Page 39 of Don’t Be A Stranger

Summer

My best friend in the entire world is on FaceTime with me from an airport in Rome, looking like the most defeated person I’ve ever seen, while I’m thousands of miles away at work.

“Lils.” I try to bring her attention back to me instead of whatever chaos is going on around her. “It’s really going to be okay.”

“No it’s not.” Her voice comes out rough and scratchy, breaking my heart in two.

“I was supposed to be able to do this,” Lily admits, defeated.

What was meant to be a month-long cruise turned into approximately two weeks when Lily declared she couldn’t continue. She won’t say why she had such a hard time getting back on that ship after a day of exploring the city, but her grandparents had to tell the cruise line that they wouldn’t be continuing the trip. Now they’re currently sitting in the airport waiting for a flight back home to Vermont.

I can tell how upset Lily is with herself and I’m sure her mind is trying to convince her that Estelle and Freddie are disappointed, but I don’t need to talk to Lily’s grandparents to know that’s not true. Not in the slightest.

In fact, they’re probably proud that she even made it two weeks. I know I am.

“At least you got to see some places.” I try to bring in some optimism.

Lily isn’t having it.

“No, I didn’t.” She’s quick to retort. “I clung to Grandpa and Mimi the entire time.”

I tap the corner of my phone screen, waiting a moment before I respond as a few of my coworkers walk toward the front door of the country club. It’s five-thirty in the morning and we open in thirty minutes, but when I got a call from Lily to update me on when she’s supposed to be getting back home, nothing was going to stop me from answering.

At least now Lily isn’t hyperventilating because she feels like such a terrible person.

God, I wish I could just hug her right now. Eight months is a long time to not see her. I’m almost tempted to beg her grandparents to get a flight to New York instead of back home, but I know that would probably make Lily feel worse.

“Well, at least you can still say that you’ve been to Europe.” I try to reason with Lily but she has a quiet stubbornness about her.

“And say what? I got pins as souvenirs?”

“Yeah!” I smile, encouraging her further even though I know she was being sarcastic. “You like to hoard those things on your bag. I’m sure someone will ask about them.”

She groans into her knees, which are pressed up against her chest. “That’s somehow worse. If I can’t even do this, how am I going to go out there to Ellingbrook?”

My heart sinks. I want Lily here so badly that it hurts but I would never force her to come just for my own sake. I’ve just never gone this long without seeing her.

“It’ll be scary at first, Lils, but once you settle in, I’m sure you’re going to show this campus who’s boss and besides, if you’re that worried about having to bail on your cruise so early, River can just photoshop you at the Eiffel Tower or something.”

“Hey!” She tries and fails to hide her smile. “I took pictures.”

I know she did because Estelle sent every single one of them to me.

A woman’s voice comes from the airport intercom and catches Lily’s attention. The chewing of her bottom lip intensifies.

“The plane isn’t going to crash,” I reassure her but her eyes only widen and she’s looking back at me.

“Don’t say that! You’ll jinx it.”

“Lily, baby?” Estelle’s velvety voice replaces the airport chaos. I see the dark skin of her arm, partially in frame, and wish I could reach out.

“Hi, Estelle!” I greet her, waving.

Since Lily has an earbud in, she winces from my excitement but relays the message to her grandma. Estelle takes the seat next to Lily and even as Estelle grows older, she still looks as if she’s in her thirties. I guess a good diet and always being on the move will do that.

That and they had Lily’s mom pretty young.

“Hi, my summer girl. You doing good out there?”