Page 63 of Until Next Time
I turn slightly to look at the yard.
“It is. So…” I begin to ask again when she cuts me off—
“Okay.”
“Okay?” I ask, just to clarify.
“Okay.” She breaks into a small smile. Her cheeks are rosy from the cold, and the glow from the Christmas lights arereflecting in her eyes and it’s this moment that I am going to remember forever.
“Okay. I’ll pick you up around nine. Does that work?”
“Yeah, that’s perfect.” She says, her eyes fixed on mine, like she’s trying to decode something in them.
“I’ll see you in a few hours then.” I say, as I start taking slow steps backwards.
“Okay.” She says smiling.
“Okay.” I repeat, smiling back, not breaking eye contact as she slips back into the house. I don’t look away until she closes the door and I hear the lock click.
I’m walking back to my car and I feel a stirring in my gut. I look up towards the drifting snow and whisper to it,“I love you, mom.”
37
Birdie
My alarm starts off on my phone, which I absolutely didn’t need because my eyes shot wide open at 6:00 AM. I reach over and click it off. My body has been on high alert since Dawsen showed up on my doorstep at midnight asking me out on a date. I’m not sure I slept much at all last night. I got into bed after he left and stared at the ceiling while I just laid there and replayed the whole encounter over and over again.
He looked happy. He looked like he felt lighter. There was something different in his eyes, and I couldn’t figure it out. What changed?
But here we are, three hours from now, Dawsen Jones will be picking me up to take me on a date. What even is life. I think I’m short circuiting. This cannot be real.
There’s no sense in staying in bed, it’s not like I’ll be getting any more sleep. I think that would be physically impossible with the way my entire body has reacted to this series of events. It’stime for coffee, I decide. I walk down the hallway and I can hear my parents downstairs. I basically sprint down the steps until I’m in the kitchen. Mom is pouring herself a cup of coffee and my dad is sitting at the island reading the morning paper. I love that no matter how old I get, it almost feels like time stands still when I’m back home. Mom and dad in the kitchen sipping their coffee and reading the paper. This is what they did when I was a kid, and they’re still doing it now, they’re just slightly more grey. But the love that buzzes in these walls remains the same.
“You’re up early!” Mom exclaims when she sees me standing in the doorway.
“Dawsen is taking me on a date this morning.” I say, like it’s the most normal occurrence in the world.
Both of my parents heads turn towards me in unison, it’s like something from a sitcom.
“Wow, you wasted no time, sweetheart.” My dad says proudly, with a huge grin.
“No,heaskedme. Last night. He showed up here a little after midnight.”
My mom laughs, “Well, that’s lovely sweetheart. You both can tell us all about it at Christmas Eve dinner tonight as well. Dawsen and Crawford will be joining us.” She says, winking at me.
“Well, this is all so exciting.” My dad says, setting his paper down and taking a sip of coffee.
I’m just standing there, looking at the both of them, suddenly feeling my eyes go wide and my mouth go dry.
“I think she’s in shock.” My mom says to my dad, like I’m not standing here.
“That’s what love’ll do to ya.” My dad drawls as he turns the page on his paper.
“I think I need coffee.” I say, making my way over to the coffee pot. I pull down a mug from the shelf and start pouring.
I can feel my parent’s gazes on me.
“Okay, I’m going to get ready then.” I say, awkwardly and bolt back upstairs.
