Page 34 of The Vow

“No. I like the bus. I like to make fun of what people are wearing. Don’t judge me. It’s a pastime.”

Alex softly laughed. “Thank you for the food, Mrs. Conti. It looks amazing.”

“You’re welcome, Alessandra.”

“Yeah. Thank you, ma.”

My mother simply waved her hand, dismissing me. Opening the front door, she expressed her love for me by using the same words I’ve heard a hundred times before. “Don’t forget to bring back my Tupperware.”

Twelve

After my mother left yesterday, I felt like I’d been through twelve rounds. I called her to make sure she arrived home safely. She answered on the twentieth ring, and I nearly lost my mind with each ring. I wondered if she did it intentionally, but when I asked her if she was angry with me, she simply asked, “For what?” Still, my dreams were ravaged with a ten-foot-tall Wonder Woman brandishing a wooden spoon.

Alex is on the phone. I can only hear her side of the conversation:

How did you know?

He can be, yes.

I’m not sure. I like to think so.

And finally,

Yes, I’d love to. See you then.

“Who was that?” I asked. Alex was wearing an Aerosmith T-shirt and jeans. I learned that Dream On was her favorite song. One night, when the power went out, she softly sang the lyrics to me by candlelight, and it was as if the song was written especially for her. I consider it her anthem.

“Your mother,” she said. She left me sitting on the couch. I didn’t hesitate to follow her to her bedroom.

“What did she want?” Leaning against the door jamb, I quickly scanned her room. It was like a time warp. Movie posters decorated the walls, a 1980s Walk-Man sat on her bedside table. There was even a Barbie doll on her dresser.

“It’s the only thing I own from my childhood.”

“A birthday gift?”

“A ‘sorry to leave you with the babysitter for a week’ gift. My parents went on vacation without me.”

“Nice.”

“I got used to it. Besides, Miss Bennington let me stay up past my bedtime. We watched black and white horror movies and ate Chex Mix covered in honey.”

“That’s still not fair. You were a kid.”

“I’m tough.”

“I can’t argue with that. I just wish you had sweeter memories.”

“Sweeter than honey? Sorry. Bad pun.”

“Clever, actually. So? What did my mother want?”

Alex left her room. I followed her like a lost puppy. “She wants me to go to Church with her. The day of the big fight. To pray for you.”

“And you said you’d go?”

“Yeah.”

I already told Alex to stay home when I fight Anvil, not because I think she’ll distract me, but in case I lose. When I lose, I sulk, and I didn’t want her to see me sulk.