always went out for Thanksgiving dinner, usually to a hotel with a buffet. Every year Frank and Ryan have a contest to see who can eat more. Ryan always wins.

“Jade, I can’t have you sitting there all alone on Thanksgiving.”

“It’s fine. Don’t worry about it. I’m actually looking forward to just catching up on sleep during the break. Hardly anyone will be around so it’ll be quiet for once.”

“But what will you do for food? The dining halls are closed.”

“I’ll go get some stuff before everyone leaves on break. I’m sure Harper will give me a ride to the grocery store.”

“Well, we’ll definitely get you home for Christmas. You just need to tell us what day you’re done with classes. Ryan’s already planning the trip out there. He was thinking of bringing Chloe with him this time but I don’t think she can get the time off from work.”

Chloe is Ryan’s girlfriend. She’s in her first year of med school but she works part-time at the mall. Ryan’s in his senior year of college and then he, too, is going to med school. But he took this semester off to get a job to help pay the medical bills that are piling up and to take care of his dad because Frank hasn’t been doing well the past year.

As for Chloe, I’ve only met her once. She seemed okay but I don’t want to drive halfway across the country with her so I really hope she has to work. It’s a 22 hour trip back to Iowa and I was kind of looking forward to road-tripping it with just Ryan and not his tag-along girlfriend.

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