*****
She tried calling and texting a few times during the evening, but Bree didn’t respond. She shouldn’t be surprised. If someone told her the same story a couple months ago she wouldn’t have believed them either.
Seth tried to get her down in the dojo to workout earlier but she wasn’t in the mood. She figured if she wasn’t mentally and physically prepared by this time, it was too late. They’d eaten dinner as usual, as though it were any other night of the week, and then her mom pulled out the Scrabble game and set it up at the kitchen table. She knew what that meant…Mom was worried and trying to pretend everything was normal.
She had finished washing the dishes from dinner when Seth pulled open the refrigerator, looked inside, and closed it again. “I know we’re Amish but I could really use a beer,” he said.
“Well, why don’t you go out for a while? Watch a ballgame on the flat screen at Big Mike’s,” her dad suggested, not even looking up from the game at the table.
Jael stifled a laugh. Her dad had never been a sports fan, other than martial arts. And suggesting his brother hang out at a bar was totally out of character.
“You know what? That sounds like a good idea. I’ll see you all later.” Seth pulled his baseball cap on, found his car keys from where he’d tossed them earlier, and was soon out the door, backing his car down the driveway.
Jael turned away from the kitchen window and crossed her arms. “That was so staged,” she accused. “Am I supposed to believe Seth decided to take up drinking and sports on the same night my life is hanging in the balance?”
“What are you talking about, kiddo,” her dad asked, with the worst feigned expression of innocence she’d ever seen. He shook the container of letter tiles before picking out two and placing them on his tray, then pretended to be so engrossed in creating a word he forgot what she asked.
“Oh, nothing. I think I’ll just go to my room and do some quilting or maybe cross-stitch a potholder.” She waved a hand as she left the kitchen. “You know where to find me if the vamps attack.”
She plopped down on the bed and picked up the novel Bree had given her to read weeks ago. She’d forgotten to take it to school and return it. Or maybe she hadn’t. She opened it to the front cover where Brianna had stuck a little piece of paper with a note on it for her.
I know you’ll love this story. It’s so romantic and
Edward is so hot! Promise me you’ll read it so when
you come over for a sleepover we can rent the movie.
Jael turned to the first chapter and started to read. She’d promised Brianna she’d read the book, so she would. Better late than never. Right?
The light outside her window slowly faded and her eyes grew heavy. She was going to get up and turn on the lamp but she was so tired. She realized she’d been staring at the same page for a long time and not really seeing the words. A yawn escaped and she leaned back against the pillows and closed her eyes for a moment, the book splayed open face down on her chest.