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“I’m sorry, that must be difficult.”
“The worst part is I can’t drive. I mean, I know how to drive, but I’m not allowed to drive in case I seize behind the wheel.”
“I can be your official tour guide. I’ll take you around, show you the town.”
“Really? You’d do that for me?” She reached out and grabbed my arm, gave it a light squeeze. “My dad offered to take me around, but not the first impression I want to give is me riding around town in a police cruiser.”
“I hear you. I’ll introduce you to the best parts of South Vale.
“Deal,” she said without hesitating at all. I was tempted to go all the way and tell her I’d be her first date in town too, if she wanted.
“Calvin? Oh, there you are, my sweet boy! Ellison, it was lovely to meet you and your mom. Cal, we’ve got to go. The roast is in the oven and your father is bringing some of the boys over for dinner tonight.”
Mom was playing house, trying to give the impression that we were just another normal family on the block.
The last thing I wanted to do was talk about my father in front of this once-in-a-lifetime girl.
“Quick, give me your phone,” I told her. She fished around in the brown purse that held her nasal spray and handed it over. I quickly opened the contacts and added my number. “Call me and I’ll have yours. We can make plans for the guided tour later,” I told her.
I caught my mom’s raised eyebrows out of the corner of my eye and silently prayed she wouldn’t say any stupid shit like, “Finally,” or “Wait till I tell your dad!”
“Or call me whenever you want. We could go for a walk too if you’re not up for a drive. Or just stop over and bang on the front door. I’m usually home.”
“Thanks,” Ellison mouthed with no sound coming out. She smiled at me and it seemed like the smile was specifically made for me, not a flash of congenial pleasantries, but a real burst of joy from within.
The hair, the lips, the eyes, I stared. Christ, I was already a goner. But it wasn’t just her outward appearance that struck me. I couldn’t put my finger on it exactly, because the connection was bigger than I knew how to describe. She seemed so vulnerable in a lot of ways, but simultaneously really strong.
I crossed my arms over my chest, then uncrossed them and stuck my hands in my back pockets rocking back on my heels. I didn’t have words, totally speechless, but the feelings popped, and they were fucking huge.
“Calvin, let’s go!” My mother urged.
“Thanks for the casserole!” Mrs. Kraft told us and walked out of the kitchen.
Spontaneously and completely out of character, I jumped forward and kissed Ellison on the cheek. Only the elite kids kissed hello and goodbye in South Vale and I definitely was not one of them, but somehow I couldn’t help myself. She smiled again and a blush rose up inside her and painted her pink.
“Sorry, I. Fuck… I’ll just call you later.”
“See you ‘round,” I said to her. I lifted my chin in the direction my mother had disappeared.
“See you ‘round, Calvin,” she said so quietly, I wasn’t even sure she meant it.
Chapter 4
ELLISON
“Oh my God, Mom! I can’t believe I seized at his feet!” I yelped. My hands covered my beet-red face and I leaned over like someone sucker-punched me in the gut. “First person I meet, and he gets to immediately see the worst of me.”
“Oh Honey, that’s just the vulnerable side of you. You have a disease. I’m sure he wouldn’t judge you. He was really handsome, wasn’t he?”
“Mom!” I couldn’t have this kind of discussion with her. I jetted for the living room to tackle the boxes. I was not talking about boys with my mom. It’s hard hiding your emotions from anyone when your body ratted you out. Four boxes of books were stacked on the floor leaning up against the built-in bookshelf. I leaned down and ripped one open, started pulling out dusty volumes that no one read anyway and were more decoration than function.
“Aren’t you tired of unpacking? I feel like we’ve been at it all day.”
“I’m more tired of these boxes sitting around. What did his mom say to you?”
“Normal mom stuff. She has another son, three years older than Calvin who graduated last year from the same school you’ll be going to. She does PTA and gardens, but she doesn’t work. Her husband also owns a motorcycle dealership and she told me he’s more bark than bite, whatever that means. I guess we’ll find out when we meet him.”
I lugged out a heavy leather-bound photo album. I shoved it into the shelf without even cracking it. I knew what’s in there. Pictures of our past. Pictures I was certainly not ready to look at and I’m even more sure my mother wasn’t ready to see. Pictures of Adler. The one family member we couldn’t survive without. It was like we’d all been faking it ever since he died.
