AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Can I come in?” Mom was calling at the door.
“Of course. Welcome.” I left the envelope on the nightstand.
“Did you have fun?” She tucked back in the colored sheet that I always shrugged off halfway through the night. Then she sat on the edge of the bed.
“Yeah, thanks, Mom. It was wonderful.”
“I came to give you something…”
“But you already did.”
“A different kind of gift, Leah. Advice.” She brushed a bit of hair out of my face. “Give Axel time, dear.”
“What do you mean?”
“You know. In life, everything has its moment; you understand that, don’t you?”
“Mom, I don’t know what you’re…”
“Leah, I’m not expecting us to talk about this like I was one of your friends. I’m just giving you advice because I don’t want you to suffer. I know you. And I know how you feel. We’re more alike than you realize, okay? Maybe you don’t realize it, but Axel is…complicated. And you’re very impatient. It’s not a good combination.”
“It’s fine. He’ll never look at me the way I want.”
“Don’t blame him for that, Leah. You’re still a girl…” Mom had the prettiest, sweetest smile in the world. “My little princess…every time I look at you, the only thing I can think is How is it possible that seventeen years have passed since you were an adorable little ball of joy?” Her eyes were damp. She was like that, so emotional, so fragile… “Rest, honey. Tomorrow we can do something together if we get up early enough, okay?”
I nodded and she leaned over to give me a kiss before putting out the light.
July
* * *
(WINTER)
57
_________
Axel
Leah rode her bike home from school on Monday. Oliver had left a day late. That same morning, he’d come by the house to drop off his sister’s suitcase. We hugged goodbye. I didn’t want to think of anything while I clapped him on the back. Not of her, not of anything that had happened in the past month.
“Can I help you with that?” I offered to take her backpack on the porch, but Leah shook her head and came in. I followed her to the kitchen. “Don’t greet me with such enthusiasm; confetti might start raining down from the ceiling.”
“Sorry. Hi.” She grabbed one of the instant soups my mother had left and started reading the instructions, leaning on the counter. She was wearing one of those T-shirts that tie behind the neck and are so short they leave your belly button visible. I looked away and cleared my throat.
“I already made lunch.”
“Thanks, but I want soup.”
“I didn’t even tell you what it is.”
“Yeah but this is what I want most.”
Our eyes drilled into each other.
“As you wish.” I opened the fridge, grabbed my lunch, and went to the living room.
We didn’t speak anymore.
