Hooked (37 page)

     We ended up not watching our show because once he started playing that stupid video game with
Eli,
it didn’t end until eleven o’clock.  I don’t think he even realized when I told him I was going to bed
,
because I heard him leaving
a little bit after that.
  Well, I guess I wanted him to get along with my family
,
so I couldn’t be upset with him.  I was so ready for us to be together as adults.  School would be out in five months and I’m ready.  I don’t really know what I’m expecting because it’s not like we will get married right after because well, that would be ridiculous
,
but at least we would have more freedom.

     I called him early Thursday morning.  “Good morning
,
handsome.” 

    
I don’t know why
,
but it made me sad to think that he was by himself when he went to bed and when he woke up.  I wanted to be with him.

    
“Hey
,
to you too, my beautiful girlfriend.
  What are you doing up so early?”  I loved his voice in the morning.  It was horse and gruff sounding.

     “I wanted to know what time you were going to try to leave to see your mom.  I was going to ask dad today if I can go with you.”

     “Oh, I didn’t realize you wanted to go.  You do know it’s like a five hour drive
,
so we’ll have to leave really early in the morning.  Do you think your parents will let you stay overnight?”

     “Well, I’ll just have to ask.  You know Christmas is Monday
,
so we we’ll probably eat lunch
that day
, is that ok
ay
?”

     “Yep, sounds great to me.”

     “I’m so ready to give you your gift
.
”
I rolled over in my bed with excitement.

     “You can’t help it, can you?”

    
“Nope.”

     “Well, I’m ready to give you your gift
,
too
.  D
o you want a hint?” 
H
e
asked
with amusement in his voice.

     “Yes
,
yes
,
yes!”

     “Sorry, I can’t give you one.”

     “Why would you do that to me?”

     “Oh
,
alright, you really want one?”

     “Yes please!”  I smiled into the phone.

     “Nah, let’s just wait until Christmas.”

     “You’re really mean sometimes, you know how excited I get and you taunt me with it.”

     “Sweetheart, you are too cute when you get mad
, I like you feisty.”
 
I rolled my eyes at him even though he couldn’t see me. 

    
“Alright, I’m going to go eat some breakfast and you’ve got to get ready for work, so I’ll call you later and let you know what my parents say.  I’m probably going to hang out with Cara and Jess today
,
so I’ll just talk to you later.”

     “Alright, I’ll talk to you then, love you.”

     I went down stairs and fixed me a bowl of cereal.  My parents and Eli were already down there eating when I joined them at the table.  I was concentrating really hard on how to ask them if I could go see Cash’s mom.  The visiting her I knew wouldn’t be a problem, it was the staying overnight. 

    
I sat there in silence deciding to ask my mom first.  I know this is kind of cheating
,
but I figure I’ll try to talk mom into it first
,
that way she can talk to dad.  She got up from the table telling my dad she was getting the box of clothes together for the Salvation Army.  I followed her to her room. 

    
“Hey mom, do you think it would be ok
ay
if I went with
Cash tomorrow to visit his mom?
  I want to give her the Christmas present I bought her.”

     “That should be ok
ay
, I need you to help me wrap some presents tonight
,
though.  What time is he planning on leaving?”

     Ok
ay
, she wasn’t getting the fact that we would be spending the night…dang.  I really hadn’t a clue as to how I could manipulate this situation.  Why didn’t I ask Cash for ideas?  He could’ve come with something good
,
I’m sure.  I’m not as good at thinking on my feet or lying. 

     “We would have to get a hotel
,
but we would get two rooms
,
of course
,
” I said biting my bottom lip.  That was a sure
-
fire
-
give
-
away
,
because she didn’t even hesitate.

     “I really don’t think your dad would go for that
,
Millie
,
”
s
he said not even looking at me.

     Dang, I really needed Cash or Jess right now.  Everybody knows what kind of crap I start spouting when I’m in a tight spot.  Think, think
,
dang it…maybe I got something
,
I thought.

     “What if we took Eli with us?  He and I could room together and Cash could have his own.”  She thought about it for a moment.  Wow
,
she might be buying this.

