ipod.” She nodded with her head still bowed, her eyes on her lap.
“I’m sorry. I should have told you, I just couldn’t think about it right then, not with my mom ….” She stopped as her voice broke and cleared her throat.
“I know. It’s okay. I’m here and now that I know, you don’t need to keep so much on your shoulders. Let me help, let me be the person you yell at, cry on, or whatever you need. You’re strong and no matter what, you’re going to be okay. You have to be.” Jen sighed deeply again before leaning over and laying her head on my shoulder. I smoothed my hand over her head and kept saying all the things I knew she needed to hear, all the things I needed to hear, and all the things I hoped with all my heart would turn out to be true.
When we went down stairs, Jen called for an appointment and they said they wanted to see her the next day. I tried not to think about that and about her mom dying of cancer. What were Jen’s odds of having it? I didn’t know and I really didn’t want to. I just couldn’t.
“So, tomorrow is a long way away when you have something coming you don’t want to think about,” I said conversationally as we ate our Chunky Monkey ice cream, which we’d decided was perfect for breakfast that morning.
“It is. We should do something. Movie?” She dug out what was left of her ice cream and licked her spoon.
“I actually have something planned,” I said, my eyes still on my ice cream.
“Oh no,” Jen groaned.
“What?” I asked around a spoonful of what could aptly be described as heaven .
“You had that tone.” I raised a brow and Jen rolled her eyes. “You know … that one where you have an idea and I ended up knee deep in some kinda trouble.” I smirked and pointed my now-empty-spoon at her.
“I’ll have you know it wasn’t entirely my idea.” It was Jen’s turn to lift her brow.
“Oh really? Pray tell, what exactly is your idea and whom have you been conspiring with?” Jen crossed her arms over her chest and I beamed at her.
“ Conspire is such a nasty word.” I complained. Jen signaled for me to get on with it.
“Matt is taking me to the barn dance tonight.” Jen’s face fell. “And Hunter is taking you.” Jen gasped and vaulted out of her chair.
“You set me up on a double date?” she yelped. I flinched.
“It was Hunter’s mom too,” I pouted. Jen gasped and collapsed back down into her chair.
“Oh this just keeps getting better and better. I went from my best friend setting me up with her boyfriends’ brother, to a guy’s mother setting me up with her son.” Jen plunked her head down on the table in front of her. “I’m pathetic.” I began laughing until Jen threatened to tell all my dirty little childhood secrets to Matt.
“It’s not as bad as all that … he said you’re pretty.” I smiled when her eyes grew thoughtful.
“Did he now?” she asked softly. “Well, it really doesn’t matter. He’s definitely not my type and it’s obvious that this is a pity date, so I won’t worry about it. You better realize how much I love you, I’d have killed anyone else for this.” Her eyes narrowed and I kept my grin in check … barely .
“So, what are we entering in the baking contest?” I asked. I rubbed my hands together in anticipation. Two things I adored—baking and a good, healthy competition. Jen laughed as she got out her mom’s hand written cookbook.
“You’re going to be nice if you lose, right?” I put a hand on my chest and gave her the most innocent look I could muster. She laughed even harder, so I’m not entirely sure I could pull off innocent.
“I promise to be a good sport.” I held up my hand in what I hoped was the boy scout salute and not some sort of gang symbol. Jen still looked unconvinced, so I shrugged and began on a first draft of my acceptance speech for the first place ribbon we’d be taking home. Jen’s laughter was a wonderful sound to my ears.
By the time we baked
“I’m sorry. I should have told you, I just couldn’t think about it right then, not with my mom ….” She stopped as her voice broke and cleared her throat.
“I know. It’s okay. I’m here and now that I know, you don’t need to keep so much on your shoulders. Let me help, let me be the person you yell at, cry on, or whatever you need. You’re strong and no matter what, you’re going to be okay. You have to be.” Jen sighed deeply again before leaning over and laying her head on my shoulder. I smoothed my hand over her head and kept saying all the things I knew she needed to hear, all the things I needed to hear, and all the things I hoped with all my heart would turn out to be true.
When we went down stairs, Jen called for an appointment and they said they wanted to see her the next day. I tried not to think about that and about her mom dying of cancer. What were Jen’s odds of having it? I didn’t know and I really didn’t want to. I just couldn’t.
“So, tomorrow is a long way away when you have something coming you don’t want to think about,” I said conversationally as we ate our Chunky Monkey ice cream, which we’d decided was perfect for breakfast that morning.
“It is. We should do something. Movie?” She dug out what was left of her ice cream and licked her spoon.
“I actually have something planned,” I said, my eyes still on my ice cream.
“Oh no,” Jen groaned.
“What?” I asked around a spoonful of what could aptly be described as heaven .
“You had that tone.” I raised a brow and Jen rolled her eyes. “You know … that one where you have an idea and I ended up knee deep in some kinda trouble.” I smirked and pointed my now-empty-spoon at her.
“I’ll have you know it wasn’t entirely my idea.” It was Jen’s turn to lift her brow.
“Oh really? Pray tell, what exactly is your idea and whom have you been conspiring with?” Jen crossed her arms over her chest and I beamed at her.
“ Conspire is such a nasty word.” I complained. Jen signaled for me to get on with it.
“Matt is taking me to the barn dance tonight.” Jen’s face fell. “And Hunter is taking you.” Jen gasped and vaulted out of her chair.
“You set me up on a double date?” she yelped. I flinched.
“It was Hunter’s mom too,” I pouted. Jen gasped and collapsed back down into her chair.
“Oh this just keeps getting better and better. I went from my best friend setting me up with her boyfriends’ brother, to a guy’s mother setting me up with her son.” Jen plunked her head down on the table in front of her. “I’m pathetic.” I began laughing until Jen threatened to tell all my dirty little childhood secrets to Matt.
“It’s not as bad as all that … he said you’re pretty.” I smiled when her eyes grew thoughtful.
“Did he now?” she asked softly. “Well, it really doesn’t matter. He’s definitely not my type and it’s obvious that this is a pity date, so I won’t worry about it. You better realize how much I love you, I’d have killed anyone else for this.” Her eyes narrowed and I kept my grin in check … barely .
“So, what are we entering in the baking contest?” I asked. I rubbed my hands together in anticipation. Two things I adored—baking and a good, healthy competition. Jen laughed as she got out her mom’s hand written cookbook.
“You’re going to be nice if you lose, right?” I put a hand on my chest and gave her the most innocent look I could muster. She laughed even harder, so I’m not entirely sure I could pull off innocent.
“I promise to be a good sport.” I held up my hand in what I hoped was the boy scout salute and not some sort of gang symbol. Jen still looked unconvinced, so I shrugged and began on a first draft of my acceptance speech for the first place ribbon we’d be taking home. Jen’s laughter was a wonderful sound to my ears.
By the time we baked
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