“God Zac, will you turn that damn thing down? I’m trying to read!’ Taylor snapped
“Sheesh, what’s wrong with you?” Zac asked his moody brother, annoyed from their third spat that evening. But he turned down the stereo anyway.
“Nothing’s wrong. Will you quit asking me that?”
“Well you keep yelling at me and I haven’t even done anything. If you’re going to be so bitchy with me you could at least tell me why. Did you and Maddy have a fight or something today?”
“Something,” Taylor muttered.
“Well what?”
“Maddy’s moving.”
“ She is? Why?”
“ Her dad got some job promotion in Phoenix. You know how it is with her family, his work is his life, so they’re gonna move.”
“Did she break up with you?”
“Neither of us want to, so we’re going to try a long-distance relationship.”
“I hate to tell you this but those don’t usually work.”
“Thanks so much for the comfort, Zac!” Taylor threw up his hands in exasperation.
“Tay, I’m sorry, but what else can I say? I’m not going to lie to you and you know it’s not likely that you guys will last long when you’re not even in the same state.”
Taylor slumped down on a chair with a defeated sigh. “ I know, but what else can Maddy and I do? I really care about her.”
“ I know you do,” Zac said. He sat next to Taylor and putting a comforting arm around his shoulder.
“ You know what really sucks about this?” Taylor said with a bitter laugh, “ I finally fall in love with someone. She’s the best thing that’s ever come into my life and now I have to lose her.”
****************************************************
Terry slowly opened her eyes, laughing softly at the odd dream she’d had of chasing an ice cream truck on snow skis. She gave a great yawn and stretched out her arms, wondering why she was so cold. She turned her head and gasped with surprise when she saw Isaac lying next to her. Sitting up in alarm, she quickly pulled the blanket up to her chin when she realized that she had no shirt on.
What the hell? What am I doing here? And with Isaac?
Then the whole evening came back to her. Laughing at herself, she lay back down and cuddled against Isaac, who sleepily pulled her closer.
Isaac and I must have fallen asleep after we fooled around.
She smiled to herself, remembering.
“Shit, what time is it?’ she asked aloud. She picked up Isaac’s wrist with his digital watch and pushed the light. 1:47 AM.
“Great,” she muttered. Hooking her bra on, she quickly slipped her shirt over her head. She turned towards Isaac and shook his shoulder. “ Isaac? Hon? Come on, it’s late, we better go.”
“ Huh?” he sat up groggily. “What time is it?”
“Almost two in the morning.”
“Crud. I did not expect to stay out so late.” Pulling on his own shirt, he and Terry frantically gathered up the blankets and empty plates and containers. As soon as they had the car packed up, Isaac turned to Terry. “You’re not going to get into trouble, are you?”
“I don’t think so. My mom works so late, but if she is home now, she’s probably in bed.”
“ I hope so, I don’t want to get you in anymore trouble with your mom than you already have.”
“Maybe we should just go,” Terry said uneasily, not wanting to discuss her mom.
During the drive home, Isaac sensed Terry’s sudden pensive mood. “Terry, I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have said that about your mom.”
She shook her head. “ I’m not mad at you, Isaac. It’s just that I think my mom is hiding something from me and it feels important.”
“What do you think it could be?”
“As crazy as it sounds I think it’s about my dad. I definitely know it has something to do with why she doesn’t want me seeing you.”
“You could try asking her again.”
“If I thought that would do any good, believe me, I would have done it much sooner.”
Pulling the car into Terry’s driveway, Isaac shut off the engine and sat thinking for a moment. He shook his head, not sure if he wanted to voice his question as he walked around to Terry’s side and opened her door.
When they reached the front door, he gently grabbed her wrist and held her hand in his. “Terry, are you sure you’re okay about tonight?”
Terry shook her head and put her arms around his waist. “Isaac, sometimes you are as bad as me. You don’t need to worry so much about it, I have absolutely no regrets about tonight or about you.”
Standing up on her toes, she reached up and lightly kissed his lips. “ Good-night. I love you.” She lightly ran her fingers along his cheek, smiled, then turned and slipped through the door, leaving a dumfounded Isaac in stunned astonishment.
Slowly, a grin spread across his face as he walked to his car.
She loves me. She’s never said that before. And I love her.
Terry and I are in love.
