How’d the date with Glen go? I’m dying here. I grinned from ear to ear. She’d told her friend about me.
I heard some more buzzing so I looked again.
Come on, I have to leave for my grandparents’ soon. Did he kiss you again? Was it as good?
OMG are you with him? Is that why you aren’t replying?
I glanced over to where Savy slept. The Savy I knew wouldn’t mind me texting her friend back, but maybe she’d changed.
Did you spend the night with him??
I couldn’t resist. I had to do it. I replied. She did.
Uh, who is this?
Glen. Savy’s sleeping.
In your bed or hers?
Mine.
Just so you know, if you hurt her, I kill you.
That’s fair. I don’t plan to hurt her.
You have in the past.
I have, but I love her, and I’m going to be careful.
Does she know you love her?
Yes. I told her many times last night.
Tell her to call me later, and Merry Christmas!
Same to you. I’m feeling in the holiday spirit suddenly.
And that wouldn’t have anything to with the girl whose phone this is?
It has everything to do with her.
“Glen? What are you doing?” Savy grabbed her phone from me. “Were you texting with Jade?” She typed something into her phone. She was taking over the conversation.
“She asked a question, I was merely answering.”
“I should be annoyed right now.” She pouted.
“But you’re not.”
“Nope.” She smiled. “But promise me you wouldn’t have done that if it was my dad.”
“I do value my life.”
“Good, because I want to be able to spend as much of the rest of this week with you as possible.”
“You’ll be spending all of it with me once I take care of something.”
“And what’s that?” She pulled the comforter up around her, and I didn’t blame her. It was cold.
“I have to talk to my parents.” Now that I’d fixed things with Savy, I needed to deal with the other strained relationship in my life. I was done avoiding them.
“Want me to come with you?”
“How about you strategically show up and save me?”
She curled into my side. “I can arrange that.”
“I should probably get you home soon.”
“You should, but you have one other job to do first.”
“And what job is that?”
“Warming me up.” She threw off the covers. “And you’re not getting any help from the blankets.”
“I don’t need help.” I moved over her. “Warming you up happens to be my specialty.”
***
An hour and an amazing shower with Savy later, I’d finally dropped her off. Lucky for me the only one home was Laney. She grinned at us, and quickly pulled Savy inside.
“Call me or text me when you want me to come over.” Savy stood just inside the doorway.
“I don’t want you waiting around for me. Go out and enjoy the day.”
“We need to wait for everyone else anyway,” Laney quickly replied. “We’re going snowmobiling. I’ve never done that before. Want to come?”
“He does.” Savy answered for me. “Don’t you?”
I smiled, loving how happy having me around made her. “Absolutely. Hopefully this doesn’t take too long.” I kissed Savy goodbye and walked down the hall.
I hesitated outside the door to my parents’ condo. It had been months since I’d talked to either of them, and the last conversation hadn’t been pretty. They’d told me that if I didn’t agree to transfer schools they were cutting me off. They hadn’t just meant financially. I wasn’t surprised that my dad had reacted that way, but I’d expected my mom to cave. And maybe she had. I’d been ignoring her calls for weeks.
I knocked on the door, half hoping no one was there. My mom opened the door. “Glen!” She pulled me into a hug. That wasn’t the response I was expecting.
She didn’t release me for a few moments, and I didn’t try to either. Finally she stepped back and just looked at me. “You look good. How are you?”
“Hey, mom. I’m doing well.” I was now. One night with Savy had changed everything.
“We were wondering when you were going to come by.” She was smiling. That was also something I hadn’t expected.
“We? Dad was too?”
“Yes. He misses you. We both do.”
“You have a funny way of showing it.” I followed her into the living room. I wasn’t going to let the initial response get me too comfortable. I was positive my dad wasn’t going to be quite so welcoming.
“You know we love you. We both care about you, but we just don’t understand your decisions.”
“I was trying to help a friend.”
“We understand that one. But taking the fall? Refusing to transfer schools?”
“It was the principle. The dean wouldn’t listen to reason.”
“And we respect that.” Dad walked into the room. “You felt duty bound to protect a friend, but sometimes in life you have to think about yourself too. About your own future.”
“I do think about my future.”
“And what are your plans then? You can’t mean to spend the rest of your life working here.” Dad wasn’t smiling. I wasn’t surprised.
“I was thinking of looking at some other schools.”
“Oh really? That’s news.”
“I’ve had the chance to do some thinking.” I needed to find a way to give Savy what she deserved.
“And those other schools wouldn’t happen to be located in South Carolina, would they?” he asked.
“Uh, what makes you say that?”
“Layden Fells may have mentioned you have been spending time with Savy again.” His expression was unreadable, so I decided to tread lightly.
“Yes. I have.”
“She’s a lovely girl.” Mom’s expression was very readable. She loved Savy, and she wasn’t hiding it.
“She is.” I smiled. I couldn’t help it. Savy wanted to be with me, and that thought made everything else seem inconsequential.
Dad’s lips twisted up into a smile. “I’m sure the admissions office at Harrison would consider a transfer application for next fall. If you need our help with it just let us know.”
I wasn’t sure what to make of their reaction. What happened to the angry rants of a few months before? Had the fact that I hadn’t come crawling back to them for money and help worked? Did they understand I was going to have to find my own way? “Thanks. I’ll keep you posted.”