Chapter 6 #2
Aunt Maddy shakes her head as if sense is falling into place. “Even if the cafe could run on its own, I can’t leave Jamie alone. I mean, it’s not just overnight in Hawaii, is it?”
David tries to subdue his smile. “I was thinking a week.”
“A week?” Maddy and I shout in unison.
Milo swivels on his seat. “Maybe I should let you guys talk alone.”
Maddy lifts a hand, which halts Milo from getting off his seat. “When is this? A month away or later? I’d need time to organize everything.”
David hesitates. “This weekend.”
“What?” Maddy and I yelp.
David takes Maddy’s hands. “I didn’t bring it up before because our relationship was still so fresh. But now that it’s here, I don't want to be apart from you. Plus, I think it’ll bring us closer and make us stronger.”
“Of course, I want that,” Aunt Maddy replies. “But…”
I skid my chair back, making an ear-piercing screech that grabs everyone’s attention. “You want to take away my aunt for a week?” I angrily cross my arms as I frown. “What kind of conference goes for a week?”
“The conference is five days long, which is standard,” David admits. He gives Maddy puppy-dog eyes. “I was hoping we could go the weekend before to soak up some true alone time.”
“Should I just come for the weekend instead?” Aunt Maddy says, her eyes darting like she’s looking for a loophole. “Oh no, it’s still so far away. What if something happens while I’m away?”
David brushes back her hair. “Honey, I didn’t bring this up to panic you.”
“Seven days is too long for Jamie to be alone,” Aunt Maddy says, glancing down with saddened eyes. “There’s no way.”
“This is why I wanted to gauge your feelings on this,” David says. “I don’t need an answer today. One thing I didn’t know was if Jamie had someone else to look after her. A neighbor, a friend, a co-worker?”
“Why doesn’t Jamie stay with us?” Milo pipes up.
Aunt Maddy and David fall into silence, looking at him with consideration. My arms cross over my body as I seethe. Why does he have to open his yap right now? Can’t he see I want to win this argument?
Milo shrugs. “I’m sure my parents wouldn’t mind. She’s stayed with us plenty of times before.”
Aunt Maddy nods. “That’s true.”
David lifts a hand, a smug smile curling his lips. “See? Problems solve themselves.”
Did he really just call me a problem?
David wraps his arms around my aunt. “There’s plenty of time to figure out the logistics. You don’t have to say yes today, just don’t say no either.”
Aunt Maddy blows out a long breath and ends it with a perky smile. “Okay, I’ll keep an open mind.”
“What?” I gasp, knocking a fist on the tabletop.
Aunt Maddy holds the sides of David’s face and pecks his lips. “Thank you, honey. It’s a crazy, exciting idea.”
Crazy is right.
David rubs Maddy’s back. “Let’s take a breather.”
I narrow my eyes and grit my teeth as I stare down Mr. Stuffy.
Aunt Maddy smiles at him. “Sure. I’ll meet you on the couch.”
When David walks away, Maddy closes her eyes and exhales.
“Are you okay?” Milo asks softly.
Aunt Maddy opens her eyes and smiles at him. “Don’t mention this trip to your parents,” Maddy says quietly to Milo. “I need time to think things over first before involving more people.”
“That’s cool,” Milo replies. “I should’ve left the room. Sorry.”
Maddy giggles, pointing out the couch within earshot. “There’s not really any other place to go. Don’t worry, Milo, I didn’t want you to feel like you had to flee.”
Milo nods. “I won’t say anything.”
She squeezes his shoulder. “Thanks. I’d have no hope if your loudmouth brother was here.”
Milo smirks, looking down at his book.
“Kai’s just passionate,” I butt in.
“He spreads other people’s news much too quickly and easily,” Maddy says, moving over to the counter.
“Whatever,” I mumble.
Maddy walks away, joining Mr. Stuffy on the couch.
I look down at my math homework and huff. “This’ll be so much easier when it’s me teaching you soccer.”
“You know, I don’t want to put you in a bad position with your coach,” Milo says. “You don’t have to help me with soccer. I don’t want you to get caught and risk your chance to get back on the team.”
“But it gives me an excuse to kick around the ball during this mess,” I reply. “There’re plenty of pockets of time to get in a little training.”
“Yeah, but you said…”
“Don’t worry about it,” I blurt. “I’ve used free periods before to train for upcoming games. Like tomorrow, third period is usually when I’m on the field, and I’ve never seen Coach Anders around. It’s my favorite time of the day because it’s so peaceful out on the field.”
Milo sits back in his chair. “You have third period free? I’ve never seen you in study hall.”
“Wait. You have third period free?”
He nods.
“Well, I think we’ve got our time and place. Meet on the soccer fields?”
He chews his lip with apprehension. “Yeah, sure.”
I stare at him. “What is it?”
“It’s like you know how to study but refuse to use your skill with books and in classrooms.”
I frown. “What are you talking about?”
