Angel was right. When I came out of the bathroom she was fast asleep. It was only 11:15, so I lay across my bed and turned the TV on low. At ten to two, I’d wasted enough time, so I grabbed my things and eased out into the hall. Uncle Todd was snoring loudly enough that I could’ve fallen down the stairs and no one would’ve heard it. I made it out the door and then walked swiftly down the street.
AJ and I went to our usual spot. He’d barely shut the engine off before he started removing my coat and almost everything else. The back seat was cramped, but we made it work. This was becoming our routine. At least two nights a week we were sneaking out to be together. Even the possibility of getting caught didn’t stop me. AJ had quickly become the single most important thing in my life.
When I finally looked at the clock it was nearly five in the morning. I watched him as he refastened his belt while I dressed. If I was being honest with myself, I still wanted him, but I needed to get back soon. When I finally made it inside the house it was a quarter to 6 and the sun was on its way up. I’d cut it a little closer that I’d planned, but it seemed like everyone was still asleep. I crept into my room, slid my clothes off and changed back into my pajamas, and then tiptoed to my bed and got under the covers.
My head had barely hit the pillow. “Where the heck have you been?” Angel asked in a whisper, nearly causing me to fall off the bed.
“I was just out with AJ.” I paused. “You’re not gonna tell on me are you?”
“Of course not, dummy!” Angel almost said aloud. There was a long silence that followed, and I could hear her smiling when she asked, “What were ya’ll doing?”
“Shut up and go to sleep Angel,” I said as I yawned.
“Mmm hmm. I’ll bet you are tired.”
“Goodnight!” I replied.
“Look at the window Sammy. You see that big yellow thing out there? That’s called the sun,” she said sarcastically. “That means it’s morning!”
I ignored her and fell asleep.
When I finally awoke, it was noon. Angel was gone. I heard mom and Aunt Lisa laughing downstairs. The day before Thanksgiving, they usually got started prepping the food and getting a head start on the baking. I stretched and went to the bathroom to freshen up. I walked downstairs to find Mom, Aunt Lisa and Angel all in the kitchen. Angel wasn’t helping; she just sat at the table watching. When she noticed me she smiled and raised her eyebrows. I shook my head at her as I returned the smile. I sat next to her at the table and leaned my head on her shoulder. I was still a little groggy, but I’d slept enough to function. She rubbed my hair and leaned her cheek on my head while we sat listening to Mom and Aunt Lisa talking about people that I’d never heard of. They were sharing old stories from back in the day and if I sat there much longer listening to them I’d surely fall back asleep.
“You wanna help me decorate for tomorrow?” I asked Angel.
“Sure. Right about now you could ask me to cut off my thumbs and I’d choose that over this,” she replied.
We went into the dining room where all the decorations were laid out on the table. I pulled the party stuff from the bag and Angel pretended to heave.
“What?” I asked.
“All this pink…..I think I’m gonna to toss my cookies. Please…..hurry…..put it back in the bag.”
“Whatever. Pink is pretty!”
“And what, are you turning eight? What’s with the streamers and banner anyway?”
I stared at her for a minute and we both burst out laughing.
“Are you gonna help me or not?” I asked.
“I guess, but pass me that bag in case I puke from the pink overload.”
I laughed and threw a pack of streamers at her.
We worked until about three before we stopped to take a break. “Isn’t this enough?” Angel asked. “It looks like Barbie’s freakin’ Dream House in here.”
“Yeah. I’m hungry anyway,” I replied.
We went into the kitchen to rejoin Mom and Aunt Lisa who were still preparing for dinner tomorrow. I gathered everything I needed to make Angel and I peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. She laughed to herself.
“It’s official. You are an eight year old.”