Page 3 of Jackson
“I don’t understand. Whatthings?”
“I can’t tell you over the phone, I want you to come out here. Come for a visit,Summer.”
I should have been fuming; I should have been calling him out on his behaviour, but the minute he asked me to visit, my heart fluttered in my chest. Maybe it was also because he’d done this before. Despite my anger, somewhere deep inside, I always knew he would return. I could never stay angry with him for any length of time, despite wanting to attimes.
“I can’t, I have the apartment up for sale, and I don’t have themoney.”
“I’ll pay for your ticket and you can stay with me. I have a house on the beach. You’d love it, say you’llcome?”
“How can you pay for my ticket? And if I did, then what? Are you actually going to tell me why you bailed onme?”
“I’m working, I have some pieces of art to finish and I work behind abar.”
“When?” Iasked.
“Soon as youcan.”
I sighed. “I can’t for a couple of weeks, I have appointments. How about I text you over a date, and we can sort it out forthen?”
“Cool. And I am sorry, Summer, really Iam.”
“Will you promise me one thing? Tell me what I didwrong?”
I hated that my breath hitched, causing my voice to crack. I hated that the tears started toflow.
“Summer, you could never do wrong. I had to leave because of me, because of my shit. It had nothing to do with you, and I was fucking wrong to just walk. I was a coward, okay? I have stuff going on that I find difficult to talk about. Just come out here. Spend some time with me, let me make it up toyou.”
I found myself nodding because I didn’t trust myvoice.
“Summer?”
“Okay, I’ll text you, Jack. And if you don’t answer me, don’t ever call meagain.”
“I’ll answer, trustme.”
I stifled a snort at the ‘trust me,’ but we said our goodbyes, and I placed the phone back on the cabinet. He was in California. I wasn’t aware of anyone he knew out there, but then, I wasn’t aware of anyone Jacksonknew.
