Page 43 of Heat Advisory

Her responses so far had been quick. But her next reply took quite a bit longer to come in.

Cora:

What did you tell her?

Me:

The same thing we’ve told everyone else. We’re engaged. We can’t back down now and risk someone finding out. Look how quickly this has spread already, and my parents live more than three hundred miles away.

The dots appeared and disappeared multiple times, and I wondered what was going through her mind. Probably some mild panic, but hopefully not enough to call this whole thing off. I took that opportunity to give her something to calm her down, hopefully.

Me:

I told her we hadn’t told your family yet so not to tell anyone just yet.

Cora:

Your mom can’t keep a secret to save her life.

Damn, sometimes it sucked that she knew my mom so well.

Me:

Yes, but I may or may not have threatened her that we would elope in Vegas without any family in attendance if she blew the secret.

Cora:

Jay!!!! Now she’s going to hate me!

Me:

Nah. She already loves you.

Me:

Look, I have to get back to work, but I’ll fill you in tonight. I promise it’s not bad. She was very excited. I just wanted you to know in case my mom calls you.

Cora:

You told her not to tell anyone…Why would she call me?

Me:

Exactly for that reason. She can’t tell anyone new. Which means she could call you, since you already know and she’s likely dying to tell someone.

She didn’t respond. Not after I sent that message. Not an hour later when I rechecked my phone. Not even five hours later when I had another chance to check my phone.

I had a feeling I was in for a late-night phone call of groveling with Cora.

Good. Hopefully this would give me some practice, since I would likely be groveling to her a lot over the next few decades as husband and wife.

15

“When it's this hot, chocolate becomes healthy soup if you wait long enough.”

—It’s science

Cora