Page 36

Lola

We were lucky that Jalen and Ivy hadn’t gotten out of bed when Byron snuck out of the guest room to grab his stuff from the entryway closet.

Knowing we aren’t going to get lucky a second time, I made sure all traces of my bedhead and last night’s post-party activities were erased from my physical appearance.

We decided we wanted to drop the bomb together. Byron’s dressed in jeans, a New York Rangers crewneck and of course a Yankees cap. It’s front facing for now.

I wanted to dress comfy because who the hell wants to sit in a car for five hours in jeans.

That’s why I’m sporting leggings and a Philadelphia Eagles hoodie–I stole from my brother–and fuzzy socks that look like polar bears.

I threw them on at the last second because I have no clue how this conversation is going to go and they may just become my security blanket.

“You ready Pips?” He holds out his hand and without a second thought I grab it, holding on to it like it’s a life perseverer in choppy water.

A sense of relief washes over me at the realization that we are actually going out in public–okay it’s just our best friends’ apartment–and not hiding our relationship. No matter what happens I’ll have Byron.

I sneak look at our hands and produce a giggle I don’t recognize.

Byron takes the lead, opening the door. A low squeak on one of the door hinges triggers slow claps. With each step the claps get louder and louder until they fill the apartment.

Byron runs this thumb over the top of my hand. I can feel my cheeks start to heat. My first instinct is to let go of Byron’s hand in self preservation. Byron looks down at me, his blue eyes unsure of what I’m going to do. I squeeze his hand and flash him a reassuring smile.

It’s shocking that just two people could have produced that round of applause. Jalen and Ivy are sitting drinking their morning coffee. Ivy’s mug stalls at her lips when she notices we are holding hands. They smile first then it turns into roaring cheers.

“Why don’t you guys seem more shocked about this?”

I’m not prepared when our hands shoot up between.

The smug grin on Jalen’s tells me all I need to know.

“Well we were pretty worried when we didn’t see you on the couch when we got home last night.” Ivy’s eyes fly from mine to Byron’s. “Then some pretty interesting noises were coming from the guest bedroom.”

After a second Jalen is using his index finger and thumb to form a circle and then pokes the index finger on his right hand through it.

Ivy pushes his hand down and shoots him a look. Jalen shrugs.

“Looks like you guys had some time to talk too last night?” Ivy adds hopefully.

“Yeah we’re going to try and give this thing a go for real this time,” I tell them.

Both Ivy and Jalen sport grins that take up their entire face.

“It’s about damn time,” Jalen’s voice takes on a childish glee.

Well that was easier than I thought it was going to be. Tension I didn’t realize I was holding leaves my body. For the first time I’m putting myself first and it’s freeing.

“Well I have breakfast with my parents to get to. I will see you guys in a little while.”

I’m not expecting the chaste kiss Byron plants on my lips. I want nothing more than to pull him in and guide him back to bed, but breakfast with his parents is important. There is a lot less anxiety pulsing through me knowing Byron isn’t going anywhere.

“If you need an excuse to leave, send me a text and I’ll call you with some kind of fake emergency.”

“Love the way that brain of yours works, Pipsqueak.”

He waves bye as he opens up the apartment door and once he vanishes I hold up my finger to tell Ivy not to speak.

“Let me get coffee then you can ask me whatever you want.”

The two tenants of this apartment watch my every move and I’ve never felt more pressure to not spill my coffee than I do at this moment. Wanting to ruffle their feathers a little I take my time. I’m stringing my cream when I hear a loud huff.

When I look up, laughter breaks, turning my stern straight face into a full blown smile.

“Okay what do you guys want to know?”

Ivy is about to say something and Jalen holds out his hand to stop her.

“Don’t worry I got this, babe.”

“How the fuck did this happen?”

“I can see we are as eloquent as ever, Jalen,” I joke. My mind starts running through last night’s events. The only way I can explain them is as a whirlwind.

“I went out to the balcony last night as you guys were leaving. It was originally to avoid having to go out, but then I found myself thinking of the last couple of days. Kicking myself for how much of an idiot I was to not see all the red flags Dalton laid out before me.” There were a lot.

Ivy forehead creases. “It’s not your fault Lo, you should be able to trust your partner.”

She lays her hand on top of Jalen’s that is resting on the counter. Their love for each other is written in the way they look at each other.

