by Jill Knapp
Hayden laughed and put his arm around me. “I was going to see if you wanted to come down to Florida for the weekend, and spend the holiday with me and my family. I know Gainesville isn’t exactly Miami, but it will be warm there. And we can still treat it like a mini-vacation.”
Suddenly, the room felt very warm, despite the barely working heat. I put down my coffee cup, which now felt burning hot, and scooted over a bit on the couch.
“It wouldn’t be fair to my family,” I muttered, twisting a curl through my fingers. “I see them so infrequently.”
Hayden had a slightly pained look on his face. I could tell he was hoping for a more positive response.
“It’s not a problem,” he smiled through sad eyes.
“Are you sure?” I asked. I was worried he would take it as a blow-off.
“Of course,” he kissed my hand. “So what do you want to do today?”
I was glad for the change of subject. “How about we finish our coffees and then go somewhere for brunch?”
“Sounds great.”
I offered him a kiss and leaned back into him. I didn’t know what I was doing. The truth was, my parents probably wouldn’t mind if I didn’t go home for Thanksgiving, but Hayden and I weren’t even officially a couple. Completely on my part, not his. Going all the way to Florida for a big national holiday seemed like a bit much. Hayden stroked my hair as we sat in silence for a few moments. I felt my heartbeat return to normal, and reached for my coffee, which was now the perfect temperature. As soon as I felt at ease, an unwanted thought crept into my mind. I wish I could block these questions out, but they always seem to seep through at the most unexpected moments. As I leaned against my perfect guy I couldn’t stop myself from wondering, what were Michael’s plans for Thanksgiving?
As the final leaves fell, the holiday approached and I found myself once again riding the ferry home to Staten Island. The ride was always the same length, 25 minutes long, but each time I took it I swore it had gotten longer. Even with the newest Sara Shepard book in hand, I found it hard to relax. Hayden had left to go back to Gainesville two days before, boarding an early-morning flight. I spent a lot of time thinking about him when he left. We still weren’t in a relationship, and he hadn’t even brought it up again since my birthday over a month ago. I knew the ball was entirely in my court, and as I let my mind drift it kept coming back around to Michael. He was dating Angela, but not really. I was dating Hayden, but I couldn’t commit. I really cared about Hayden, so why did I keep thinking about Michael?
I leaned back against the hard seat on the boat and decided to pop on my earphones instead of reading.
Twenty-five endless minutes and four Mumford & Sons songs later, the ferry docked and I saw my brother waving at me inside the terminal.
“Howdy,” I smiled. “Long time no see.”
“I know,” he said, helping me with my overnight bag. “But frankly, I’m kind of sick of you.”
He was obviously joking, but I still offered him my best eye-roll. “Apparently you’re not the only one,” I grimaced.
“What do you mean?”
I gave him a sideways look. “Cassandra.”
I hadn’t seen Cassandra since her brief pop-in at my birthday get-together. I had invited her to take the ferry back into Staten Island with me, assuming she would be seeing her family for Thanksgiving.
She never called me back.
He shook his head and we headed toward his car. “Who the hell knows what’s going on with that girl? Even her Twitter has been completely untouched for the past two weeks.”
“Okay, that’s a sign of trouble. When I get back to the city I have to try and sit her down and find out why she’s acting like this,” I said.
“Do you think it’s something serious?”
“Yeah, she’s seriously obsessed with her job and making money. To the point where she’s completely alienated her best friend.”
Aaron slid into the driver’s seat. “It’s her loss,” he offered.
“Anyway, thanks for picking me up,” I said, changing the subject. “It was either that or brace myself for the Staten Island Rail Road.”
“No sister of mine is going to risk a mugging on Thanksgiving!” he said. “Besides, this car is technically yours.”
I mindlessly flipped through the radio stations on the way home and Aaron chatted my ear off about college, wanting to go back to his internship in Manhattan after the school year was over, and the girl he met at my birthday.
“I got her number, but I did sort of run out on her after the fight broke out,” he explained.
Fifteen minutes later we pulled up to my parents’ house. The second I closed the car door, I was greeted by my father in a frenzy.
“Amalia,” my dad came rushing out of the house. “Is everything okay between you and Hayden?”
I looked at my brother, who just shrugged.
“Yes,” I stammered. “Why?” I closed the car door and crossed my arms.
My dad put his arm around me and whispered in my ear. “Well, you know your mother told me that he’s not coming for Thanksgiving.” He started walking me toward the front door.
“That’s right,” I said in full volume, not sure why he was whispering. “He’s in Florida with his own annoying family.”
I walked into the house and was immediately hit with the scent of turkey, cornbread, and fresh cranberries. My mouth filled with water. I hadn’t had a home-cooked meal since Nick and I were dating. The idea of signing up for couple of cooking classes came to mind as a Christmas present for Hayden. Even though we weren’t “officially” in a relationship, there was no reason we couldn’t still do something fun for the two of us.
“You see, Amalia,” my dad continued, his arm still around my shoulders. “It would just be a shame if the two of you broke up. You know, without knowing if you were both truly compatible. It could have been a mistake to let him go.”
