Page 140 of Promising You
Even though I know now that my mom was drugged and didn’t mean to be that way, I still haven’t fully accepted it. And because of that, I still hate her. I feel guilty about that, but it hasn’t changed how I feel about her. I think it’ll just take time.
Garret’s quiet and I can’t stand the look he’s giving me. Like I’m broken because of this one day in my past. Like he has to try and fix me now. Make me whole again.
“Well, this is depressing.” I laugh a little to lighten the mood. “Do you want to just leave?”
“No.” He’s still staring at me with that same look.
I focus back on the table, digging the rock into a knot in the wood. “I shouldn’t have told you that story. It was 4 years ago, and I hated her so it really wasn’t as traumatic as it sounds. Your story is way more sad. You actually loved your mom and then she died in a plane crash.”
“But I had people around me, helping me get through it. You were all alone.”
“I wasn’t alone. I moved in with Frank and Ryan the next day.”
He takes the rock from my hand and waits for me to look at him. “Is that why you don’t celebrate your birthday?”
“No. I don’t celebrate it because I didn’t grow up celebrating it. It was just another day.” My tone is harsh and I don’t care, because I really don’t like where this conversation is going. I wasn’t prepared to tell him that story and I’m kind of mad at him for even asking. “Are we done? Because I really don’t want to talk about this anymore. What else do you want to know about me?”
“Okay. Here’s an easy question.” His face brightens as he thankfully moves on. “If you could go anywhere in the world, where would you go?”
“I never thought about it. I never thought I’d leave Iowa. But I guess if I had to pick, I’d probably pick some country in Europe. I’ve always wanted to go to England and see a real castle. Have you ever been to a castle?”
“Yeah. Several. I lived in England for a few months.”
“That’s right. Boarding school. I did knowthatabout you.”
Some clouds cover the sun making it feel chillier. Garret takes his coat off and drapes it over me.
“I’m not that cold.” I hand it back to him. “You can wear it.”
“You’re sick.” He wraps it around me again and kisses my cheek. “I’m taking care of my patient.”
“For the last time, I’m not sick. I’m injured.”
“Yeah, so let me take care of you. I like taking care of you.”
“That’s sweet, but I don’t need to be taken care of. When I got sick as a kid I used to—never mind.”
“Tell me, Jade.”
“No. You’ll give me that look again.”
“When you were sick you used to what?”
“I just took care of myself. That’s it. My point is that I don’t need someone getting me grilled cheese sandwiches or sitting by my bed all day.”
“You may not need it, but I want to do those things. So go ahead and yell at me, but I’m still taking care of you.”
“So tell me whereyou’dwant to go if you could pick any place in the world.”
“I’ve actually already been to all the places I wanted to go. I’ve been to almost every country in Europe. I’ve been to so many tropical islands I can’t remember them all. I went to Australia a couple years ago. You already know all this. You’ll have to ask me a different question.”
“Do you think you’ll go back to any of those places?”
“I’m going back to all of them,” he says, confidently. “But next time I’m taking you with me.”
The idea of that causes a smile to instantly form on my face. I’ve always wanted to travel to far off places and there’s no other person in the world I’d rather go with than Garret. Thinking of traveling reminds me about spring break.
“Garret what are we going to do for spring break? Your dad said you shouldn’t leave Connecticut.”
