The Rift In Our Reality: A Sweet Young Adult Romance

by Amy Proebstel

  ~~~~~~~~~~~~

  Matt left early on the day my family was set to arrive back home. He decided to make himself scarce, but that only made me like him more. I already missed him, but I was also excited about the family reunion. With everything that had happened with Matt while they were gone, I desperately needed to talk to Julia about it.

  Maybe he was afraid of what my parents would think of him hanging around while they weren’t here. I guess there might be something to that. Although, Hunter had spent almost every moment with us, so I was never in any danger.

  Not that I ever thought I would be, but I’m sure my mom would come to that conclusion straight off. Or maybe that would be Dad’s role since Matt’s of an age where he could ask me out. Just thinking along those lines made me feel tingly inside, like butterflies fluttering in my stomach.

  When I heard the front door opening, I was surprised. Not that they were coming home, but that they were earlier than they normally arrived home. Usually, it would be after dark, but this time it was only mid-afternoon. I left my room to investigate.

  The first thing I heard was Julia’s happy squeal at seeing me. I knew she’d be rushing over for a hug and braced myself for the impact. Holding out my arms, I grinned in welcome. Once her arms were around me, I said, “I’ve got so much to talk to you about.”

  “It’s gonna have to wait. We’ve got the best surprise for you! Come outside. Hurry!”

  “Outside? What’s going on, Julia?”

  Julia grabbed my arm, propelling me through the living room and out the front door. I don’t think I’ve ever seen her this animated. Well, except for the time Ross proposed to her. I couldn’t imagine what would get her so enthusiastic, but I was soon to find out.

  Something wet pushed itself against my palm. I jerked my hand away, shocked that nobody had warned me. Then I noticed the silence. It was like they were waiting for my reaction. “What’s going on?” I asked, but everyone remained silent.

  Then I felt the furry body pushing itself against my legs. I heard the panting of a large dog. It hit me all at once. This was the dog I’d been asking for! “Is this what I think it is? Is it a seeing-eye dog?”

  I knelt, my hands brushing along the warm fur as I went. Soon enough the dog began licking my neck and cheek. The rush of emotions rendered me speechless, and I felt tears of joy falling down my cheeks.

  “Do you like him?” Mom asked, her voice breathless.

  “Him? It’s a boy? What’s his name?”

  “Charlie,” Dad answered, his voice coming from directly across the dog from me.

  “Is Charlie really mine?” I wanted to make sure I was getting this right. If he were only going to be the family dog, then I needed to get my emotions in check.

  “He’s all yours, baby. We picked him up from a trainer in Northern California. He’s been working with Charlie to teach him how to take care of your special needs. Now, he’s not a registered service dog, but he will do everything you need.”

  I didn’t need to hear anything beyond that he’s mine. I’d done enough research to know why they wouldn’t want a registered service dog. Not to mention the fact I’d overheard their hushed conversations on how hard it’d be for the family to have to give him up. If anything were to happen to me, then the dog would get reassigned to another blind person. My parents would want the ability to keep the dog as a reminder of me.

  “I already love him.” My hands went around the dog as I pulled him closer to me while I hugged him. He was the perfect size. “Tell me about him! I want to know everything you know about him.”

  Mom took up the storytelling, probably because she knew Dad wouldn’t give me enough details to satisfy my every need. “He was surrendered to the trainer from a family who had allergies. They loved him for his first year but had to give him up. Chris, the trainer, has been working with him for many months.

  “When we contacted him, we told him what you were like, and he thought he had the perfect plan. I hope you don’t mind we sent him your Mr. Octopus so Charlie would recognize your scent. We brought it back with us.”

  “I wondered what happened to him. Remember, I asked you if you’d seen it. I can’t believe you lied to me!” I grinned at my mom’s duplicity, yet I really couldn’t care less about the loss of my stuffed animal if it meant I could have a real-live one in its place.

  “All for a good cause, Haley.”

