page8 (1/2)
“Thanks, Sutton You’re the best sister ever ”
“Da, and then squeeze hihter
I watchwork truck, then wave at them as they pull out of my driveway They have at least a thirty-minute drive ahead of them to make it to their little abode across town, and I have a kitchen to clean up
Walking back intoGlenn fly over thethis to be his best birthday ever Amped up on his joy, I tackle the dishes and wipe down the counters, reive a quick sith rade project—and finish e out
Finally, I’non and pad into the living roo a small sip of my wine, I set it on the coffee table and flop down onto the big, fluffy cushions ofinto its comfort, I take a moment to appreciate the pale blue walls I painted myself and admire how they co serenity My eyes roaraphs—so on the walls, and still more swamp the mantel of the fireplace These are pictures of all the people who are most important inroom” but a “family room ”
Kicking my feet up onto the couch, I study my toenails, which I just painted a steel blue color the other day In fact, I notice with lazy interest, they sort of match my couch, which is done in a floral pattern of blues and yellows While I have to wear professional clothes during the day, I like getting by with touches of crazy that can’t be seen while I’m in counselor mode So that erie, neither of which is seen by anyone but me at the current time Not that I mind
Iwhat Brandon would think of my blue nail polish I’ that it’s not professional
Sighing, I lean ainst the couch pillow and close ht At least, I think it’s a date I meant to clarify that with hiot because I had gotten sidetracked during the conversation by his natural charm
“Sutton?” I had heard Brandon’s voice when I answered my phone, a tad tentative but clear as a bell
“Brandon? Is that you?” I asked in disbelief, because in a million years I had not expected his call
“Yes,” he said exuberantly “I atching our ht before I went to bed, and it ic, so I told ive you a call and check in on you ”
Our ic for me?
“So, tell edyou, I’m sure you’ve been extremely successful ”
I can’t lie…his words of pride and confidence in ot me sidetracked The way he sounded so happy to hearabouta ness, and we chatted away like old friends
Yes, we had pro about this and that, and all the things that each of us had been doing over the last year while we had been apart
Yes, apart
Brandon had been the love of ht We e at N C State University in a roup that he helped tutor He was in the engineering program and was pretty freakin’ brilliant when it cay—and I basically sucked at math
It took less than two ood friend to boyfriend to lover We clicked right off the bat and spent a lot of ti er the more time we spent with each other
By our sopho plans to spend the rest of our lives together He was everything I had desired in a boyfriend and potential husband S, considerate, attentive, successful, upstanding…all the things antithetical to my birth dad
The list could go on and on Brandon waslist of commendable virtues and it was just so easy to love hi commendable and lovable
Now, I’d heard of the old “I want to soild oats” speech before Even h it I just never thought I’d be the one to get it, though And Brandon, when he laid it out to me—told me he wanted to be with other wo reement with him by the time he was finished
“Sutton…I a you this ere the first words Brandon said after he duently in his hands so I would look at him and he could look back at me
So I could gauge the truthfulness of his words
“I love and respect you too o behind your back, so I want to be honest with you as to why I’ this ”
“Did I do so his eyes for the reason behind his crazy actions
“God, no,” he said, with such ferocity in his voice and conviction in his eyes I had no choice but to believe hiularlyI’ve ever done, and I’rets, but I can’t keep going forith you when I have these doubts and these curiosities ”