“I’ll ask. Let me drop my stuff in my room, change clothes, and call her.”
“No problem. Julia Stiles and Heath Ledger aren’t going anywhere.”
For the first time, I notice she’s watching 10 Things I Hate About You, for probably the hundredth time; it’s her self-comfort I’m-so-depressed-I-hate-my-life movie. Mine is currently Pitch Perfect. But I like this one, too.
I rush to my room, close the door behind me, then text Shane. Abort, abort! My aunt’s staying here this weekend.
Shane: Shit.
Me: I know, right?
Shane: Do you still want me to come over?
Me: No. She needs me to hang out with her this weekend. I’m sorry.
Shane: It’s cool. Maybe I’ll call Jace.
Me: You got his number? I thought you don’t play well with others.
Shane: I’m trying.
This is where I wish I was brave enough to key I love you. But I’d never send it before saying it in person. I should tell him … at the right moment. And it’s too soon. How long have we actually been together? Maybe two months. That’s definitely too fast. I’ll scare him.
Me: See you Monday. Miss you.
Shane: You too, Princess.
Then I actually call Lila, so she knows it’s important. She picks up on the third ring. “This is retro. Why didn’t you text me?”
“Change of plans. You want to spend the weekend with us instead?”
“Oh, snap. What happened?”
I explain about Joe, strep, and how my aunt now has epic sad-face. “So now we’re gonna watch movies endlessly and eat chocolate. I can’t promise my aunt will shower. Hopefully by Sunday.”
“God, what would she do if he broke up with her?”
“I have no idea.”
And it kind of scares me because Aunt Gabby is my rock. Joe might have the power to break her heart, which makes me want to ride my bike across town and stand under his window yelling at him, even if he’s sick. I restrain the impulse like I always do.
But I have to defend her. My aunt isn’t the type to lose it over a guy. “She hasn’t taken a vacation in years. She’s just disappointed.”
“Yeah, I’d be bummed, too, especially if I bought new clothes to wear.”
“She did.”
“Then I get it. Hang on, let me ask my mom.”
I hear snippets of their conversation, then Lila comes back. “She wants to talk to your aunt to make sure it’s okay with her, and that the whole weekend isn’t too long.”
“And make sure we’ll be adequately supervised,” I guess.
“You know my mother so well.”
Moving down the hall as we talk, I gesture for my aunt to pause the movie. “Mrs. Tremaine wants to speak with you.”
“Oh. No problem.” I hand her the phone. “Yes? Okay, Lila.” Then a few seconds later, “Yes, this is Gabby. No, it’s no trouble at all. In fact, it was my idea. We’d love to have Lila over for a girls’ weekend. She’s so much fun, so great to be around.” Then she pauses, listening. “All right, drop her off around seven. Sounds fine. I can bring her home on Sunday. All handled,” she adds, returning my cell.
“You are a joy,” I tell Lila when she comes back.
“My mom thinks there’s an alien running my body now. The sad part is, I think she likes the parasite better than the old me.”
“You’re still you. See you later.”
I disconnect, put away my school stuff, and change clothes. Then I join my aunt for an orgy of sweets and feel-good movies. It turns out to be a really fun weekend, even more so after Lila arrives. By the time she leaves on Sunday, my aunt is in a better mood, and I’m not totally sorry things worked out like this. I mean, I wanted Shane here. But girl time was fun, too.