For Those Who Wait

  ***

  The birds outside my window helped to ease me out of sleep. I woke to the chirps and flutters of wings as robins flocked around their nests. Rays of sunlight shone past tree leaves into my window and onto the floor. Little specks of dust floated in the air, visible in the light.

  Downstairs, I heard talking as the rest of the house was waking up. Then, a pound at my bedroom door.

  “Chase? You up?” Jamie asked.

  I turned on my back and a light beam blinded me. I grabbed my blanket and yanked it over my head.

  “Breakfast is on the table,” Jamie's voice came again.

  Just then, the delicious scent of maple syrup made my stomach rumble. I sat straight up in bed and sniffed the air. Coffee. Syrup. Pancakes. Wait. Jamie doesn't cook, and for the last week, we've been eating cereal or going out to IHOP.

  I twisted towards the alarm clock next to the bed. Nine thirty. Ugh. It was still too early to call him.

  After taking the quiet moment to stretch, I stood and grabbed a pair of clean jeans. Once they were buttoned, I snatched Ben's card from the table, along with my cell phone, and went to the door.

  Peeking out, I didn't see Jamie anywhere. The teasing smell of maple syrup had also gone away. I stepped out into the hall and the voices from downstairs caught my ear.

  I knew she was lying.

  “Tricked ya!” She jabbed my arm from around the doorway.

  I jumped back with my heart pounding into my throat. “Don't do that. Damn.”

  “Morning, love bird,” she chuckled as she teasingly hugged herself and batted her eyelashes. When she was done with her show, she asked, “So...? How did it go? You gotta give me the entire scoop.”

  That's right; she was already in her room when I came back to the house last night.

  “Take a wild guess,” I said with a wink.

  “Oh. Really?”

  I nodded.

  She clasped her hands and jumped around. “Awesome. So cool. Oh,” she grabbed me and hugged me tight. “I'm so happy for you, Chase.”

  “Um, thanks.” Her happiness caught me by surprise.

  “Cause you know,” she pulled away. “If you hadn't gotten your kiss, you would've owed me 50 bucks.”

  And if it wasn't for that stupid bet in the first place, I'd still be wondering what it would be like to kiss Ben. “Thanks, Jamie.”

  “So, anything else you want to tell me about last night?” She led me downstairs to the kitchen where Tim was pouring a cup of coffee.

  “Well, you know. We hung out for a little longer. Went on some rides—“ I answered.

  “There's the love bird.” Tim smiled, pulling Jamie into his arms. “What happened? You get your kiss?”

  “I sure did.” I felt the flush on my cheeks as I snatched a cup from the counter and poured the black coffee up to the brim.

  Tim kissed Jamie on the forehead. “Well, good. Now you'll quit bothering us about it, huh?” Then he pulled away and meandered to the dining table where Jamie's grandfather was reading the newspaper.

  No, not quite. “Actually.” I turned to look at Jamie, who was stirring sugar into her cup. “Jamie. I was wondering...” God I hope she says yes. “Do you think we could leave a little early?”

  Her spoon clanked on the counter. “Oh Chase. We can't.” She turned towards me, bright eyed. “You know that I promised Grandpa that I'd stay for the month. I can't just break my promise.”

  I took a hesitant sip on my cup. I'd really hoped that I could persuade her.

  “And besides, you'll have all year to get your man. Please be patient.”

  Be patient? I'd been patient for six months already. After finally getting close to Ben, I'd wanted nothing more than to get closer. “Okay. We'll stay.” No!

  I fettered towards the table and sat down next to Tim. Jamie's grandfather Charles shuffled his paper at the opposite end of the table and reached out to grab his coffee. “Well? What do we have planned for the day?”

  “I'd like to visit Grans grave,” Jamie said.

  Charles nodded and turned a page, never looking out from his paper. “A good idea. Should we have some breakfast first?”

  Fiddling with the cell phone in my jeans pocket, I couldn't wait until ten o'clock. I sipped my coffee and pulled out the phone, checking the time every few seconds. Nine forty five a.m. Nine forty eight. Jesus, couldn't time hurry a little faster?

