“How do you do it?” I asked, knowing I was going to need help.
Jeremy looked up, a frown on his face.
“How are you not mad at him?”
His frown increased. “You think I’m not?”
“You don’t act like it.”
“Because it’s not just Dad. I’m mad at Mom, too, and I’m mad at you.” Jeremy snorted. “I’m even mad at Greg.”
That last admission took me aback. “That’s messed up.”
Jeremy shrugged. “But it’s true. And it’s not most of the time. Most of the time you’re being such a punk that I don’t have any mad left for anyone else.”
I smiled a little.
“But if I’m mad at everyone, then we’re all the same and it doesn’t have to matter as much. Is Dad a coward for leaving? Maybe. But so is Mom. And you, you come here and rail at Dad and try to make him jump through all these hoops while coddling Mom constantly. And Greg with his stupid—” Jeremy closed his mouth and blinked a few times. “We all suck, okay? Let’s just get us back together and then you can pull all the crap you want.”
Jeremy snapped his head to mine when I didn’t respond right away. “Yeah,” I said. “Okay. Tomorrow. I’ll try, for real this time.”
Jeremy shoved me on the way out, but he didn’t look half as pissed as he had when he came in. Still, I had to say one last thing even if it didn’t make him any happier with me.
“Jer. I’m sorry.”
He hesitated at the door. “Yeah, you are. Don’t be tomorrow.”
IN BETWEEN
Adam:
Hey.
Jolene:
Hey. You got your phone back.
Adam:
I would have texted you as soon as I got home last night and charged it but I didn’t want to check out on my mom.
Jolene:
I get it.
Adam:
We were watching a movie and I crashed.
Jolene:
It’s okay. Or actually, I’m going to reserve judgment until you tell me what movie you watched.
Adam:
Anne of Green Gables. The first part anyway. It’s her favorite.
Jolene:
I’ve never seen it.
Adam:
Don’t tell my mom or she’ll tie you to our couch and make you watch all of them with her.
Jolene:
That actually sounds nice.
Adam:
I’m not saying it’s a bad movie or miniseries or whatever, but it’s long. Like all day long.
Jolene:
And yet you’ve watched it with her multiple times, haven’t you?
Adam:
Well, yeah. It’s not her fault she only had sons.
Jolene:
I’m sure she wouldn’t trade you.
Adam:
No, she wouldn’t. So do I really have to wait two weeks before I get to see you again?
Jolene:
It won’t be that bad. I mean, think how many times you can watch Anne in two weeks.
Adam:
One and a half? It’s seriously long.
Jolene:
It’ll go by fast.
Adam:
It never does.
Jolene:
This time it will. Trust me.
Jolene
“I can’t believe I fell asleep. I meant to call you at midnight, and I’m, like, twenty minutes late, but it still counts, right?”
“What counts?” Adam’s voice had a slightly gruff quality to it that tickled my senses when he spoke.
“You know. Happy birthday. Are you awake?”
“Yes, I’m awake. Someone programmed my phone to play a foghorn every time I get a call from you.” Adam’s voice dropped to a whisper. “I think you woke up my mom... Yep. I’llcallyourightback.” He hung up before I could say another word.
So far my plans weren’t turning out as I’d hoped. If Adam’s mom really was awake, she was going to make things a lot harder.
Minutes passed before my phone buzzed with a text.
Adam:
I think she went back to bed. Seriously with the foghorn?
Jolene:
I think you’re exaggerating. It didn’t sound that loud.
Adam:
Trust me, it did. If you were within a mile of my house, you’d have heard it.
Jolene:
All I hear is the wind. I can’t believe you live out here. There’s no traffic at all.
Adam:
Jolene?
Jolene:
Yes?
Adam:
Are you standing in my backyard?
Jolene:
I’m standing in A backyard, but since I haven’t heard any foghorns, it’s somewhat debatable whether or not I’m in yours.
I looked up at the big white farmhouse and saw the curtains move aside in one of the upstairs windows. I took a gamble that it was Adam’s room, and not his mom’s, and waved. I couldn’t see if he waved back, but the curtain fell closed.
Adam:
Give me a minute. Are you freezing?
Jolene:
Yes.
Freezing had long since come and gone. I was impressed with myself for still being able to text legibly and not go all The Abyss on him. It was starting to snow, and the soft white flakes were no longer melting on my skin when they landed on me. The drift I was standing in was over my ankles. But it was worth it. Less than a minute later, the back door opened and Adam came out. He was wearing red-and-black plaid pajamas with his thick, fleece-collared coat hanging open as he jogged toward me. He didn’t stop until his warm breath fogged with mine.
“You’re nuts.”
“What I am is freezing.” And happy. I couldn’t stop smiling up at him.
Adam turned his head back and forth, looking around. “How did you get here?”
“Remember that whole conversation we had about hot-wiring my mom’s car? Turns out it’s super hard, so I took her keys instead.”
I’d been fully prepared to pay for an Uber or hitchhike if necessary, but ever since my mom had broken up with Tom, she’d been going to bed earlier. Or at least going to her room and shutting the door.