Things between us had gotten so much better, too. While there still hadn’t been any light shed on what was going on with his father, it wasn’t affecting us as much as before. I decided to let him work through whatever he needed to work through on his own and I’d just be here for him when he was ready to talk.
We pulled up to Karl’s house at about 5:00pm. Deanna planned to stay there awhile to visit and then Karl would use his dad’s truck to take her home later. After he unloaded the last of their bags, they waved goodbye and I drove the short distance to my own home.
When I pulled into the driveway, Uncle Todd, Aunt Lisa and Angel were already there. Before I could even reach the door, Daddy had it open and was waiting for me with a smile on his face. He hugged me so tightly that I wheezed. I heard Mom way before I saw her; she was screaming like I’d been away for years.
“My baby!” She yelled and literally snatched me from Daddy’s grasp.
“Hey, Mom,” I said. She stood back and looked at me, assessing my appearance. “You look good. Have you been eating alright? Not too much fast food I hope.”
I rolled my eyes with a smile. “I’m fine.” She pulled me into her arms again and held me there.
“Well, let the rest of us hug the girl, too,” Aunt Lisa interjected; however, Angel grabbed me before her mother even had a chance.
“Long time no see, Cuz,” she said with a slick smile on her face, pretending like we hadn’t just seen one another at the end of August when AJ and I snuck to New York.
I laughed and reached for Aunt Lisa.
“I missed you, honey,” she said as she looked me over. It was to be expected because she hadn’t seen me since the accident.
Aunt Lisa was still staring when Angel said, “Alright, Ma. Let her go so we can go talk.”
The next thing I know, Angel pulled me upstairs by my hand and shut the door behind us. My room was so empty that I probably felt just as much like a visitor as Angel did. There were no pictures on the walls, nothing on the shelves, and the closet was almost completely empty.
Angel sat beside me on the bed and took out her phone to check a text. “What you got planned for tonight?” She asked.
A smile and casual shrug was my only response.
Angel rolled her eyes playfully. “Uh-oh. I take it you already have plans with your boo.”
“I’m supposed to meet him later. I haven’t seen him since September.”
Angel’s expression conveyed her sympathy. “Dang….that sucks.”
“Tell me about it.”
She sighed. “Well…..take plenty of condoms; you’re gonna need ‘em.”
I laughed and shoved her arm a little. “Shut up. I’m on the pill, stupid.”
“What time you leaving? You’re eating with us first, right?”
“Yeah. He’s not coming to get me until eight.”
Angel nodded distractedly as she sent off another message from her phone.
“Who you over there sexting?” I asked, leaning over to look at her screen.
She didn’t try to hide it, just laughed while I read the conversation between her and some guy named Carlos.
“Who’s he?” I asked.
Angel shrugged nonchalantly. “Just a friend from school.”
I shot her a look. “Whatever.”
“Honest. Believe it or not, it’s possible to have guy friends and not give up the booty, Sammy.”