  “Chase?” Jamie stared at me as I flicked my eyes away from the phone. “Do you want to go eat or stare at the phone all day?”

  “I gotta make a phone call first,” I said. Nine fifty. I flipped open the phone.

  “Oo, gonna call Ben?” Jamie cooed.

  The card was inches from my pocket when I stopped and saw the playfulness in her eyes. “No.” I snapped the phone shut and peeled out of the kitchen chair. I had to get away. She'd pester me all day if I let her.

  I walked into the living room. It had used to smell of spice when Gran was alive. The furniture had always been dusted and the drapes always clean of smoke and cobwebs. Now that it was just Charles, he'd taken up smoking his cigars in the house. It was particularly smoky around his favorite chair even after Jamie had tidied up.

  Looking at my phone's small screen, I curled my nose at the strong scent and made my way outside. Nine fifty-five. Come on ten o'clock. My body poised. Excitement had me by the neck. Will the damn screen ever change? “Come on,” I whispered, pulling Ben's card from my other pocket.

  I clutched the card, taking care not to bend it. Then I eyed the phone number on the back and Ben's hand writing. It was dark last night, so he'd scribbled the name and the number down. The five in the last four digits looked like a six if the bottom circle had been completed. I could only hope that the number was right.

  Nine fifty-nine. I flipped open the phone. Hovering a finger over the numbers, I waited—so much damn waiting—for ten o'clock.

  As the numbers on the screen changed, I pushed in the lit up buttons faster than I thought I could and pressed the phone against my ear.

  Ring, ring.

  Please, I hope he's awake.

  “Hello,” his voice on the other end made my breath hitch.

  “...” Come on, say something. “Hi.”

  “Chase?”

  “G'morning.”

  Ben chuckled. “Morning.”

  “Did I wake you?”

  “No, I was already up.”

  “Oh.” I'd run out of things to say already. “... Wh-what are you doing?”

  Ben yawned, a rustling in the background. “Lying in bed.”

  My heart seized into my throat, imagining him stretched out under warm blankets and wishing I could be with him. “Are you sure I didn't wake you?”

  “You didn't wake me. I was waiting for your call.”

  A thump, and I could swear my heart had stopped. “R-really?” I had to make sure I was still breathing. Taking one step across the porch, I slid into the porch swing. Yep, still alive.

  “What are you doing?”

  I looked out at the decorated porch in front of me with lights from Christmas still strung up on the rafters. “Having coffee.” But I'd left my cup inside. “Waiting until ten to call you.”

  Ben laughed again. “It's ten now.”

  “Yeah...”

  “I'm happy you kept your promise to call.” Another rustle on Ben's end. “It was a pleasant wake up.”

  “Yeah?”

  “Uh huh.” I heard Ben shift, and then a muffling and the phone went silent. Seconds later, I heard another muffled voice. Then, he was back. “Well, I have your number on my phone now, so I'll call you when I get back to campus.”

  “Oh-okay.”

  “I gotta go. Talk to you later.”

  “Okay,” I whispered, disappointed that I couldn't hear his voice any longer. “Bye.”

  “Bye.”

  I eased the phone shut and stared at the time. It was too short. I could have stayed on the phone longer, hearing his v
oice and talking about absolutely nothing. But at least he had my number now. And I wanted him to call back. Right now.

  “Chase?” Jamie's voice came from the door. She stood in the doorway, cup to her lips as she finished off her coffee. “We're going to go have breakfast. Did you make your call?”

  I stuffed the phone back in my jeans pocket. “Yeah.”

  She chuckled. “You called Ben, huh?”

  “Maybe.”

  “Don't give me that. I can tell by the way your cheeks are all red that you did.” She smiled and stepped outside. “Come on. Let's go eat. Gramps has to get his medicine soon.” She led me down the porch stairs and to the driveway.

  Jamie unfolded herself from my side. “Come on, guys,” she yelled towards the house. The door swung open. Tim helped Charles down the stairs; the old man swatting his hand and cursing that he didn't need help.

  I couldn't help but smile. It was like this all the time.