Lend Me Your Heart

Eight

“Are you going home for Thanksgiving?” I randomly asked Zach on the Monday before Thanksgiving break while we were doing homework together in his room.

“Nah,” he said, shaking his head. “My dad isn’t really into the holidays.”

“Why not?” I asked, tilting my head to the side.

“I don’t know,” he said. “Never has been.”

I pursed my lips, looking over my book and into his blue eyes. “Well, if you want, you can come over to mine for the week.”

He looked at me and raised an eyebrow. “Are you sure your parents would be okay with that?”

I shrugged and said, “Let me call them.”

I took my phone out of my backpack and went to ‘Recent Calls’, pressing on my mom’s number. It rang three times before she picked up. “Hey sweetie!” she greeted. “I haven’t heard from you in a while.”

“I know,” I said, smiling at the sound of her voice. “I’m coming home in two days for Thanksgiving, right? You’re picking me up, aren’t you?”

“Of course. I’m up to date on your school stuff. I check the website.”

“Okay. Great. Can I ask you a huge favor?”

“It depends,” she said, sounding hesitant. “What is it?”

“I was wondering if one of my good friends could stay over for Thanksgiving break, you know, like in the guest room or something.”

“Oh! She isn’t going home to spend Thanksgiving with her family?”

I looked up at Zach and shook my head, as if my mom could see me. “No.”

“Oh. Okay. That’s kind of upsetting. Of course she can stay over. Any friend of my daughter’s is welcome in my home. What’s her name?”

“Uh,” I choked, trying to hold in my laughter, “His name is Zach.”

“O-Oh,” she stuttered. “You mean like…a boyfriend?”

I blushed, looking down and breaking Zach’s stare. “No, mom.” I reassured her. “He’s my friend.”

I knew my mom would be fine with him staying over, considering she’s waned me to make close friends since the day I was born, but that never really happened until this year. I’ll never follow in her popular footsteps, but a few good friends were all I needed to stay happy.

“Well, I guess that’s okay,” she said. “I just won’t mention it to your father or your brother until the day of. You know how they get.”

“They have nothing to worry about,” I laughed. “But thanks, mom. That’s probably a good idea.”

“Okay, honey. I’m so excited to see you and meet your friend! Make sure you keep your phone on you this week just incase anything comes up!”

“Okay, mom. Bye. I Love you.”

“I love you too. Bye, baby.”

With that I hung up, knowing she’d be waiting for me to end the call before she did, and looked back up at Zach, who was smiling hugely. “Your mom sounds nice,” he said, grinning with his teeth.

“She is.” I said. “You can stay over.”

“So I’ve heard. And your mom is keeping me a secret from your dad and your brother until the day I come over?”

“I guess so.”

“Do you really think that’s a good idea?”

“If you really want to come over to my house for Thanksgiving, I’d consider it a great idea,” I said, imagining how my father would react if he knew Zach was staying over in advance.