“I guess but he was everything my parents told me I should always want. For once I listened to them and what does that get me? A viral sextape of my boyfriend banging another girl.” I shake my head and continue.

“Then Byron came out and I tried to kiss him. He made me perform a field sobriety test to make sure it wasn’t going to be a drunk mistake.

He told me he loved me and then well,” I shrug, “You guys heard the rest.”

“He really made you perform a field sobriety test?” Jalen asks.

“He did. When he tried to get me to say the alphabet backwards I was done with that game.”

They both laugh knowing that when Byron’s been drinking he is a complete wildcard.

I take the first sip of my coffee and while I’m reveling in its bitter taste Jalen pulls out his wallet and hands his fiancé a hundred dollar bill.

My eyebrows raise.

“I bet you and Byron would get together before the end of the first semester. Jalen thought it would take until graduation.”

I close my eyes and shake my head. “You guys sure had a lot of faith in us?”

“We may not have gotten to see you two together that much, but from what we did see, I knew this wasn’t just a fling.”

“Sometimes opposites really do attract,” Jalen adds.

I’m not able to relish in my friends’ support of my relationship for long. My brain starts working out scenarios on how this breakfast with Byron’s parents is going to go.

“I hope this breakfast with his parents goes well.”

BYRON

Like the true New Yorker I am, I normally pop in a pair of headphones and ignore the brush of people trying to get to wherever they are going.

Today I want to be present. I just won back the only girl I’ve ever truly loved.

I want to remember everything about today.

The weather, the sounds, how many times I get yelled at to move out of the way.

Not even this breakfast with my parents can bring me down.

The fifteen minute walk in the cool autumn air doesn’t feel long enough when I get to the restaurant’s door. It’s the same sinking feeling I got when I realized it was my dad cuddled on the couch with my mom.

I made sure I got here ten minutes early giving myself time to think without the distractions of an apartment filled with all of my best friends. I need time to figure out what I want to say. I tap my finger on the podium waiting for the hostess. That’s when I see them.

Their backs are facing me. I let a low breath and slide into the booth like this is an every week occurrence.

As I settle into the cloth clad seat I notice Mom’s tight smile. The dark circles under her eyes age her. Dad’s expression is harder to read.

He looks different then I remember him. His hair is thinning. The blue eyes he passed down to me are framed by wrinkles. They’re surrounded by similar dark circles to Mom’s. He looks smaller, more frail than the athletic man that would pop in and out of my childhood.

I take my hat off and run my fingers through my hair a couple of times before flipping it backwards. I sit up straighter trying to appear more confident than I feel.

“Hey, honey. How was the party?” Mom’s cheery voice is a welcome distraction from my spirling thoughts.

For the first time since I sat down I have a genuine smile. “It was good. I was expecting to see you there.”

“I didn’t want to interrupt the little time you get with Jalen with drama. I’ve known we needed to have this talk for a while.”

“How did this happen?” I ask abruptly, picking up my glass of water before setting it back down. I don’t know if my stomach can handle something as simple as a sip of water at the moment.

My mom’s eyes shoot sideways.

“Arie, why don’t you tell the story.”

He looks visibly shaken at the fact that he has to talk to his only child. He sets his hands down on the table before taking a steadying breath.

“Well about five months ago I wasn’t feeling well and my doctor ordered more scans. He happened to send me to the hospital your mother was working at, even though I didn’t know it at the time.”

He pauses and my mom places a hand on top of his, a silent showing of solidarity.

“I couldn’t believe that Isla was the nurse in charge of running all my scans. Then when I came back to get the results a few days later she made sure she was there with me.”

“Why were you getting the scans done?” I feel like a large part of the story was just omitted.

“Um well Byron, I have cancer.”

My mouth drops. I look over to my mom for confirmation and her glassy eyes tell me all I need to know.

“Your mom being the saint she is, has come to every appointment with me. A reminder that she was always too good for me.”

My mom’s eyes lock onto mine. I’ve seen this look a few times when I was growing up and she was about to tell me something important.

“And I remembered that forgiveness allows us a new lease on life.”

Her head falls to my dad’s shoulder and he places a light kiss to the top of her head.

The words come out before I fully understand the repercussions. “Mom’s coming up to Westvale next week. We have a couple of home games and–” at the same time I say, “It’s my birthday.” He says, “It’s your birthday.”

“Yeah.” It comes out strained, but hopeful.

“I’d love that Byron.”