Chapter Eight
ELLIE
20 years earlier
It’s June and I’ve been looking forward to seeing Lee this summer for 6 whole months! Mom is taking us to visit Grandma and she promised we could make a stop at Steff’s house for a couple days. I grabbed my sparkly pink spiral notebook, the one I always use to write letters in and jumped on my bed.
Dear Leebie,
School is out and I’m officially in high school! I started my next letter to Lee to answer all of the questions he asked in his. I’ve been holding off on writing my response because the last couple weeks in school were busy.
I tried out for cheer and made the squad. But I decided to quit because you’re supposed to be here all summer for practice and Mom is taking us out to see you!! Well, we’re going to visit Grandma, but she promised we could spend a day or two at Steff’s house and I can’t wait to see you, I’m so excited! =)
Yes, I do miss you too … so much. I look at your picture every night before bed and wish I could see your sparkly green eyes looking at me in person.
Yes, I remember what you told me on the porch and yes, I’m still waiting.
PROMISE
My friends think you’re not real and that I made you up. They told me we have to take a picture together this summer so I can prove it. Will you take a picture with me? Pretty please?
Ugh, Dad’s making me do the dishes, I have to go. Can’t wait to see you!
Love Always,
Ellie
I sealed the envelope and double checked there was a stamp on it before sticking it in the mailbox on my way to 711.
We’re leaving in two days, and I still need to pack for our trip. I wonder if Lee will like my hair, I cut about six inches off since it’s usually so hot here in the summer. I didn’t tell him that in my letter, I wanted it to be a surprise when I saw him.
I told Steff when we would be coming to visit but asked her not to tell Lee so that I could call him when we got to her house.
I grabbed a pack of bubble yum from 711 with my extra lunch money – because I don’t usually eat lunch at school, and I just save it every day when Dad leaves it for me. I popped a piece into my mouth and walked back home. 711 is just around the corner from my house, so it’s only a five minute walk but I have to get home quickly because I have chores to do before I can pack. I speed walked through the path that leads behind a row of townhouses, passed my bus stop and around the corner to my street, taking in the sun because it’s that perfect temperature of not too cold, not too hot.
As soon as I got home, I heard the phone ringing and ran to check the caller ID. It was Lee! I picked it up right away.
“Hello?”
I said into the receiver.
“Hi Ellie!”
my heart skipped a beat at the sound of his voice.
“You called!”
I said excitedly
“Of course I did. Told you I would!”
“I wasn’t sure if you would be allowed to since we talked so long last week.”
His mom had gotten mad when she saw the phone bill and realized how much our long-distance calls were costing. She told him he had to space them out more so I didn’t know if he would be able to call me this week.
“Mom said it was okay. I promised we wouldn’t talk too long though.”
“Okay!”
“So how was your last week at school?” He asked.
“It was so busy; we had our field trip to Kings Dominion and cleaned out our lockers. The girls all brought cameras to school so we could take pictures, and then we had an end of year party at Malorie’s house last night.”
I filled him in on the week’s activities.
“Sounds like fun.”
He chuckled.
“I can’t believe the school year is over. It went by so fast.”
“Really!? I felt like it dragged on. Probably because I couldn’t wait for the summer so I could see you.”
I caught myself too late. “I mean –”
“What!?”
he asked, smiling.
“What, what?”
I tried to distract him.
“Are you coming out here this summer?” He asked.
“Maaaaaybe”
I drew out the “a”
playfully.
“No way! When?”
“We’re leaving in two days but we’re visiting my grandma first. I actually just wrote you this in my letter, but you won’t get it until we’re already in California. Mom told me we could visit Steff for a day or two while we’re out there and I wanted it to be a surprise.”
“That’s hella cool Ellie! I can’t wait!”
“I know, me either!”
“You know what?”
“What?”
“No, never mind.”
“What! You can’t do that?”
“I just did.”
“But what were you gonna say?”
“Nah, I’ll tell you when I see you.”
“Oh my gosh. That’s not fair. Now I’m gonna be wondering what it is for days!“
“Gives you something to look forward to.”
“I already have something to look forward to.”
“Okay, now you’re just saying that to make me feel special.”
“I’m definitely not.”
“You’re not saying I’m special?”
“I’m not just saying it to make you feel special because I am actually really looking forward to seeing you.”
I heard him drumming on something in the background and he was humming along to a song then said “Mmhmm. Okay, we’ll see who’s looking forward to it more. Are you sure you actually like me?”
“What!? Why would you say that?”
“I’m just so messed up, Ellie. I don’t know how anyone like you could like me.”
He sighs heavily into the phone, and I don’t know where this is coming from.
“You’re not messed up, Lee. Don’t tear yourself down like that.”
“I can’t help it, it’s a flaw of mine. I just can’t seem to catch a break and you seem too good to be true, like I can’t grasp it even though I want it.”
“Well you have it. And you can’t tell me that I’m not being honest because I am.”
“I know … I … Okay Mom. Ellie, Mom’s telling me to get off the phone. I have more I want to tell you though. I’ll see you soon, right?”
“Yeah, I’ll see you soon and then you can finish telling me everything. And hey Leebie…”
I laughed. He hated it when I called him Leebie. He said it wasn’t manly enough, but I told him I didn’t care, it’s my nickname for him.
He huffed a little laugh “Yeah?”
“I’m still waiting.”
He groaned, “These next few days are gonna be hell waiting for you to get here.”
“Night.”
I smiled to myself because I love that he said that and because at least I changed his mood for the end of our call.
“Night Ellie Belly!”