"I'm sure he does," I assure her. We don't talk deeply about his dad, and I realize maybe I need to bring him up so Theo knows he's not forgotten.
When we arrive at Costco, I tilt my face toward the sun and bask in the intensity of the heat. Tomorrow's weather will be perfect. I'm hopeful the party won't have any issues like in previous years.
When I was ten, a neighbor got so drunk he fell into our pool, bringing the tablecloth full of food in with him. The year I was twelve, the house diagonal from us almost caught on fire due to a faulty firework. And when I was fourteen, I thought I'd get my first kiss under the fireworks. Freshman Amelia was quite disappointed.
But I'm an adult now, and there's nothing I can't handle. Drunks and pyros? That's kid's play.
Molly and I march down the aisles and check items off her list.
"Is being home as bad as you expected?" she asks.
My body stiffens as I set a tuxedo cake in the cart. "Theo was a surprise. I thought I'd be gone by now, and he and I would be two ships passing in the night."
"I'm sorry about that. He was originally going to come home at the end of June. But when I told him you'd be moving back, he changed his flight."
Molly's flippant confession has me spiraling.
He changed his flight? To see me? Is she serious?
Beautiful, witty, a smart-ass.
His compliments repeat on a loop in my head.
"Theo seems to be doing well." It's another presumption. We don't talk about the future, so I'm curious to see how she and her son communicate his prospects.
"He doesn't know what he wants to do. He has a big heart and wants to help people. I think he’ll figure it out. He’s a smart boy."
My smile hides the questions I have on the tip of my tongue.
What drives him?
What would he want to do as a career?
Does he have plans to move out?
But I keep those questions saved for another day.
Those aren't things I should be asking his mom. If I get the courage and the timing is right, I'll ask him those myself.
WhileAmeliaisoutshopping with my mom, I stay up in my room and browse the internet for jobs. While I loved volunteering and helping people, I need a steady income. It makes sense to research construction companies. That seems like my best avenue, and it's a career that can take me anywhere.
But where will Amelia be? Will she stay in Del Mar? Or head back to LA and never talk to me again?
Each day that passes, my yearning for her increases. Sure, we drive each other crazy, but opposites attract, right? Why am I hesitant to apply anywhere until I find out where she wants to go?
Bruce's car backs into the driveway, and I gaze out my window and see it's crammed full of crap. Folded chairs, some table bases, all things he'll need a hand with.
He's in his sixties and shouldn't be overexerting himself. I'm capable and strong enough to assist with the unloading, but do I want to? If I ever plan on showing an effort, I need to start acting like I can tolerate him.
As I make my way downstairs, I walk through the garage and see Bruce already struggling with the base of a table.
"Hey, do you need any help?" I ask him.
The look he gives me is pure relief, like he was drowning and I threw him a life vest.
"I didn't want to bother you," Bruce admits. "But I could use some help with the heavy stuff. I have a bad back and don't want to throw it out right before the party."
Of course he has a bad back.