  “I’m just teasing you, Mom. I knew you and Julia were up to something. I even asked her about it the night before you all left.”

  Juila chuckled and said, “And I remember telling you that you’re too perceptive for your own good. I so wanted to tell you about Charlie, but we all agreed you should meet him first. If the two of you didn’t get along, then we didn’t want you to get your hopes up.”

  I couldn’t imagine a dog I wouldn’t like. He felt so similar to the dogs we used to have. I hugged him closer to me, thinking about the Labradors we’d had when I was little. They were the best companions, bringing me so much peace during those scary times while I was rapidly losing my sight. I’m sure Charlie’s fur was getting quite wet with all the tears I kept producing from sheer joy.

  “So, Charlie here,” Mom continued, and I could feel her hands caressing Charlie’s back as she spoke, “he’s trained in walking with someone with vision impairment. He’s also been trained to lead you while you ride a bike.”

  “What? I haven’t ridden in years!”

  “Well, that’s another thing we’ve been looking into. It seems, there’ve been studies done with Parkinson’s patients who have maintained better mental health if they ride a standard bike.”

  “So you want me to give it a try? Where? I mean, the road out front isn’t really ideal since there aren’t any sidewalks.”

  I couldn’t believe Mom was suggesting this. I thought she wanted to keep me safely wrapped up in ribbons here at home. Now she wanted me to ride a bike? What happened to my mom while they were on this trip?

  “No, we were thinking of going to a nearby park. At least say you’ll give it a try.”

  “Definitely! I want to do everything with Charlie. At least I won’t have to worry about him walking me into any poles. Huh, Dad?” I couldn’t help the mischievous dig at my dad.

  “Hey, I only did that once. Okay, maybe twice.”

  “Try three times. That last time, I had a goose egg on my forehead for school pictures.”

  “That was when you were in the fourth grade. You can’t hold that against me forever.”

  “Nope. Definitely not now that you’ve made up for it with a properly trained dog. I forgive you, Dad.” I kissed Charlie’s neck and breathed in his uniquely spicy scent. He certainly didn’t smell like our dogs used to.

  “You’re too kind.” Dad chuckled good-naturedly.

  “He feels big. What kind of dog is he?” I asked Mom.

  “He’s a golden lab.”

  “I knew it!”

  Mom continued, “He’s going to be two years old on August twenty-third.”

  “Are you kidding? That’s my birthday.”

  “I know, right? When I heard that, I just knew he was meant to be yours.”

  I brought my hand up until I found Mom’s. I pulled it away from the dog and placed it against my cheek. “Thank you so much, Mom. I know what this means for you, and I appreciate your gesture.”

  “I know you’ve wanted more freedom for quite some time. I just had to be sure we found the right companion for you. When I saw Charlie’s picture, I just knew he was the one. Now, seeing him with you, we were absolutely right.”

  “Come on, Haley. Let’s show you what Charlie already knows. Your world is about to get so much bigger!” Dad’s voice beamed with pride.

  “I’m ready to learn!” I stood up, waiting expectantly, not knowing what to do next.

  Mom placed Charlie’s leash in my hand. She was letting me go. Already I felt different. Today marked the first day of my independence. I was going to be able
to go everywhere with Charlie as my guide and protector.

  No longer would I have to argue with my parents about not wanting to use a cane. Nobody would look at me like I was a freak if I were just walking with a dog. I could easily pretend I was just like everybody else my age.

  I could hardly wait to show him off to Matt. Just thinking about Matt’s absence made me realize how much I missed sharing this moment with him. But there was always tomorrow.

  Chapter Eight

  I KNEW THIS was going to be a hard day. How do I convince my best friend, who is also in love with me, that I’m happily starting a relationship with another guy? During the week that Jackson’s family was off to Disneyland on vacation, it was easy to push aside the anxiety I knew I’d have when he got back home.

