Page 20 of Sweet Girl
Chapter Seven
Kylah
I love the holidays.
Let me rephrase that. I used to love the holidays when we were all one big happy family.
My mom would go all Martha Stewart on us, fixing all the most incredible festive dishes. And she’d go all out with the baking and decorations. When everyone else was out at the malls shopping on Black Friday, mom would have me, Kady and Cade taking down all the boxes of Christmas decorations from storage and filling every nook and cranny in our house with holiday cheer, all the while Christmas music played in the background.
This Thanksgiving, however, would be decidedly different, to say-the-least. Divorced parents, a mom who is dating our neighbor, and three college students reconvening in the house seem to up the weirdness quotient exponentially.
But I am more than thrilled to be back in the same house with my siblings – especially Kady. I’ve missed her so much. I’ve missed her annoying habits, which include leaving make-up and gobs of toothpaste on the bathroom counters, but also her light and bubbly personality. She’s always happy – carefree and effervescent. Kady has this light about her that illuminates everyone and everything around her. When I am down, she lifts me up. And I’m in much need of that right now.
It’s Friday evening, the house smells like baked goods and cinnamon sticks, and the music in the background is full of holiday cheer. But I am not cheerful, because I haven’t heard from Van yet. The last time we spoke was on Wednesday evening, right before I flew back to Phoenix. He said he would give me a call on Thursday. I was well aware he was going to have his “talk” with Lyndsay and he promised he would call and update me.
That may seem odd to others to know he was going to tell me about the intimate conversation he had with his girlfriend, but I was his new sounding board. He’d already told me all about the reason he was ejected from the game last week and the subsequent phone calls with her. I also know that he was seriously worried. I can’t say that I blame him. From what he told me, there is a serious chance that she might break up with him.
What a horrible thing to happen over the holidays.
Sadly, I don’t know how I should feel about that. My emotions are all over the board on the topic.
Obviously, as Van’s friend – the only one he claims he can talk to about these matters – I want to hate Lyndsay with all my guts. How can she do this to such a nice guy? I realize there’s always two sides to every coin – just look at my parent’s break-up for example. While my brother likes to pin all the blame on my dad for leaving my mom and the family, my mom has confided to me a little that she was also at fault. She said over the years she’d lost herself a little more with every passing year, until she realized she was just a shell of a woman. And who can love someone who doesn’t even love themselves? Her words, not mine.
Van shared with me that the distance had a major impact on them both. When at first it made their relationship stronger, over time he said it just weakened the areas that had started to decay and crumble. The weeks and months that went by without visits, along with their crazy schedules during the season, had put a strain on things. Their weekend visits became stilted and uncomfortable – like they were strangers trying to relearn the things they loved about each other.
I don’t want Van to be unhappy. I care too deeply for him. So if finding a way to work out whatever their problems are and remaining together will make him happy, then I’ll back him one hundred percent. I’ll bury my crush in order to remain friends with him. Even if it means my lustful fantasies will never have a chance of coming true.
On the other hand, if they do break up, I want to be there for him in whatever capacity he wants. I doubt Van thinks of me as anything more than a friend, anyway, but if in the off chance that should ever change, and if he feels the same attraction as I do, then I’m ready. I’ll gladly be his rebound girl. See what I did there? Rebound? With a basketball player? Sometimes I’m a funny girl.
Needless to say, if I’m to do any of those things, however, it would require hearing back from him. It’s like he’s dropped off the face of the earth. He hasn’t returned any of my calls, and my texts have remained unanswered. It worried me at first. But now I’m hurt. Frustrated. Even a little angry that I’m so easily forgotten in the presence of Lyndsay.
We’re all finally settled down on the big L-shaped couch in the family room, tired out from the long day of activity, about to watch a movie. Kady’s pickedThe Sound of Music– her favorite – and we all do a sing-a-long. Everyone except Cade, who just bitches, moans, grumbles and curses while his head is buried in his phone or laptop as me, my mom and sister belt out the all-too-familiar songs.
Cade and I are already sitting on the couch waiting, my mom fixing up some plates of cookies and hot chocolate in the kitchen, and Kady’s upstairs in the bedroom changing into her pajamas. It gives me a chance to share with Cade my thoughts on his girlfriend.
“I’m glad Ainsley and her sister got to come over for dinner yesterday. I really like her, Cade.”
He looks up from his phone, where I presume he’s either looking at a sports website, or is texting with Ainsley or one of his friends.
He gives me a cheesy smile, one that demonstrates how smitten he really is. “Yeah. She’s pretty great, isn’t she?” He and Ainsley have been dating since earlier in the school year and it’s something I never thought I’d see. Cade with a serious girlfriend.
“It’s such a small world, too. The fact that she is grandpa’s nurse is so weird. Cool, but weird.” Cade isn’t the only one in love with Ainsley. My Grandpa Simon is head over heels for that girl. I’m pretty sure he thinks she farts rainbows and unicorns.
He gives me a small grunt, returning to his phone, a frown forming on his face where is grin had just been.
“What’s wrong?” I ask, wondering if something’s going on with Ainsley.
He shrugs before typing again. “It’s Lance. He says Van is over there drunk as shit and cursing up a storm, looking for trouble.”
“What do you mean? That’s not like him. Why is he upset?” I’m pretty sure I know why. That means it may not have gone too well with Lyndsay. My tummy flips and rolls with a wave of worry.
Cade’s eyes zero in on me, curiosity flaring over the concern in my voice, which I couldn’t hide even if I tried.
“Yeah. I guess he’s ranting on about this ball player, Cody. Says he’s going to go fuck the guy up.”
I push to my feet, sliding into my flip-flops next to the lounger and grab at Cade’s hand to help pull him up, too.
“Come on. We’ve got to get over there...this is not good. He needs my...I mean, our help.”
