Page 58 of Thanks for the Friendship
I shoot out of bed like a cannon. “What?”
“He called Theo while I was there, and we invited him to come over. I can tell him you’re already in bed.”
“No, it’s okay.”
It doesn’t matter that I have no makeup on or that I’m wearing a faded pair of flannel pajamas.
I follow Gabby out to the living room. Cal is sitting on the edge of the couch staring down at his phone.
“Hey.”
He looks up from his phone.
“I’m headed to bed,” Gabby says. “Good night.”
“We’re you asleep?” he asks.
I sit down next to him and curl one leg under me.
“Not yet … Are you hungry?”
He nods. “I’m starving.”
“We have tons of food left, including plenty of orange rolls that I confiscated. Come on.”
Cal doesn’t argue, and we make our way to the kitchen. I start taking food out of the fridge and hand him a bottle of water.
“Thank you, Lila.”
I smile. “Sure.”
I ask him what he wants and start preparing a plate for him.
“This about the extent of my kitchen skills,” I joke. “Heating up food that I didn’t prepare.”
He puts his elbows on the counter and leans his chin on his hands.
“I’m sorry that I made a scene at your dinner. I’m so embarrassed.”
I wait for the microwave to count down and take the plate out.
“You have nothing to apologize for.”
I’m dying to know what happened with him and Sara, but I’m not going to ask. I’ll let him share what he wants to.
“Your mom hasn’t lost her touch. Everything was delicious.”
He nods. “She’s the best. I almost went over there tonight, but I didn’t want to have to answer a bunch of questions.”
And that’s exactly why I’m not going to ask him anything.
“I was shocked that she actually remembered me,” I admit.
“I told you.”
“You did, but she’s met hundreds of kids.”
“She remembers her favorites,” he says, before taking a bite of chicken.
