He’s actually done and I hate it. The distance between us is palpable and I wish I could have him back without risking everything else. But that’s not how life works, I made this choice for the both of us and I have to see it through.
Jessa is over as I toss shit in a suitcase for The Bahamas.
“You’re rage packing,” she says as I throw multiple bathing suits into the suitcase.
“Well, I have a lot of rage.”
“You know, if you keep all these feelings bottled up they’re bound to explode.”
I glare at her, and she holds her hands up.
“I’m just saying, we’ve been friends for months now and I still feel you’re keeping secrets. Big, massive, cousin-sized secrets.”
I wave her off.
She sighs, grabbing a few dresses for me out of my closet and putting them on the bed for me to pack.
“I’m just saying you didn’t judge me when you found out what I’m into. I wouldn’t judge you either.”
She says that now, but it feels like a lie.
Everyone always says they won’t judge you or they can keep a secret. They never can. Sure, she hasn’t told Aiden what she saw, but Jessa doesn’t know everything.
“Well, it might come up on vacation, so I’ll give you a heads up. I found my birth mom.”
“Oh my gosh, how exciting.”
“She’s dead,” I reply and her poor eyes widen and her mouth parts.
I wave her off again.
“Don’t worry, I’m doing a significant amount of therapy to work through all my shit.”
“Do you think it helps?”
“Therapy?” I reply, grabbing my cosmetics and tossing them into a bag. “Yeah, I mean, I think I’d be way more fucked up if I didn’t go.”
“You’re not fucked up,” she replies, and I give her a small smile.
“Thanks.”
“You’re not, Penny. When no one else was kind to me at Kemper’s, you made me feel seen. You might not share much, which is fine, but I’ve never had such a fun friend. I love being around you,” she says.
I stop in my tracks, looking at where she’s sitting on my bed.
“If my cousin doesn’t marry you, I will.”
She grins. “As pretty as you are, I think I’m in too deep with Aiden.”
I toss a shirt at her, and she laughs. “You two are sickeningly cute.”
“We are, aren’t we?”
“Are you sure you guys don’t want to fly down with us?”
“No, Aiden said that would be too much. Meeting the family trapped in the sky.”
I shrug. “Fair.”