“What are you talking about?” I wasn’t home for ten seconds and I was already being ambushed by one overbearing parent. Just listening to this line of random questioning from my father reminded me why I opted to pay so much money for my apartment in the West Village last year.
“Amalia? Is that you?” my mom shouted from the kitchen.
“Yeah, it’s me!” I took a step forward to sneak some food, but my dad stopped me.
“I’m talking about how to know if someone is really right for you, Amalia,” my dad led me to the couch, ignoring my mother. Aaron plopped down on the chair across from us, folded his hands in his lap and smiled. He was clearly enjoying this.
“We aren’t in a relationship, Dad, we are still just in the dating phase.”
“Good!” my dad jumped up, nearly knocking over a turkey-shaped display dish in the process, and ran over to a small desk in the corner of the living room. “Then there’s still time.”
“What are you talking about? Still time for-” but I stopped myself. I knew exactly what he was talking about. I snapped my head over to Aaron, who was barely holding it together at this point. I turned back to my father, who was rifling through papers. “Dad, no.”
It was too late, he had already found it and was now holding it in his hand like a prize. Freshly printed off the computer this morning was the Test. The stupid, invasive, borderline harassing test that my father had come up with to give my high-school boyfriends to make sure they were good enough for me. I pressed my lips into a straight line and wondered what time the next ferry back to Manhattan was.
“You see, Amalia,” he reached into his coat pocket for his glasses. “It’s very important that you get certain questions out of the way when you first meet someone. It’s only a precaution, to see if you’re compatible. Just simple questions like ‘Where did you go to college?’ and ‘What’s your credit score?’ You know, nothing too invasive.”
“Is that so?” I snatched the paper, excuse me papers, out of my father’s hand, flipped to page number 5 and read aloud from it. “Questi
on number 46- have you in the past, or would you ever in the future donate a kidney?” I placed the stack of papers in my lap and looked up at my father. “How exactly is knowing the answer to that going to help me in my relationship?”
“It shows that he would donate a kidney for you if you needed one!” my father defended. “And if he already gave one up, you know to kick him to the curb because-”
“Because he doesn’t have any viable organs to give me?” I cut him off.
My father just glared at me. “I’ll admit, that one’s a little extreme,” he offered.
I flipped back to page 3. “Question number 27- if you were forced to kill one member of your family, or be killed yourself, who would you choose and why?”
My dad just stared at me. Completely still, unflappable. The sound of my mother setting the table in the next room was the only thing we heard for a few seconds.
“Just take it home with you,” he said. “Show it Hayden.”
“I’m going to get a drink,” I stood up and walked into the kitchen.
“I’m coming with you,” Aaron followed, tears from laughing running down his face. “Happy Thanksgiving, sis!”
I shook my head and sat down at the kitchen table. My mother was wearing pearl earrings, a geometric-patterned apron, a knee-length dress with sheer stockings, and her blonde hair pulled back into a tight ponytail. She handed me a can of diet soda and smiled. Not exactly the kind of drink I had in mind.
“Why are you dressed like an extra on Mad Men?” I asked her.
“It’s a holiday, Amalia,” she said while looking my own outfit up and down. I was wearing jeans and a blouse. I guess I could have put on a dress, but it was already pretty cold in November and being on the ferry only made it more unbearable. “Most people get dressed up.”
Aaron, who was also wearing jeans, sat next to me and my mother sat down on the other side of him. My dad, still standing, began to carve the turkey.
“Now doesn’t that smell delicious?” my dad smiled. “And don’t you kids worry, we made extra stuffing this year.”
Aaron, still laughing, just shook his head.
“Now,” my mother said, folding her hands in her lap. “Who wants to say what they’re thankful for?”
I grimaced and pointed toward Aaron.
“Amalia,” my mother smiled. “Why don’t you begin?”
My brother leaned over to me and whispered, “I bet you’re wishing you had gone to Florida with Hayden right about now.”
I smiled and tried to think of something polite to say to my parents, all the while thinking that I was really thankful for the fact that I would only have to spend one night with them.
Chapter 26
Olivia
“I already told you why I don’t want to do anything for New Year’s Eve,” I said, flipping through my Social Psychology notes. “It’s lame, it’s cold, and it’s extremely overpriced.”
Alex just stared at me like I had grown a fifth head.
“Look, I know you like to party and soak in all that New York City has to offer every chance you get, but please don’t make me go out this year on New Year’s Eve. If you want to go out with Michael and Angela to whatever club they’re hitting up, I don’t mind. Just please let me stay home.”
The winter had flown by and it was already the middle of December, downright late to most New Yorkers to start making plans for New Year’s Eve. No one understood why I hated this holiday. It was just so over-hyped. And especially in a city that is already so pumped up on self- ingratiating pomp and circumstance, I honestly would rather spend the night with a glass of wine in a bubble bath. That was, if I had a bathtub. A glass of wine in my stand-up shower would just be plain gross.
“Even Amalia wants to go out,” Alex said, practically whining. He was pacing back in forth in my apartment. “And she hates all of this shit. Come on, just give me a little something.”
