“Thanks for the vote of confidence,” I chuckle. “I just want him to be sure about me before he does something drastic.”
“Who says it’s throwing it away?” she asks, her deep blue eyes piercing into mine.
“You and my aunt Maggie with that stuff,” I scoff. “He put a lot of time and money into his degree.”
“Yeah, hun, and you’re more important than a piece of paper. How’d he take it?”
“He was upset, but he respected my choice. We still love each other. At least, I still love him.” My eyes start to water.
“You know what I think? You’ve been sold this whole bill of goods about getting a good education, and you’re real smart, both of you. But what’s it all worth if you’re miserable and far away from each other? Would you go wherever he goes?”
I press the backs of my fingers under my lashes and sniff. “Yeah. I think I might. But I’m going to inherit the farm.”
She raises her brows. “First off, congratulations. Lucky girl. But second, I bet he’s willing to go wherever you want too.” She clasps my hand on the bar. “You two have the important part down. Now you’ve just got to figure out how life works around the important part.”
I can’t speak, so I just throw my arms around her neck, letting out a sob. She wraps me up tight, the plastic on her cigarette pack sticking to my shoulder as she rocks me from side to side. “Love ya, sis. It’ll be alright. I bet you he’ll be back before you know it. That boy never could stay away from you more than twelve hours.”
My laugh is watery as I pull away. “He might be a little clingy. Though to his credit, he’s been quiet since I broke things off two weeks ago.”
She waves a hand. “You fuckin’ love it. You love how that boy crawls after you like a lost puppy dog. Y’all are disgusting, but I’m happy for you.”
I sigh. “Well, how ‘bout be happier when we’re back on.”
She shoves me. “Jesus wept, you are a storm cloud, Darcy Rossetti.” She snaps her fingers at her boyfriend. “Stone, get this girl a shot. She needs to let loose.”
“I have to drive!”
She waves a hand. “Stone’ll drive us home, won’t you, baby? Come on. You deserve one drunk breakup night.” She lowers her voice. “But if he dumps me, you owe me one. Deal?”
I put my pinky out and realize I usually only do that with Brianna. But Becca picks it up like this is normal for us and links her pinky with mine. “Deal.”
FIFTY-FIVE
JAKE
“Would ya look at that?”Mom shouts. “Look how gentle it is! And fast! And it’ll do the berries too?”
My picker is working its magic in my family’s orchard, picking apples and carefully arranging them in a bushel box.
“Yep. I tried to account for the top twenty most farmed fruits.”
Mom is tickled to death, and I feel a touch of pride that I made something that will help her. She puts her arm around me and squeezes my side. “You came up with all this on your own?”
“Yeah. I mean, I learned all the elements over the last few years.”
She shakes her head, incredulous. “I always knew you’d do something great.”
We talk about the process of patenting and pitching it to companies, which is a long and slow road. For now, I can take comfort knowing that I made something that will make a difference in Mom’s life. And if I can get it out to more people, it could change a lot of lives.
I take a video of the machine working and send it off to my professor.
“Here, let me take a picture of you with it,” she says, making me pose alongside the machine. We laugh as the robotic arm sweeps my hat off my head during her last snap. “So proud of you, Jake.”
I’m proud of myself too, but there’s still something important missing.
* * *
I can’t sleep.Or maybe I do sleep, but it’s hard to tell. I drift in and out of a dreamlike state. I’m haunted by big brown eyes and bountiful chestnut curls, throaty laughs and an ear pressed to my chest.
