I stare at the note for another second, processing it. “Vacation rental? What? We’re going on a trip?”
Josie grins, scrunching her face up. “We sure are!”
I look back down at the card in my hands, then back up at her. “Like an actual trip?”
“Yes. As in pack your bags, we’re getting you the hell away from here for spring break!”
“Where are we going? Oh my god. I can’t believe this!”
“Oh thank god you sound excited. It’s a lake house that’s about an hour and a half drive from here. I booked it for the second half of spring break so you can request it off with plenty of time, but still work the beginning of the week because I know you wouldn’t want to miss out on too many hours. It’s so cool, P, you’re going to absolutely love it.”
“You’re the best, thank you! Do you have pictures?”
Josie knows I’ve hardly ever gone anywhere since my mom wasn’t able to afford to take my brother and me on trips growing up.
“Yes, let me find them. I’m so glad you’re happy! It’s going to be so much fun.”
Reality catches up and my chest does that annoying tightening thing it does when I’m caught between excitement and the instinct to immediately downplay anything nice that happens to me. It’s not that I feel undeserving, it’s just that I’ve learned to be happy with what I have and I feel guilty when Josie goes over the top with gifts in ways I can’t possibly repay.
“You didn’t have to do this,” I remind her, even though I’m sure she’s going to steamroll right over that sentence.
And she does. “I did because I wanted to. Don’t overthink it, P. It’ll be so much fun.”
I swallow, my grip tightening slightly on the card. “Josie?—”
“No,” she cuts in firmly. “You don’t get to argue this. You’re allowed to have good things. This is one of them. I’m so happy I can do this for you and that we’ll get to have a little getaway. If you need to tell yourself something to feel better, know that this is as much of a gift for me as it is for you.”
I huff out a breath, shaking my head. “You really thought ofeverything, huh? I don’t even know what I did to deserve a friend like you.”
“We were just always meant to be best friends. You’re stuck with me, so you better get on board.”
I look down at the raccoons again on the front of the card because suddenly eye contact feels like too much. Josie has always had this way of making me feel chosen without ever making me feel like my lack of money is a burden. She’s never once cared about the difference between where we came from, only that we somehow landed in the same place and were destined to be in each other’s lives. It’s refreshing, and over time, I think it’s helped me to see my future beyond the town I grew up in and used to be afraid I’d never leave as a real possibility.
Between this and Will showing up with coffee, my chest feels too full from my friends’ gifts.
Well, shit. I guess Will really is my friend after all. Such a weird thing to acknowledge when I thought I hated him not that long ago.
“You okay?” Josie nudges me.
“Yeah.” I nod. “I’m just… This is the best gift I could’ve asked for. Thank you.”
She smiles at me and pulls me in for a side hug. “Luckily for you, I only accept payment in your continued friendship and occasional emotional support.”
“Tragic,” I deadpan. “I was hoping I could Venmo you instead.”
She laughs and puts her head on my shoulder. “Nope. You deserve this,” she murmurs. “Don’t overthink it.”
“I’ll overthink something else instead, like whatever’s going on with Will.”
Her eyes light up immediately. “Yeah, we are absolutely not finished talking about that. But I’ll let you enjoy your birthday without further interrogation. Until tomorrow.”
“Generous of you to spare me today.”
“So,” she starts, clapping her hands once, and I groan at the loud sound that makes shooting pain radiate through my skull. It’s a miracle her shrieking didn’t have the same effect. “Now that coffee has been acquired and you’re no longer on the brink of death, how does brunch sound? Or Abbey and Ty can pick it up and bring it over so we can veg?”
“Nah, we can go,” I say, then add casually, “and you can invite Carrie too.”
She presses a hand to her chest, mock-touched. “In honor of making today not about me, I will simply say thank you.”
