Page 41 of One Little Chance
I nodded. “After the fire, and the tears, and the cleaning…it was actually kind of fun. Jordan was over to help. It’ll be a funny memory now.”
A horn bellowed, and the crowd began to move forward, people racing off. I got in position, but Jenna grabbed my hand.
“Wait?” she asked over the noise.
People weaved around us. A few runners shot us frustrated looks. Christmas music was blaring through the speakers downtown.
“You don’t need to feel…” Jenna started but stopped. She looked over at Sarah, who was standing beside us. Everyone else had left. “I hate that you spent last night crying and overwhelmed trying to make pies you didn’t have time to make because we made you feel…”
The three of us were holding up traffic. “You made me feel like you two really don’t want me around,” I finished the sentence.
“No, no.” Jen shook her head. “We want you around, Sophie.”
“It’s not a matter of if we like you or not. We were just feeling…hesitant,” Sarah said, rubbing her gloved hands together. “I’m so embarrassed we were making you feel bad.”
“We were trying to be the flashing yellow light to slow things down, I guess,” Jenna said with her shoulders raised apologetically.
“Why?” I said, trying to speak over “Santa Baby” blaring through downtown. My breath was still coming out in foggy bursts. “You don’t trust me? Last time, I was eighteen, and I was?—"
“It’s not that we don’t trust you. It’s that…you’reSophia Rogers. We know firsthand the effect you have on our brother. You’ve held his heart in the palm of your hands since you were kids. You could crush it.” Jenna said.
“You could crushhim,” Sarah said as the song came to an end. Her words were the only thing hanging in the air.
“I won’t crush him,” I said with my whole chest.
“We know how he feels for you. I mean, come on, we’ve never seen him more broken than when he thought he lost you.” Jen swallowed then added, “And he’s never been happier than when you moved back to Sweet River.”
“It’s because of that, I think we were trying to be cautious. Like we were dealing with dynamite. Mom was almost as ecstatic as Jordan himself, Cody thought it was a given you two would reunite, and there was us. We weren’t trying to be rude. Just careful,” Jenna said.
“But we were kind of rude,” Sarah whispered. “I’m sorry.”
“It’s not our place to decide if you should be careful or jump in, anyway,” Jenna said. “I know that. Maybe it’s my mom instinct coming out. I don’t know.”
“I appreciate it, but trust me, I’ve given Jordan’s heart more thought and consideration than you can imagine. You can breathe easy knowing if I’m showing up to family dinners and Turkey Trots, I’m here to stay,” I said.
Both of them nodded, huddling together for warmth.
“We’re not pumping the brakes anytime soon. You’re just going to have to accept that andaccept me,” I said in the same steady tone I use in the classroom.
“Sophie, you’re already accepted!” Sarah exclaimed.
“You’re basically family. We’ll have your back from now on.” Jen leaned her head on my shoulder. “I’m sorry. No more tears over us.”
“I’m sorry, too.” Sarah leaned her head on my other shoulder.
The Christmas speakers paused, and then, “PLEASE KEEP MOVING IF YOU ARE PARTICIPATING IN THE TROT!” boomed through the speakers. We broke into a giggle and raced off together, running off arm in arm.
Our two families spent Thanksgiving together, sharing food and stories. Mine and Jordan’s past, once packed away like an old memory, was now affectionately brought back to life around the Silk’s dinner table lined with pumpkins and sunflowers.
My heart felt aglow within my chest as my mom and Pat took turns telling their perspectives of mine and Jordan’s first date.
Pat’s eyes glistened as she said through laughter, “I heard what sounded like some sports announcer on the TV, but it was coming from the bathroom!” She leaned in closer to the table, enjoying everyone’s attention. “I walked back to find Jordan giving himself a pep talk in his bathroom mirror. ‘You’ve known this girl for years, buddy. You know she likes you! You’ve got this, J Man.’”
The table howled with laughter, plates of my mom’s tiramisu and my unburned pies in front of them.
“J Man?” I said to Jordan, cocking my head to the side.
“Oh, well, I’ve got one.” My mom patted the table. “Remember how they got a flat tire on the way home from prom?I got this late call from them, and I’m rushing to find them, assuming they’ll be waiting for me in the car all scared and unsure of what to do. No, not our kids. I drive up the backroad to find the two of them changing the tirein the mud—and yes, of course, my daughter with her prom dress hiked up all muddy there on the ground.” She shakes her head.
