Page 80 of Right Place, Right Time (Second Chances)
Chapter Forty
Kate
Jay has been distant since the reading of the will. He keeps telling me nothing is wrong, but I call bullshit. He’s not that difficult to read. I know he’s panicking because suddenly he’s tied to a life in Columbia and just days before our possibilities were endless. We could have thrown a dart at a map and made that place our home. I know he’s afraid I won’t want to stay in South Carolina, that I’ll find someplace else where I want to go to school and leave him behind.
The silly man shouldn’t worry so much.
What he doesn’t know is that back when he and I first talked about my dream of becoming a teacher, I’d applied to transfer to a few different schools…some in California and some in South Carolina.
And I got in.
To the University of South Carolina.
In Columbia.
Casey called me as soon as the acceptance package arrived. Yeah…I might be a little evil for keeping it from Jay, but I want to surprise him. I can’t wait to surprise him.
Right now, I’m back in California. Jay thinks I’m here visiting Casey and Decker, which I am, but he has no idea I’m also moving out of my apartment. The lease is in my parents’ name and since that connection has been severed, it’s time to leave here. Plus, Casey and Decker rented a new place between Stanford and the University of San Francisco, where they’ll both be finishing out their senior years.
But Jay doesn’t know all that, either.
“I can’t believe we’re not going to live together anymore,” Casey whines as I take the last book off my bookshelf and neatly place it in a box. “And I can’t believe you’re moving across the country.”
I roll my eyes. “You and Decker are bothfromacross the country. You’ll be returning to South Carolina after graduation.”
“Yeah, but that’s like a whole year away.”
“We’ll still visit,” I tell her, taping the box shut.
“Yeah…I guess. But I’ll still miss you, roomie.”
I set the packing tape down and take my roommate/best friend in a hug, being careful not to squeeze her too tight. “I’ll miss you, too.”
“It’s like the end of an era,” Casey laments.
“Oh, dear lord,” I mutter under my breath. She’s acting like this is a permanent separation. We’ll be living in the same state again very soon. “Don’t you have to finish packing?”
“Yeah, I better make sure Decker’s putting everything where I told him to.”
I laugh, she sure has him wrapped around her finger. I’m so happy for them both. Casey shines when she’s around Decker, and Decker looks at her like she walks on water. They’re a match made in heaven, for sure.
“My flight is at ten o’clock,” I remind her, and she frowns again.
“I know.”
“You sure you and Decker are okay with shipping my stuff for me? I already wrote Mac’s address on all the boxes.”
“Yeah, it’s fine.” She shrugs. “Decker met a couple guys at the gym who said they’d help with the heavy lifting.”
“There are only like five boxes,” I tell her.
“And three of those are books,” she deadpans.
She’s keeping most of the furniture and household items, the rest of the stuff we’re donating. I sure don’t need or want any of it for my new life with Jay. All I’m bringing with me are my books, some DVDs, my clothes, photos, and some trinkets.
New life…here I come!
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