  Sure enough, Jackson’s first stop was my house. Jackson’s initial reaction and introduction to Charlie had been a perfect excuse for me to delay the inevitable. We spent most of the afternoon outside in the sunshine. I kept expecting Matt to walk over, as he usually did, but we remained uninterrupted.

  Then came the fun part of Jackson’s visit. As usual, he came laden with gifts he’d picked up for me at the theme park. Way to make me feel even guiltier, Jackson!

  Usually, I’m thrilled to receive the trinkets because he always picks the coolest gifts. I’m sure he drove all the salespeople crazy because he insisted on feeling, smelling, or hearing everything before he bought it. Jackson’s just thoughtful like that; he always wants to bring me a sensory experience beyond what others can see.

  Still, I had to tell him the truth as soon as I had a good opening, but I hated the idea of hurting Jackson’s feelings. My fingers played with the edges of my necklace as I waited for the right time to bring up Matt.

  My nervous gesture must have tipped off Jackson, because he stopped mid-sentence and asked, “What’s bothering you, Haley?”

  Immediately my hand dropped from the pendant as if I’d been called out by a teacher for talking in class. I’m sure I looked completely guilty, but I tried to play it off cool. Obviously, I’m not very convincing because Jackson wasn’t having any of it.

  “Don’t try to avoid the question, Haley. I know you better than any other person alive. You’re hiding something from me. If you don’t start talking, then I’m going to take these gifts back home with me right now.”

  I could feel Jackson picking up the little music box from where it rested on my knee. My hand shot out and captured his wrist, a lucky shot on my part. “I’m sorry, Jackson. I just don’t know how to bring it up. I don’t want to hurt you.”

  The silence lingered between us for a few tense seconds. Then Jackson sighed, and I felt his hand release the music box and come to rest on my knee. I dreaded what was going to come next.

  “So you’re seeing that guy who was talking with you outside the meeting, huh?”

  “What? How’d you guess?”

  “Well, I could say I’m just that good, but in reality, Hunter already told me about him.”

  “Seriously?! Why would Hunter tell you about him?”

  “Don’t worry; he wasn’t tattling on you. He just happened to mention something about your new neighbor who also enjoys making videos. He suggested we get together to come up with a new project to work on this summer.”

  “So, you’re not mad at me?”

  Jackson coughed lightly as if he were trying to collect himself before answering. “No. I could never be mad at you. Besides, Hunter said he’s a really cool guy, and the two of you have fun together. I wouldn’t ever want to get in the way of your happiness.”

  I don’t know what I ever did to get such an amazing best friend, but he said all the right things. Before I could control myself, I flung my arms around him and hugged him close. Luckily he was used to my spontaneous gestures of affection, so he just went with it.

  Later, I’d think back on this and wonder how much it hurt him to see me so happy with someone other than himself. I couldn’t help whom my heart chose to fall for. I’m just thankful I didn’t have to choose between my best friend and my budding relationship.

  I pulled away, and asked, “Do you want to walk over to his house and meet him?”

  “Sure,” Jackson answered brightly, maybe a touch too enthusiastically.

  I only heard the agreement; I didn’t want to hear anything else. In an instant, my excitement returned, pushing my introspective self into the far reaches of my mind. How much better could today get?

  My best friend and my…I don’t really know what to call him. Well, I’ll just go with what my heart dictates. My best friend and my boyfriend were going to become good friends because of me. We were going to have the best summer ever.

  As soon as my feet touched the carpet, I felt Charlie push his body against my legs. His training proved impeccable for anticipating my needs. One hand went down to locate his collar while my other found the leash on the nightstand so I could snap the two together. I’m sure that in no time at all, this action would become second nature.

  Within seconds, I was standing and ready to head out. “Let’s go,” I announced brightly, already anticipating and slightly dreading the introductions. This had to go well because I didn’t have a plan B.

  Having already walked together all over my own yard, it was a simple matter to stick to the driveway until we reached the road. I turned to the left and felt Charlie shift, so he kept his body between me and the road.

