44. Connor
Chris:
Hey, Lyss, we’re at a gas station safely out of town now…how’s Scotty handling the news?
Alyssa:
He’s over the initial rage and I’ve convinced him this is a good thing.
Chris:
So I can officially recruit you to help us now without further repercussions?
Alyssa:
You can try.
Chris:
Ouch…
Connor:
Here, Alyssa, look over this game plan and then let us know. We really just need Anna’s phone number.
*Attachment*
Alyssa:
…
This is like two pages long, single spaced.
Chris:
You should see the road trip schedule he typed out for us. We’re already running 45 seconds behind.
Connor:
We’d be ahead of schedule if you didn’t drive like an old man.
Chris:
Oh I’m sorry, I didn’t see ‘getting a ticket’ on your itinerary.
Alyssa:
Are you two fighting over text when you’re sitting next to each other?
Connor:
No, Chris is in the gas station because the snacks I bought weren’t up to his standards.
Chris:
He bought apples, Lyss. Apples and bottled water with gum “for fun.” That is not road trip food in any universe.
Connor:
We’re driving across the country, not walking up and down Trick or Treat Street!
Alyssa:
K, if I give you guys Anna’s number will you take me off this group chat?
Connor:
100%.
Alyssa:
Great, here you go:
Iwish I could say that the smell of the Doritos Chris bought repulses me. That the bottle of cola he has in the cup holder doesn’t look refreshing and bubbly. That I am thrilled to be eating my second apple and washing it down with lukewarm bottled water.
I can’t say that, though, because it’s not true and I’m dying to rip the bag out of his lap and hold it over my mouth like a glorious, salsa verde flavored waterfall. But I’ll never give my brother the satisfaction.
“Here,” he offers the bag to me. He can’t read my mind, can he? Chris, if you’re hearing this, you’re a dick.
“No, I’m good thanks,” I reply.
His eyes stay pinned on the road ahead and the bag remains extended in my direction. “Dude, stop, just take some. You know you want to.”
“Oh, you know everything I want now?”
“I know you’re staring at this Dorito bag like you might just give it the bracelet and then take it to bed. Jesus, just have some fucking chips.”
“Thank you,” I grouse. Sweet mother, they taste so good. The spicy powder and the crunchy corn, it’s like a nutritionally disastrous masterpiece.
“I got you a soda, it’s in the back.”
I waste no time turning around and grabbing the cold bottle out from behind my seat and swigging it down. “We should call Anna now,” I declare.
“Didn’t you already text her?”
“She said she won’t help unless she talks to me.”
He feigns shock. “You mean she still has questions after you already sent her your dissertation and carefully outlined plan for Operation: Apologize?”
“She said that made it worse.”
Chris laughs. “Awesome.”
I ignore him and dial Anna’s number on my phone, putting her on speaker.
She picks up on the third ring. “Hey, Hot Connor,” she teases.
“That’s nicer than what I expected,” I reply.
“It might be as nice as you get,” she shoots back. “What’s this grand plan you’ve got cooked up?”
I glance at Chris, who’s giving me an “oh snap!” look.
“Did you read the write-up I sent you?”
“This isn’t a business deal, dude, I’m not reading anything. You want my help? I want to hear from your mouth what you’re planning to do.”
“Fair enough,” I say over Chris’ chuckling. After explaining everything over the phone, I’m met with such an intense silence that I think maybe the call dropped. “Hello?” I ask.
“Okay,” she finally answers.
“Okay?”
“Okay. Text me when you get in on Sunday, I’ll meet you at Zaire’s for the jewelry.”
Relief and excitement floods through me. This just might work. “Thank you, Anna. Seriously, I couldn’t do it without you.”
“Not as well, anyway. Your brother’s with you, right?”
I look over at Chris, who’s become way more invested in the call suddenly. “Yeah, why?” I ask.
“Just checking.” I can tell she’s smiling and my brother looks like he might preen himself right out of his jacket. Jess is going to be super pissed if they hook up before she can play matchmaker.
Anna:
Are you here yet? I’m standing at the front.
Connor:
Chris is driving like we have a trunk full of fine crystal, we’re five minutes out.