“You use a free period to get ready for a game,” he replies. “You could use that time to study for an upcoming exam. You need to refocus and use your time to work on your classes.”
“I will,” I say bluntly. “We will. We’ll meet up after school again and work on homework. Please, let’s just use third period to work on soccer. I’ll go crazy without it.”
Milo nods. “Okay. But if we call it close with your coach, I’ll work something else out.”
“You worry too much.”
“Maybe you shouldn’t change into your gym gear, just in case. We could pretend you were just walking by.”
“Milo, stop. I already told you I never see anyone.”
“That doesn’t mean they don’t see you,” he counters. “You could just be laser-focused and not notice that your coach or anyone else is watching you.”
I raise my palms in surrender. “Okay, whatever.”
“I have phys-ed during fourth period, so I usually change early, anyway. After this, you need to learn to use study periods actually for study.”
I smirk. “Stop nagging me. Can we go to your house tomorrow to study?”
His eyebrow quirks. “Why? So you can hang with Kai?”
Yes, but let’s not admit that. “For a change of scenery.”
“It doesn’t bother me. Ask your aunt.”
I grimace, sending my attention to the couch where Aunt Maddy and David cuddle together. I click my pen and send my eyes back to homework. “I’d rather work on solving equations than approach the jet-setting lovebirds.”
Milo fidgets in his seat, ready to say something. Although he settles, obviously thinking better of it.
We work in silence for ten minutes. I’m shocked I’m actually working on this stuff. I usually get halfway through working out the solutions and give up with little protest. I’m broken out of my concentration when a car honks out front.
“That’ll be your mom, Milo,” Maddy calls, standing from the couch.
David stands with her. “I should go too.”
I look over their way in time to see their quick peck of the lips. Maddy walks David to the front door and then moves back our way.
Milo packs his stuff into his bag. “Thanks for dinner, Maddy.”
“Anytime,” she replies.
Milo slings his bag onto his back and stares at me for a beat. “Do you need any more help before I go?”
I pat my paper. “I’m good. Seriously, I think it’s good. Thanks.”
Milo smiles and moves toward the front door. “See you tomorrow.”
Aunt Maddy walks Milo out. I move from the table and peer out the window. Milo gets into the front passenger seat and Maddy talks with Mrs. Nelson through her open window. Soon, she waves them off, and the car pulls down the street.
Aunt Maddy comes back into the house, and I give her a dubious look. “Did she make an excuse about not coming into the house?”
Maddy locks the front door and turns to me, hugging her waist. “She said she didn’t want to make things crowded.”
I roll my eyes. “She’s one person, and we don’t live in a sardine can.”
“She does it so we won’t feel self-conscious,” Maddy replies. “She’s so welcoming and open at her house. I’m sure she doesn’t want us making the comparison.”
“She’s the one making it weird by not coming in. Just because it’s a small house doesn’t mean it’s an abnormal house.”
Aunt Maddy drops her arms and moves closer to me. “I know that, and you know that.” She squeezes my shoulder and turns me toward the couch. “But it’s not Mrs. Nelson we need to discuss. Take a seat and tell me how you really feel about Hawaii.”
“He made a point of excluding me,” I say, sitting cross-legged on the couch.
Aunt Maddy winces. “Well, taking a sixteen-year-old with us doesn’t exactly scream romance.”
“It’s a business conference,” I deadpan. “Does that really turn you on?”
Maddy bites her lip, and her eyes shine with excitement. “Jamie, it’s Hawaii.”
My shoulders slump. “You really want to go?”
“Who wouldn’t?” she replies. “But I have to think things through both work-wise and you-wise. Like David says, I’m not saying no or yes yet.”
I frown. “So David tells you how to think now?”
“Stop being so harsh on him. Can’t you be happy for me?”
“I just don’t see what you see in him.”
“It’s not up to you to understand why I’m in love with him.”
I double-take. “Love? You’re in love with him?”
Maddy huffs and rubs her hand over her face and into her hair. “Yes, Jamie. We’ve said it to each other.”
I grimace. “Eww. Why?”
“Jamie,” Aunt Maddy scolds. “Stop it. After all the swooning you do at rom-coms, I thought you’d be happy for me. I was hoping so hard that you wouldn’t be petty and jealous.”
I leap off the couch. “Did you really just call me that?”
“Why else would you be pulling faces and being rude to David?”
“Because he’s a pompous snob!”
“Only in the fantasy in your head,” Maddy argues. “There isn’t a snobby bone in David’s body. Yes, he comes from money, but he has never once made me feel inferior. I thought you’d be glad I brought someone like this into our lives.”
“I should be glad he wants to take you away from me?”
As I stare hard at Aunt Maddy, tears build behind my eyes. I stomp my foot and take off toward my bedroom. I slam the door behind me and take three deep breaths. The threat of tears dissipates as quickly as they emerged. I’m not a crier, and I’m certainly not letting Mr. Stuffy make me start.