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Four weeks. Probably less. Probably a lot less…
jackson
Afteranother long day at the hospital,Selenamade us dinner, andIdid the dishes.She’ssitting on the front porch on her phone, andI’msitting across from her, staring at her whileI’mpretending to read a script.Dinner, dishes, and sitting on the front porch are turning into a routine for us after visiting hours at the hospital end.It’snice and quiet.JusthowIlike things.
Selena’sbeen kind of standoffish sinceIshoved her up against a wall and almost kissed her a few days ago.AndIhate myself more every minute for doing it.Itchanged something between us, and she’s kept her distance ever since.IknowIshould apologize for howIacted, but it turns outI’mnot even a little sorry.Well,I’monly sorry thatIscared her away whenIdid it.
Whenshe stands up off the porch swing,Ineed to know where she’s going, and the words are out of my mouth beforeIcan stop myself.
“Whereare you headed?”
Shemakes a face at me. “Inside.Doyou need to come with me?Followme around inside the house?Dowhatever floats your boat,Jackson.Idon’t care.”
Yeah, something’s changed.AndIdon’t like it one bit.
Insteadof following her inside,Imake myself stay out on the porch, still trying to read the script on my iPad.I’mgoing to keep my feet planted on the front porch, even if it kills me.Butinstead of thinking about a murder at a luxury resort onMars,I’mthinking about what the woman inside my house is doing.Andhow to make things go back to the way they were before.
Eventually,Selenacomes back outside.She’schanged into leggings and another oversized t-shirt with theLadycakeslogo on the front.Thisone’s lavender, and it makes her look like a pretty, little cupcake.Ishould ask her to get me one of those shirts.Butin black.Allthe pastel colors aren’t exactly my style.ButI’deven wear the pastel one for her.Shehas that massive purse of hers over her shoulder, telling me she’s leaving me.
“Goingsomewhere?”DoIsound as jealous asIthinkIsound?Yeah, pretty sureIdo.
Shegives me a polite smile. “Yeah,Lily’scoming to get me.”
“WhyisLilycoming to get you?”
“Becausewe’re going to hang out.Havesome girl time.”
“Hangout where?Theonly thing that’s open in this town on aSaturdaynight is thePump’nRide.Andtrust me, it’s not nearly as fun as it sounds.It’sjust a gas station and a shitty convenience store.Trustme on that.Ispent one too many nights there whenIwas a kid.”
“I’msorry, it’s called thePump’nRide?”
“Yeah.Youjust didn’t notice the name because the sign’s been broken for fifteen years and no one’s ever bothered to fix it.”
“Someoneneeds to fix it.Immediately.WheredoIsign the petition?Isthere a donation jar somewhere?Andmaybe that is where we’re going?Becausehanging out at a gas station called thePump’nRidein your late twenties sounds like life goals to me right now.”
“Isthat where you’re going?”
“Nope.”
“Areyou going to tell me where you’re going?”
“Nope.”
Iwant to pin her down on the porch swing and make her tell me where she’s going.Butsince that approach didn’t work so well last time,Irestrain myself.
She’sgoing to be withLily.There’snothing to worry about.EventhoughIknow thatI’mgoing to spend every minute sitting here worrying until she gets home.
There’sthe crunch of tires on the dirt road leading up to the house, andIlook up to see the headlights ofLily’slittle blue pickup coming up the drive.Ican’t count the number of timesI’veoffered to buy her a slightly less shitty car, but she always says no.
“Seeyou later,Jackson,”Selenasays, as she steps off of the porch and into the light fromLily’sheadlights.
Shehasn’t called meNuggetin days.Inever thoughtI’dmiss it, but it’s embarrassing how muchIdo.
AfterIwatch the taillights of the truck drive away,Imove to sit on the porch swing withOats.Twohours later,I’veonly read three pages of theMarsscript, and not even because it’s bad.It’sactually pretty good.Likean old-time murder mystery, but onMars.I’dplay the eccentric detective, which would be a departure from the action-packed stuffIusually do.
SinceIneed a distraction from thinking aboutSelenaand wondering when she’s coming home to me, and the script in front of me isn’t doing it,Ipick up my phone to callJasper.He’llknow what everyone’s up to tonight.
“Hey, it’s me.”