Anna:
K, well pick up the pace. A single woman in a jewelry store can only handle so many pitying looks before it starts to take it personally.
I barely slept at all last night, knowing I’d be seeing Jess again today. Running on adrenaline and subpar coffee, I step into the LA sun, feeling like a wrinkled shirt after being in a car with Chris for the last forty-eight hours.
Anna’s standing at the front of the store, just like she said she’d be, her hands tucked into the back pockets of her jeans and her sunglasses perched on top of her head, holding back her blonde hair. Her teeth are as white as her t-shirt, but she still looks a little too normal to be living out here.
“Anna, nice to meet you in person,” I stretch out my hand.
She shakes it firmly. “Glad to see you boys made it in all right.”
“I’m Chris,” he steps directly in front of me and takes her hand. “Sorry we look like we’re reliving the 90s grunge era, but my little brother here didn’t leave any room in the timetable for basic personal hygiene.”
I roll my eyes.
“You look just fine to me,” she purrs. “Come on, we’ve still got one more stop after this and Jess thinks I’m at an audition, so let’s get this show on the road.”
“So you’re an actress?” Chris asks as I walk past them to the counter. “Should I be getting your autograph right now?”
“Where do you want me to sign?”
I leave them wrapped up in their little flirt fest while I pick up the jewelry I have on hold, and when I walk back over to them, they’re taking selfies together.
“There,” she hands his phone back and pats his chest. “Now you have something memorable from LA.” With that, she walks out the door with my brother trailing behind her like a puppy. Or maybe a wolf, it’s hard to tell.
“You should just ride with us,” he offers. “Makes more sense for us to all take one car.”
She looks back at him with a smile and stretches out her arms in front of her. “Lead the way.”
“That’s the song you’re singing to her?” Anna’s voice is dripping with judgment and I’m starting to wish I had just tried to do this on my own.
“That’s a terrible choice,” Chris agrees, reinforcing the whole “wish I could do this alone” thing.
“Oh, and I suppose you two have a better idea?”
Anna says, “Um, yeah, you go with something newer,” at the same time Chris says, “Absolutely, you’ve gotta go classic rock.”
“Wait, did you just say classic rock?” she asks, directing her disdain my brother’s way instead of mine. “He’s already doing classic rock.”
“You think that song is classic rock? Jesus, how old are you?” Chris shoots a look over his shoulder at her before turning back towards the road.
“Old enough to not be in denial about my age, and also as old as Jess, so classic rock is not the way to go.”
I’m about to say something, but Chris is quick to step in. “Let me guess, you want Taylor Swift.”
“What’s wrong with Taylor Swift?”
“You mean aside from the fact that it’s the same regurgitated crap on every album?”
That might have crossed a line. “You take that back,” she demands. “Taylor Swift is an incredible musician. She transcends genre.”
Chris just snorts in response. I look back to see the red rising in Anna’s cheeks and decide I don’t want any bloodshed today.
“I’m sticking with my original choice,” I state in my best dad voice. “Now, let’s get to the instrument rental place, they close early on Sundays.”
Anna plops back and folds her arms, grumbling, “Fine, whatever,” while Chris mutters, “Your funeral,” under his breath.
Thankfully, my phone dings with an incoming text.
Dad:
Have you talked to her yet?
Connor:
Not yet. Tomorrow.
Dad:
Are you nervous?
Connor:
Only every waking moment I think about it.
Chuck:
Don’t be nervous, we’ll all be there with you.
Connor:
Wait, what?
Celeste:
In spirit, dear. Don’t scare the poor boy, Chuck.
Connor:
Oh, okay. That makes sense. I think.
Alyssa:
Anna didn’t tell him yet.
Scott:
Good, let him squirm.
Alyssa:
Let it go, honey, they’re getting back together.
Connor:
What did Anna not tell me???
Anna:
I thought your performance tomorrow deserved an audience so I scheduled a Zoom call.
How the hell did Anna make it into the family group chat? I turn around and look at her. She puts her phone down and smiles, waving at me from the back seat. “Silent mode,” she explains, answering my unspoken question of why I didn’t hear all the text alerts going off on her phone.
I grin back at her and turn forward in my seat. I’m still nervous, but somehow, knowing they’re all behind me…it helps.