Part 21 (2/2)
What did you say?
I said no. I don't want a girlfriend. She's my friend, not my girlfriend. We're too young to get married and I don't want her to get pregnant. I want her to go to school and be a lawyer.
What did she say?
She said I was right. Are you and J. getting married?
I shrugged.
If you get married, will you still love me?
Of course.
Are you sure?
Absolutely.
Okay. You can marry him if you want.
Thank you.
Why do you want to marry a boy?
I sighed wistfully, our sign for ”that's a long conversation.”
Do you love him?
I don't know.
He's nice.
He is.
He tapped his wrist impatiently, again reminding me of the time. He pulled on my hand and forced me to stand.
I put a finger to my lips in the ”Be quiet” gesture while glancing at Jackson.
He rolled his eyes, went to my closet, and started digging around for a clean uniform. He could be a real n.a.z.i when it came to getting to work on time. He certainly didn't get that from me.
I showered, dressed, went back to my room, and sat down on the bed next to Jackson, watching him longer than I had time to. I gently shook him awake.
”Hey,” I said.
”Hey,” he said, looking up at me.
”I've got to go to work and I'll drop Noah off at the babysitter on my way. He made coffee for you, by the way. It's terrible, but don't tell him that. It's the thought that counts and all that. Lock the door when you leave, okay?”
”Are you leaving now?”
”I'm late. But it was worth it.”
”It certainly was.”
I kissed him chastely on the cheek.
”Wiley,” he said, sitting up, rubbing at his bare chest.
”Yeah?”
”I love you.”
”Isn't it a little soon for that?”
”Maybe,” he admitted. ”But it's true. I am smack-dab in the middle of being hugely in love with you. If you're not serious about me, don't jerk me around.”
I looked at him for a long moment, several things on the tip of my tongue just wanting to be said, the verb ”jerking” providing endless opportunities for double entendres.
”Gotta put in your courting time,” I said at last, choosing the least risky and offensive of the alternatives.
”I will,” he promised.
”I'd give you a good morning b.l.o.w. .j.o.b but I'm really, really late and customers don't like it when you have pubic hair in your teeth.”
33) A camping we will go
ON F FRIDAY afternoon, Jackson came by the apartment to pick us up. Our bags were packed and we had a cooler full of beer and juice waiting for a bag of ice from the gas station. My guitar was the last thing we loaded. afternoon, Jackson came by the apartment to pick us up. Our bags were packed and we had a cooler full of beer and juice waiting for a bag of ice from the gas station. My guitar was the last thing we loaded.
”My mom's head might explode when she sees you,” I said.
”That bad, huh?”
”Be on your best behavior. She thinks all h.o.m.os.e.xuals are criminals, whether we know about it or not. She hates it when you behave and prove her wrong.”
”I'll do my best,” he promised.
”And pay no attention to Papaw.”
”Who's that?”
”My grandfather.”
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