     “I guess that might work.  I’ll talk to you dad about it a little later
,
ok
ay
?”

      “Thanks mom, I know it’s a little unconventional
,
but I would really like to be there when he sees her.  It’s been a month and he’s only talked to her on the phone.”

     I ran upstairs to Eli’s room and knocked on his door.  No answer.  I knocked again.  No answer.  I twisted the handle and it was unlocked
,
so I walked in calling his name, Typical, he was on his bed reading the back of a CD cover with his headphones on and no shirt.
  I walked over and moved his feet and sat down on the bed. He looked up at me and took his head phones off.

     “What’s up?”

     “Hey, I need a favor.”

     “Depends on what it is
.
”
H
e shrugged
nonchalantly
.  Of course, he could afford to do this
,
because he
d
idn’t need anything from me.

     “Would you be willing to come to Jacksonville with me and Cash tomorrow?”

     He leaned up on his elbows.  I just noticed his muscles.  Dang when did this happen?

     “Wow, have you been lifting?  Your arms are huge
,
E.”

     “Yeah, I’ve been hitting it pretty hard
,
but you don’t have to butter me up
,
MAD
.
”
H
e smiled slyly at me.

     “Shut up
.
L
isten
,
will you go or not?”

     “Why do I have to go?”

     “Because, I want to go with Cash to see his mom for Christmas and I don’t think mom and dad will let me go if you don’t.”

     “I think I could find something better to do here.”

     “Ugh, you tick me off.  How much will it cost me?”

     “How much you got?”

     “After all my Christmas shopping
,
I think I have like fifty dollars left.”

     “Fifty it is then
.
”
  H
e smiled his brilliant smile at me.

     “You suck!
  Fine, I’ll give you the money when we get home Sunday.”

     “No, you’ll give it to me before we leave.  I may want to go to the mall or something while you and Cash go visit his mom.”

    
“Fine, butthole.
  You could’ve
done it for twenty.”

     “Yeah, but twenty wouldn’t get me what fifty will.” 

     The brat winked at me.  “Whatever, if we get to go
,
we are leaving early in the morning.”

     “Sounds good to me
,
but I’m telling you right now there’s no way I’m staying in the same room with y
’
all.”

     “I know that
,
Eli
,
but as far as mom and dad know
,
you and I will be staying in a room and Cash will have his own, got it?”

    
“Gotcha.
  Don’t say I didn’t warn you when this all blows up in your face though.”

     “
Whatever,
just do what I tell you, you are working for me this weekend
.
”  I wink at him as I get off his bed and walk out of his room.

     Now I just have to wait for mom to talk to dad.  I decide to text Jess to see if she wants to meet at the mall.

*Want to shop?

*Yeah, I still need to pick up on more
gift
.

*K mall in 30?

*
snds
good, Cara will be with me

*figured you were at Jakes.
Lol

*yep,
ttyl

     I had to find something to wear to the mall.  Normally
,
I wouldn’t care
,
but with it being only a few days before Christmas, I knew I was bound to see people I knew.  I went to my closet and picked out leggings, a sweater, and my black
UGG
’s
.  I really wanted a gray pair
,
but mom made me get black because they would go with more outfits and since they are so expensive, I couldn’t argue.  It wasn’t exactly my best look
,
but it was better than jeans and a
hoodie
,
which is what I wanted to wear.
 
I went downstairs to tell mom that I was leaving.  Dad caught me in the hallway.

     “Your mom said you
wanted
to go with Cash to visit his mom,” he said with an unreadable facial expression.

     “Yeah,
I’d like to see her
,
but I mainly want to go for him.  This is the first time for him to see her since she left.”

     “I’m not crazy about this
,
Millie
,
but I guess I’ll let you and Eli
go
.  I don’t want this becoming a habit.”

    
“Thanks
,
dad.
  It means a lot to me that you are letting me go.”

     “Like I said, this is a
onetime
thing.  I’m letting you go because it’s Christmas and I know Cash has had a hard time of things
,
but you won’t be making weekly trips to Jacksonville, alright?”