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The phone call ends as abruptly as it started, and I’m left sitting here, unsettled by it all. She wants me to cook dinner? After traveling all day, yeah, I just want to whip up a huge meal.
My stomach growls again. Tucking my phone back inside my hoodie, I head out of the house without looking.
Yet it bothers me all the way to the grocery store.What is going on with her?For a second, I debate calling Drew, but at the same time, I don’t want to alert him while he’s busy creating his second album. The band is going on tour again soon, which is eating all of his time up.
As I get in my car, I hope it’ll start. It’s been a while, and I doubt anyone even bothered to start it up and drive around. Thankfully, it started right up and sounded like it did when I left.One less thing to worry about.
Putting my hand on the key to turn the car off, I brush against something on the dash. I look down and swallow hard.
It’s a picture of Tyler and me from last summer, hanging out on the beach with the sunset behind us. My heart picks up speed. How did I not notice it until now?
Another thought races in from behind—Will I see him this summer? Is he still living here in town? Where could he be right now?
Shut up, I tell myself. Like I deserve to know. We haven’t spoken in months. Why do I even care?
I rip the picture off, using too much force, and it splits down the middle. Just like our relationship. Huh, coincidence? I think not.
It shouldn’t affect me, but it does. Of course, it does.
With a sigh, I kill the engine, and just as I go to open my door, my phone dings with a text.
Cat: Hey! U home yet?
A grin breaks out across my face, distracting me from my thoughts. I’ve missed her. When I told her I was coming home for the summer, she couldn’t contain her excitement, her screams loud through the phone.
Me: Yes! Just got back. Hitting up the market rn. Wanna hang out soon?
Cat: Hell yeah, girl. We need a sleepover stat!
Me: Lol. Ah. The epic sleepover. Yes!
Cat: Always epic w us. What other way is there?
Me: No other. U free tmw?
Cat: Yes, I’m a jobless hoe
Me: Lol. Jobless? No. You’re a student. And a caretaker! A hoe? Yes.
Cat: Bahahaha. I missed u, bitch.
Me: I missed u more.
I click off the screen and tuck my phone in my purse. I can’t wait to see her tomorrow. She’s been living at home this past year, taking part-time classes at a local community college while she helps out her chronically ill mother and takes care of her younger siblings. All six of them. Sometimes it seems like Cat is their mom. As the eldest child, a lot of the responsibility for the younger kids falls on her shoulders because of her mom’s auto-immune disease Lupus. Her dad, the main provider of their family, is always working.
I’ll have to spend some of my summer helping her and her family. Pick up groceries, clean up, whatever Cat needs help with.
Pulling out a notepad and pen from my purse, I quickly jot down the few items I want. Nothing like the satisfaction of checking items off a list.
With a lifted mood and a growling tummy, I head into the grocery store, list in hand.
* * *
Pushing a few wisps of hair out of my face, I stroll down the last aisle, this shopping adventure taking way longer than I planned.
The exhaustion creeps through every part of me, and all I can think about is eating and sleeping. Eating and sleeping.
As I pass the frozen goods, my reflection clear in the glass doors, I wince at the sight. My hair looks wild in a messy bun, and my clothes are frumpy from travel, like I just rolled out of bed. Screw it. There’s no point in caring now since I’m almost done.
