“Asleep or in the bathroom?”
“Ouch, too soon to joke,” I wince playfully. “You know what, Callaghan, I’m going to Cabo to see my friend Clay. I bet he won’t bully me.”
“Are you trying to make me jealous?” I slip my feet into my sneakers and grab my keys from my dresser. “Because it’s working.”
“I’m trying to make you jealousy fuck me.” She sits up and her hair falls over her shoulders. She really is the most beautiful women I’ve ever seen. I can’t believe she’s mine. “I’m kidding. I’m just trying to make you laugh so you’re in a good mood for today.”
Bending to kiss her goodbye, I force myself to not crawl into bed with her. “We can do that later. I need to leave before I change my mind.”
“Are you sure you don’t want me to come? I can sit in the car outside.”
“I’m sure. I want to keep you to myself for as long as I possibly can.”
“Say no more,” she says, throwing herself back against the pillows. “I’ll be right here waiting for you when you come home. Remember you can leave any time and if you’re too overwhelmed to drive, call me and I’ll get you in an Uber.”
I never realized how important it was to have someone to share my concerns with until now. I thought being able to tell her about stuff that’s already happened was the biggest relief, but it’s experiencing it together. Knowing that she’s going to be here waiting for me, in whichever state I come back in, is a bigger comfort than her waiting outside of my parents’ house.
“What’re your plans while I’m gone?”
“I’m going to video call Emilia and Poppy and then I was thinking of maybe seeing if my mom wants to go to Café Kiley for a coffee.”
Aurora’s mom texted her last night with the message proud of you sweetie, so Aurora presumes her dad made a call after she told him she was done.
“And I might hide my things in your room, so you can’t bring girls who give you lap dances up here when college restarts.”
“Wait, what?”
“I’m going to hide notes in the pillowcases. The pillowcases are suspicious all on their own, wait until you throw them down and something crinkles beneath their head.”
“You’re unhinged,” I chuckle, bending to kiss her one last time. “Thank you for trying to distract me.”
“Yes,” she grins. “It was definitely a distraction . . .”
I sigh because I have to go but I could go back and forth with her all day. It’s weird having no kids interrupting us or constantly worrying we look too close. It’s fucking exciting that we’re already so happy together and the real part of our relationship is only just beginning. I kiss her, again, telling myself, again, that it’ll be the last time because I’m leaving. “Can you be good while I’m gone?”
“Usually with the right motivation.”
“And what will motivate you? Me thinking you’re good?”
She shakes her head. “You already think I’m an angel.”
“Not true. You’ve the opposite of angelic most of the time.”
“I want a Callaghan jersey. If I’m about to become a hockey girl, I need all the jersey chasers to know you’re mine.”
Mine. “Done.”
“Good luck. I’m proud of you and please remember to call me if you need me.”
“I will, I promise. Bye.”
After talking to Ethan yesterday on the drive home, I feel slightly better equipped for what I’m walking into. He’s promised me it’s an informal family discussion where we air things in a healthy way, and Dad has the opportunity to apologize for his past actions. It’s an opportunity for us to rebuild and heal, just like I’ve wanted.
There’s a hire car on the driveway when I pull up outside my parents’ house, so I know he’s already here. His band has a small break between shows, which is why he was so insistent it had to be now. Pulling the keys out of the ignition, a kind of wish Rory was here, but at the same time I’m glad she’s not.
Pulling out my phone, I send her a text, smirking again at what she’s saved herself as in my phone. She said she wanted me to know which one is her, given all the girls I’m going to attract with my newfound confidence.
RORY （THE HOT BLOND ONE）
Is it weird that I miss you?
Who is this?
You’re funny
I miss you too
Good luck x