Page 57 of Objection to Love
April must have noticed the hesitancy in Em’s voice. “What aren’t you telling me?”
Em looked to her ceiling as she sat on her bed. Fully clothed for the day. Just because she was taking the day off didn’t mean she needed to take a day off looking nice. “Well. Garrett is spending the day with me.”
“Holy Hannah! EM! Why didn’t you lead with that? Are you dating?!”
Em had to pull the phone away from her ear for a second. “No, we aren’t.” The doorbell rang. “And I think he’s here; I gotta go.”
With one hand, she grabbed the crutches Garrett had delivered to her the day before, after Sunday Sundae night with his mom. He’d handed them over with a note from Darla that had her phone number and an insistence to call if she needed anything.
“September and Garrett sitting in a tree…” April sang in her ear.
“I have to go, April,” Em said, exasperated.
“Okay, okay, but seriously.”
Em paused, having pushed herself off the bed, but she was unable to walk anywhere while still on the phone. A knock sounded at the door this time. “What?”
“You’d better call me if he kisses you.”
“He’s not going to kiss me.” She cupped her hand around the speaker of the phone while she said it… just in case Garrett could hear all the way outside. Paper-thin walls and all.
“Uh-huh. Sure. Love you, sis.”
“Love you too.” After throwing her phone onto the bed, Em hobbled to the door, pulling it open.
Garrett stood there with a bag, the same size as the one he’d brought rock climbing. She couldn’t be sure it wasn’t the same one.
She opened the door wider and pointed at the bag. “I’m not going rock climbing again.”
He laughed, stepping over the threshold. “These are just supplies.”
“What kind of supplies?” She was still eyeing the bag nervously.
“You’ll see.”
Em groaned. “I hate surprises.”
“I know. That’s what makes them so fun. Come on, where do you keep your TV?”
“I don’t have a TV,” Em said, following him to the kitchen.
She heard Garrett sigh. “Whatdoyou have, woman?” He turned on her after setting the bag on the counter.
“I have a computer.” She shrugged, which was surprisingly difficult to do while leaning on crutches.
“Does it have a disk drive?”
“Ummm… no.” At least, she didn’t think so. No, it definitely didn’t.
“Okay. Once again, I shall remedy your lack of preparedness with my own. I’ll be right back.” He turned and walked from the room. Em leaned backward to watch his path to the door.
“I wouldn’t say having a TV is being prepared,” she called just before he stepped from the room.
“Then you, my dear, would have a very boring existence during the apocalypse.” He left, returning only a couple of minutes later balancing a fair-sized TV in his hands. She hadn’t even had time to overanalyze the “my dear” comment.
Em’s mouth fell open. “You’re bringing your entire TV over here?”
“It’s my smaller one,” he grunted, shifting his weight. “Where can I put this?”
