Expiration Dating
Page 19
“Totally.” She handed her neon-pink encased phone over.
I dialed and turned away to make the call.
“Hello?” My mother’s voice washed through the earpiece.
“Hi, Mom.”
“Dana?”
“Yes.”
“Are you? Oh, gosh.”
I tapped my foot, “Did you, uh, forget I came home today?”
“No, no.” I heard scurried movements in the background. I could imagine her gesticulating wildly toward my dad. I heard a door slam.
“No, of course we didn’t forget,” she continued. “Your dad’s on his way right now. I just thought… funny, I had it on the calendar for tomorrow.”
“Alright, well I’ll see you soon. I’m on a friend’s phone.”
“Great. Wow, glad you caught me. We were just about to head out the door to pick out some carpeting.”
“I’ll see ya soon, Mom.”
I hung up and handed the phone back to Stephanie.
“Thanks a lot,” I said.
“Sure, everything okay? Do you need a ride?”
“No, my dad’s on his way. He’s just running a little late.”
“Okay, great to see you.” I watched as she ran towards her mother’s car, wrapping her arms around her waiting family, the sign in her sibling’s hand standing out bright and clear on the yellow poster board.
Welcome home, Steph!
My dad arrived thirty minutes later and helped me put my bags into the car. His hug was better late than never, and I relished the moment as if I were a young girl again.
Turns out my mom worked fast, and by the time I got home she’d arranged a dinner with my sisters, grandparents, Sasha, Tess and Nikki. The lively chatter grew louder with each course as I filled them in on my various anecdotes and adventures; I had more to say than I expected. On the other hand, I was surprised by how little they had to say.
It was strange that their lives seemed so normal. It was like nothing had changed over the last six months except for a few more classes, a few more job hours, a few more nights at the bar. It was the oddest feeling; like I had crammed a lifetime into six months, while nobody else seemed to notice the passing of time. I longed for the friends that would understand, the friends I could talk to about the experience without having to relay a story, without trying to entertain.
In the middle of a story about Mount Etna, my American phone rang. I thought it was strange since I had just reactivated it an hour ago and hadn’t told anyone I was home yet. Everyone that I knew was at the dinner table in front of me. I excused myself and strode into the bedroom, hesitating before I looked at the screen. My heart fluttered and my pulse raced, I barely dared to hope.
I looked at the caller’s name.
Andrew.
I smiled.
THE END