Fall

“Will there be… eggs?” Demetri coughed. “For breakfast?”

“Probably.”

“Will they be scrambled? Please say no, please say no.”

“Stop speaking in metaphors, jackass, and help me feed the women.”

Demetri peered around Jaymeson and apparently seeing that I was fully clothed and not taken advantage of, seemed to be satisfied and followed my boyfriend into the kitchen.

My boyfriend.

Yeah, I would never get tired of saying that. Ever.

Chapter Thirty-Seven

Jaymeson

I went slow with her — even though I knew her parents were coming back soon — I still went slow.

Without realizing it, I’d become her friend, and then her boyfriend, and quite honestly, I liked the friend part a hell of a lot more than I realized. So instead of locking her in her bedroom — which at times still sounded like a really brilliant idea — I spent an entire week wining and dining her.

We went to the beach.

I took her out to dinner.

We held hands.

Freaking HELD HANDS. But it was awesome. I loved it — I loved her. More than I wanted to admit out loud, because then it freaked me out that I could possibly lose her.

Because I still wasn’t sure what I would do once my little jaunt in Seaside ended. Would she come with me? Would she even want to? Did I even want the movie anymore?

It was day seven, well, actually night seven.

I was trying to play it cool, trying not to freak the hell out as I lay in bed with her.

Demetri demanded we leave the doors open just in case I couldn’t be trusted — but honestly, if I hadn’t tried anything before, I sure as hell wasn’t going to try anything now.

“What’s wrong?” Pris cuddled into my chest and wrapped her arms around me. It was the perfect moment.

It was also our last night before her parents came back.

“Nothing,” I shrugged. “I’m just going to miss having you in my arms every night.”

“Because I’m going somewhere?”

“Because,” I sighed. “Your parents are coming back and I don’t want to get shot by your pastor dad, that’s why.”

“He doesn’t even own a gun.” Pris giggled.

“Um, believe me, if he saw me in your bed he’d go out and buy one — or three.”

We stayed in comfortable silence for a while before Pris shifted and looked up at me. “What’s going to happen?”

I suddenly felt sick — like someone had punched me in the stomach. “Is it alright if I’m completely honest and tell you I don’t know?”

“Yeah.” She sighed. “That’s alright.”

“Good.”

Her breathing grew deep and even, but I stayed awake, trying to figure out what the hell I was going to do in order to make it work. In order to give us a fighting chance.

****

Priscilla

My phone was blinking again. Seriously? How many voicemails could my dad leave? It had been his thing over the past few days. We’d talked a handful of times, but yesterday I’d missed him on account that Jaymeson and I were feeding seals with Demetri and Alyssa.

The room was still blanketed in darkness.

With a yawn I reached for the phone. It was only six a.m. Maybe my parents were back already? I looked at the screen. Two missed calls from dad.

And five missed calls from Stella. How had I slept through all that buzzing?

Curious, I dialed Stella’s number and waited, hoping she was okay and not in the hospital or something.

“Hello?” she answered on the first ring.

“Hi, Stella, what’s up?”

“Oh, honey.” She sniffled. “Honey, I’m so sorry. I’m just so sorry. There was nothing they could do.”

“They?” My heart started skipping beats as it slammed sharp against my ribs. “What are you talking about?”

“You don’t know,” she said softly.

“Know what?”

“Honey, maybe it’s best if you talk to the police first.”

“Why would I be talking to the police?”

“Where are you?”

“Stella…” I swear the woman made me want to pull my hair out. “What’s going on?”

“Honey, I don’t know how to tell you this.”

“Tell me… what, exactly?” My voice sounded funny, like I was standing in a tunnel. My vision blurred. I knew. Somehow I knew. It was bad.

“Your parents, honey… they got in an accident last night.”

My heart stopped. “But they’re fine, right? What hospital are they at? Are they still in Seattle? I can be there in an hour I—”

“Sweetie, they didn’t make it.”

My world stopped. I dropped the phone onto the ground and followed suit, my body going completely numb.

“Priscilla!” Stella yelled on the other end of the phone. “Priscilla! Honey, answer me.”

Her screams must have been loud enough to rouse Jaymeson. He took one look at me on the floor, tears streaming down my face, and the phone.

In an instant, he grabbed it. “Hello? Who is this?”

His entire face went pale, as he pulled me into his lap and rubbed my head, listening to Stella talk, while drawing lazy circles across my scalp.

I was in such shock, I wasn’t sure if I was even crying. Was I crying? Or were the tears just coming without my permission?

“I understand.” His voice was hollow. “Thanks, Stella, I’ll be in touch.”