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CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE

JADE

Only one more day of classes and then we leave for Thanksgiving break. I can’t wait to go back to Des Moines and see Frank and Ryan and have Thanksgiving in Frank’s new house.

I wouldn’t tell Frank this, but I never liked going out to eat on Thanksgiving. I always wanted to have a meal at home with the turkey cooking in the oven all day. But none of us knew how to cook so we always went out to eat. And then last year I had my first real Thanksgiving dinner at Garret’s house and I loved it. I couldn’t wait to have it again and now I will, thanks to Chloe. It’s really nice of her to offer to make everyone dinner. Ryan better marry that girl and he better not keep waiting or she’s going to find someone else.

My phone rings and I answer it as I’m leaving class. It’s Frank. “Hey, I was just thinking about you. I can’t wait to see you guys and check out your new house.”

“We’ve got your room all ready. And Ryan stocked up on potato chips.”

I laugh. “I might be too full from Chloe’s dinner to eat them.”

“You can have them with the leftover turkey sandwiches we’ll be making. Ryan got a 22-pound turkey. We’ll be eating that thing for weeks.”

“I’m so excited about this dinner. It’s like a real Thanksgiving. I mean, not that the other ones weren’t but—”

“I know what you mean, honey. Eating at the casino every year didn’t really seem like Thanksgiving. I’m looking forward to having everyone here at the house and a having home-cooked meal.”

“Tell Chloe if she wants any help, I’m happy to do whatever she needs.”

“I think she’s already recruited Ryan to be her helper in the kitchen. But yes, I’ll let her know you offered. Anyway, I called because I wanted to tell you I saw Garret last night on one of those Hollywood shows. I was flipping channels and saw his picture. I didn’t catch the whole story but they were saying how he’s living in California now.”

Shit. Brook was supposed to stop those stories from going out.

Frank continues. “Why were they talking about Garret? Is this about that reality show? Are they getting him involved again?”

“No. Someone found out he was living here and the story just kind of spread. We’re hoping it’ll just go away.”

“I don’t want photographers following you around like last year. It’s not safe.”

“There aren’t any photographers. Nobody’s following me.”

“Good. Well, I just wanted to ask you about that. I’ll let you go. We’ll see you soon.”

“Okay, bye.”

As I put my phone away I feel someone tap my shoulder. I turn to see Sara there.

“Hey. You didn’t come in today.”

“Yeah, I’m trying to avoid the coffee shop until that Justin guy goes away. Did he show up there again?”

“No. He hasn’t been back. Why are you avoiding him?”

“Because I don’t know who he is and it’s kind of freaking me out that some strange guy is looking for me.”

“But he went to school with Garret. And he seemed to know you.”

“Did he say how he knew me?”

“No. We didn’t talk long. Where’s your car? I’m parked on the side street.”

“I am, too. Are you heading home?”

“Yeah, I’m done with work. I have to get Caleb at day care. Come on.” She motions me to follow her. “Walk with me. I can’t be late to day care or they’ll charge me for another hour.”

I take a few steps to catch up with her. “So are you ready to meet the family?”

She rolls her eyes and smiles. “It’s not like that, Jade. He’s not taking me there to meet his family. We’re just going for Thanksgiving dinner.”

“He wouldn’t take you there unless he wanted you to meet them. He really likes you, Sara. Stop acting like he doesn’t.”

“I just don’t want to get my hopes up. I already like him more than I should, which means it’s going to suck when he dumps me.”

“Why do you think he’s going to dump you?”

“Because he doesn’t want an instant family.”

“Did he tell you that?”

“No. But I’m sure he’s thinking it. No guy his age wants that.”

“Sara, if he felt that way he wouldn’t be dating you. And he always tells you to bring Caleb when you guys go out.”

“Because he knows I can’t afford a sitter.”

“Yeah, but he also knows Garret and I would watch Caleb for free, so that’s not the reason. He likes Caleb. And he likes you. A lot.”

She smiles. “Okay, maybe he does. But I’m still not getting my hopes up.” She looks over at the street as a limo goes by. “What’s a limo doing here?”

“I don’t know.”

The limo is going really slow and almost stops as it approaches us, but then drives off. The windows were so dark, I couldn’t see inside.

We turn and go up the side street toward our cars.

Sara gets her keys out. “The only time I see limos here is during prom season, and even then, it’s rare.”

“Maybe a celebrity’s passing through town. I bet it’s one of the parents of someone who goes to Camsburg. A lot of them have celebrity parents.”

“Yeah, it’s probably some famous actress visiting her kid. Wouldn’t that be weird to be related to someone who’s in the movies or on TV all the time?”

“Yeah, it would.”

Sara doesn’t know Garret was on a reality show. Well, he wasn’t really on it, but she doesn’t know about his involvement with the show. She doesn’t have cable and she never watches TV.

“Hey, there it is again.” Sara points back to the street we were just on. The limo is driving by, the other direction this time. “They must be lost.” We’re at her car now and she stops to give me a hug. “Have a great Thanksgiving.”

“You, too. Tell Alex I said hi and give Caleb a hug for me.”

“I will. Call me when you get back.” She gets in her car and drives off as I walk farther up the hill to my car.

I open the door, but before I get in I look back at the street. I’m getting a strange feeling about that limo. People in the organization often drive around in limos. And that limo slowed way down when it approached Sara and me. Why would it slow down?

Dammit. Why am I even thinking about this? I told myself I was not going to think about the organization, because if I do, it’ll ruin my Thanksgiving. That whole thing with Brook trying to fix Garret’s image got me thinking about last spring and what the organization did to us. I’ve been trying to get it out of my head but then I’m reminded of it again when I think about Sean and Harper.

I don’t want to think about any of that this week. I just want to enjoy the holiday. I want to set aside all the bad things that are going on and focus only on the good. Because I have so many good things in my life right now. My classes are going great. My counseling sessions are going well. Garret and I are closer than ever. And in a few days, I’m going to have an awesome Thanksgiving.

As I drive home, I think about what a difference a year makes. Last Thanksgiving, when I was at Garret’s house, I told him it would never work between us. I loved him so much, even back then, and it scared me. I knew it would hurt really bad when things ended between us, so I just wanted to get it over with. I wanted to end things before I loved Garret even more. Because I was sure our relationship would end. I was convinced people would always be trying to tear us apart. And they tried, but they didn’t succeed.

That’s another reason why I need stop worrying so much and just be happy. And thankful. Thankful that Garret and I are finally together and married and no one can tear us apart.

When I pull in the driveway, I see Garret’s car there. He’s supposed to be at class now. Maybe he got out early.

I get that fluttery feeling inside because I can’t wait to see him. I know I see him every day, but when I’m away from him all day I get excited when I’m about to see him. Maybe that’s crazy but I can’t help it. I love that man.