“Absolutely not. It’s your life and your future, so you have to do what’s right foryou. Let me ask you something else: what would you do if you stayed in Bellevue? Where do you see yourself at the end of the school year when you graduate?”
She scrunches her nose, pondering the question. “Honestly? I have no clue. I didn’t bother applying to colleges. I knew I couldn’t afford it, plus I have no idea what I’d even take. I don’t know what sort of job I want. I figured it’d be smarter to keep working at the center while I figured all that stuff out instead of wasting time and money on college.”
“Okay. What about if you lived with your brother? What would you do?”
She doesn’t pause to think this time. “I’d finish school and then work for a bit, maybe apply to schools there. My brother is taking some courses online so he can keep working full-time. I could do that too.” She picks up her tea and takes a few tentative sips. Without looking at me, she says, “I think I’d feel freer there, you know? Reggie says that’s how it’s been for him; he had a fresh start, was able to reinvent himself. No one there knows his family is poor and messed up. No one knows his brother is in jail or his dad is a drunk. People know the person hewantsthem to know. It could be the same for me.”
My eyes sting. I managed to hold in my tears the entire time Jordy was crying—quite the feat for me—so I can’t fall apart now. It breaks my heart that someone so young could be in such desperate need of a fresh start. I understand, though; as far I know, nobody but my closest friends ever knew what was going on with my family in the last two years of high school. People knew my mom had left, but not that our lives fell apart or that I lived with Stella during senior year. I can imagine how difficult and probably even embarrassing it must be for Jordy, wearing shabby clothes, not being able to afford anything from the cafeteria, being afraid to let people in and make friends.
“It sounds ideal, Jordy. I’m incredibly happy for you.” I glance at the TV, which is paused on Ted Lasso’s smiling, mustachioed face. “How are you feeling?”
“Better now,” she says. “My mind was racing all last night and this morning. I knew I should talk to you about it, but I couldn’t figure out how to bring it up. I hoped I’d have it figured out by the time you got home from work.”
“You can talk to me anytime about anything,” I tell her. “And I want you to know the offer stands even when you’re living halfway across the country in a different time zone.”
Despite the levity of my words, her eyes dim and her smile twists into something bittersweet, making me think the reality of the situation is sinking in. “Thanks, Hol. It’s funny…”
“What?”
She gives her head a jerky shake. “Never mind.”
“No, tell me. I meant it, you can tell me anything.”
“It’s just…not even two weeks ago, I was so worried about you leaving me because everyone always does. And now…nowI’mthe one leavingyou.”
“I don’t see it as you leaving me, though. You’re making the choice that’s best for you, a choice that will give you a better, happier, healthier life. We’ll still be able to text and video chat and call each other. Plus once you’re making more money, you might want to come visit your sister and the kids, and we can see each other then. Maybe I could even plan to come out for your high school graduation in June. If you want me there.”
“OfcourseI want you there,” she says quickly. “That’d be so cool.”
“Then we’ll plan for that. For now, we should make plans for gettingyouthere.”
“Could we not? Not right now anyway? I think I’ve just about hit my limit for dealing with all of this today.”
“Whatever you want.” I glance at her mug on the table; it’s still mostly full. “You don’t like the tea?”
She makes a face, guilt flashing in her eyes. “Nah, I’m not really a fan. Ted Lasso was right: it tastes like hot, brown water.”
I burst out laughing. It feels good, as does the way Jordy giggles along with me. “That’s fair. Hey, want to get out of here for a while? Go to the diner and get some hot chocolate? It’s too early for dinner, but if we hang out there long enough, it’ll eventually be time to eat. Either way, I think your big news deserves a celebration.”
Her cheeks flush. Her expression is pleased, with a hint of embarrassment. “We don’t have to go out. We could make hot chocolate here, and there’s stuff for dinner. I don’t need a fuss.”
“I disagree, but it’s completely up to you. We can stay or go out. Let me use the tactic I did before: if you could do anything, what would you do?”
Jordy’s mouth pulls to one side as she thinks. “I’d go to the diner for hot chocolate.”
“Then let’s go.”
*****
The diner is busy for a Monday afternoon, so I ask Jordy if she’d like to hang out in the back room. Bea brings us hot chocolate and surprises us with slices of pie. Being back here already made me think of Spencer, and the pie brings him to the forefront of my mind once again. Before she leaves, Bea does something to the jukebox that will allow us to listen without inserting coins.
“This is awesome,” Jordy says, turning in a slow circle to take in the room.
“I used to hang out back here a lot when I was your age,” I tell her. “My friends and I met at the diner regularly to eat, but I’d come alone after school and do my homework back here.”
“Ahh, the famous friends.” Her tone is almost wistful. “Do they know much about me?
“Yeah, I talk about you all the time.”