I was holding my ground. Every year my friends dragged me out to some bar or club on New Year’s and I spent the entire night miserable, and the entire next day throwing up.
“We’re not even up to Christmas yet and you’re already planning New Year’s Eve?”
“What can I say?” he said. “I like to get a jump-start on things. Plus we’re both just staying here for Christmas. It’s going to be completely lame.”
I lowered my notes and shot him a look.
“I mean romantic,” he stammered.
I shook my head and let out a snort. “Didn’t you get enough excitement spending Thanksgiving with my dad in Rhode Island?”
“No.” he said. “Don’t get me wrong. The food was delicious and I love your father and fall foliage, but this is New Year’s Eve, baby!”
“I’ll tell you what,” I said, pressing my hands into my temples. “We can go out to dinner, but that’s it. Please?”
Alex stopped pacing and sat down next to me. He let out a soft sigh and began to rub my shoulders. A good distraction technique.
“You drive a hard deal, Miss Davis. But I believe we can come to a compromise,” he said, brushing my brown hair off of my back to get better access to my shoulders.
“What deal would that be?”
“We can go out to dinner, anywhere you’d like. Even if it happens to be McDonalds. But after dinner, instead of coming straight home, we get a suite at the Mandarin Oriental hotel overlooking the park.”
Now I couldn’t possibly say no to that. The Mandarin Oriental Hotel was located in Columbus Circle. It was one of the nicest hotels in the entire city, and it claimed the best views of Central Park to boot. But I didn’t want Alex to know he had won me over so quickly. I sat in silence for a moment, pretending to think it over.
“Okay,” I said, throwing my hands up. “You’ve twisted my arm!”
Alex stood up and took an over-the-top bow. I laughed and pulled on his shirt until he was low enough to kiss me.
“Thank you,” he said. “I promise you, you won’t regret it.”
“Well, if you’re finished, can I get back to studying now?” I held up my notebook. “You know, our final is in two days.”
“Man, this semester just flew by,” he reached for his textbook and sat back down. “I think I’ll join you.”
“Dr. Greenfield said that since I applied to his research program late, my acceptance is contingent upon my grade on the final exam,” I made a pouty face.
“What does your grade have to be?”
“At least an A-,” I sighed.
“And the program doesn’t begin until next semester, correct?”
“That’s what he said,” I shrugged. “So plenty of time to worry about it over winter break.”
He rubbed my back a bit. “You’re going to be great.”
I wasn’t sure if he was trying to distract me again, but either way I was fully incapable of looking at my books any longer.
“I’m so glad we’re back together,” I said, pulling him in for another kiss. Everything had been going perfectly since Alex and I got back together last month. Now if I could just get through this final exam, I’d be floating on air.
He put my face in both of his hands and looked deep into my eyes. I felt the warm rush of love wash over me as he kissed me again. Slowly this time.
“We’ll never be apart again,” he whispered.
“I love you,” I said, dropping my book to the floor.
“I thought you had to study?” he murmured in my ear. Then moved onto kissing it.
“Forget that,” I jumped into his lap. With one swift movement he lifted me up and carried me into the bedroom.
“Oh yeah,” he said, as he lightly placed me on my bed. “I am so glad we are back together.”
Chapter 28
Amalia
I let out a deep sigh as I handed my test booklet to the T.A. There was a mixture of reactions among the cohort. Some students were smiling, obviously confident that they had aced Dr. Greenfield’s final exam. Others were just staring at the floor
in front of them, every so often mumbling incoherently.
I noticed Olivia wink at Alex, so I assumed she did well. The two of them had been in their own little world since they had gotten back together. I was happy for them; they deserved it.
“I hate this place,” I mumbled under my breath. “Stupid final.”
As I walked out of the classroom, Michael slowly jogged up to me and tapped me on the shoulder.
“How’d you do?” he asked, walking out with me.
I spun around and knocked my bag into him.
“I’m sorry!” I said, scrambling to make sure he was okay, while really hoping he hadn’t just heard me talking to myself. Although Michael and I had agreed to be friends, we weren’t really doing a bang-up job of it. Apart from class, we never saw each other.
“It’s okay. I’m fine!” he laughed, putting his arms on my shoulders to straighten me out. “So what did you think of the exam?”
“I think I got a solid B.”
“Could be worse,” he shrugged. We continued to walk through the hallway. I spotted two girls from my class in the corner crying. “And just think, Social Psych is over and you never have to see Dr. Greenfield’s face again.”
I laughed. “That would be true except I was accepted into his research-study program. So starting in February, I’ll be seeing him all of the time.”
Michael stopped me just as we exited onto the street. The cold wind immediately slapped us in the face.
“I didn’t know you were officially accepted,” he smiled widely. “That’s great news. Congratulations.”
A couple of students from class turned and looked at us. For the first time ever, Michael was being loud.
“Thanks!” I said. I knew it was good news, but somehow hearing it from Michael made it seem more important.
“Who else got accepted?” he buttoned up his pea coat.
“Well, like he said. There’s only three spots available. There’s me, probably Olivia, and someone named August.”