  I felt a thrill of excitement at the idea of having the freedom to leave without the worry of walking into traffic. Charlie was the perfect companion, his stride keeping in perfect time with my own. After walking a couple of hundred feet, I realized I had no idea how much farther it was to Matt’s house.

  “Jackson?” I’m sure my voice sounded as concerned as I suddenly felt.

  “Yeah?”

  “I don’t really know how to direct Charlie to go to Matt’s house. I’ve never actually been there. Can you lead the way?”

  Jackson chuckled even as he placed my hand on his arm. This was our usual way of walking together, and it suddenly felt right to return to what I’d known for so long. I didn’t need to be independent around Jackson; he never made me feel disabled. “I’m glad to know I haven’t been rendered completely useless.”

  “Never, Jackson. I’m always going to need you by my side. We’re inseparable, remember?”

  “I’m glad you still think so. I was starting to get worried.”

  My steps faltered, and I pulled Jackson to a stop before we went any farther. “I’m serious, Jackson. I may be starting a relationship with Matt, but that doesn’t change what I feel for you. You’ve always been my best friend, and I don’t want anything to change that. Please tell me you agree.”

  “Definitely, Haley. C’mon, let’s get the introductions over. Besides, it’s not like I haven’t already met him.” Jackson resumed walking.

  His words came out cheerfully, but I could hear the strain in them. He was only doing this because I had asked it of him. It may have been wishful thinking on my part, but I hoped everything I said about our friendship would always be true.

  We turned into Matt’s driveway, and I felt Jackson’s hesitation. Deciding to try to lighten the mood, I teased, “What’s wrong, Jackson? Are you getting cold feet?”

  Without responding, Jackson started jogging, forcing me to match his pace or get left alone. He’d never acted like this before, and it started to scare me. As suddenly as he started running, he stopped dead in his tracks. I fully bumped into him and almost fell down.

  “Something’s not right, Haley. Stay here!”

  He forcefully moved my hand off of him and left me standing in the middle of the driveway. I could hear his feet crunching on the loose gravel as he approached the house. Terror filled me as I imagined all sorts of nefarious scenarios which I was actually unable to see. The unknown was killing me. “What’s going on, Jackson? Talk to me!”

  “Just wait right there, Haley. I mean it. Don’t mov
e.”

  I could feel my limbs start to shake as fear began to overwhelm me. Never in all my imagination could I imagine this meeting going in this direction. There was a reason I didn’t watch scary movies, and I certainly didn’t want to be participating in something scary in real life. I could hear Jackson calling out from a distance, but it wasn’t directed toward me, but the occupants of the house.

  Just when I was about to start to really panic, I heard Jackson’s heavy breathing and his feet pounding on the gravel coming toward me. At least, I hoped it was him. “Jackson?” I called out.

  Relief coursed through me when he spoke.

  “Yeah, it’s me. Look, Haley, I think something bad must’ve happened.”

  “Why?”

  “Well, the front door’s hanging open. There aren’t any cars in the driveway, and I just went through the entire house, and there’s nobody home.”

  “What do you mean, nobody’s home? Why was the front door open? Should we call the police?”

  “No, I don’t think anyone entered the house. It looked more like they all left in a hurry.”

  “But that doesn’t make any sense. Where would they go? Is there stuff still in the house, or did they take everything with them?” I could feel a lead weight on my heart. Could it be possible the Dietrich family decided to move away? Why wouldn’t Matt have told me? Was he gone from my life before I even got the chance to say goodbye?

  “No, their stuff was all still there. Do you have your phone? Maybe we should call the authorities?” Jackson’s hand touched my shoulder, his familiarity already starting to calm me from my worst fears, even though I was still worried.

  I dug in my pants pocket and pulled out my phone. Handing it over to him, I realized I should have heard from Matt before now. How come I hadn’t thought to call him? I know I’d been preoccupied with training Charlie, but that was hardly a good excuse to ignore our budding relationship.