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I’m ready to leave.
Except…
Mandy and I already said our goodbyes last night. She choked up, and I pretended like I didn’t.
But I want to see her one more time, so I hop into my car and drive to her home. She won’t leave for college for another couple of months, not until the end of August. I have to go now because football practice starts next week.
I knock on the door.
Her parents are both at work, so I know she’s home alone with Frankie.
Frankie answers the door. “Hey, Jack.”
“Hey, Frankie. Where’s Mandy?”
“She’s in her room.”
“Could you tell her I’m here?”
“Go on up.” Frankie opens the door.
I walk in and head up the stairs. Mandy’s family lives in a small three-level that was built in the seventies. Only three bedrooms upstairs, and I know which one is hers. It’s been hers since we were little kids.
“Mandy?” I knock on her door.
She doesn’t reply.
I crack the door open. “Mandy?”
“Go away.”
Something’s wrong. I open the door. Mandy is on her bed, under the covers, her head buried in her pillow.
I sit down next to her, rub her back through the covers. “Mandy Cake? You okay?”
“What are you doing here, Jack?” she chokes out.
“I’m leaving this afternoon. I just wanted to—”
“We already said goodbye.”
“I know. I just…I needed to see you once more. I’m really going to miss you, Mandy Cake.”
“I’ll miss you, too. Now go.”
“No. You face me. You tell me goodbye one more time.”
“Jack, we already went through this last night.”
“I know, but it wasn’t enough. You’re my best friend. How am I going to get along without you?”
“You’ll be fine.”
“You’re the one I tell everything to.”
No response. Just a sniffle.
“Mandy…”
