Stay ~ Applewood Series #1

18| jesse

Halfway throughout the the work day my cell phone rings from inside my desk. I check the screen to see who is calling me at this time and am surprised to see my sister's name.

Figuring I can take a break for a few minutes I answer the call. "Hey Meredith," I say.

"Hi Jess. Um, I don't have that much time since I'm in between classes right now, but I um, wanted to call to ask you a couple things?" I sag back in my chair, already knowing what is coming.

"So I know this is probably a long shot, but I was wondering if you would come down with me for Thanksgiving this year?" Meredith asks through the phone. I sigh, feeling the familiar guilt within my gut, but also the slight annoyance. She knows, and I have made it clear to her several times, that I won't be going back for as long as mom and dad continue to bother me about changing my mind to come back to the company.

"I'm sorry Mere, but I won't subject myself to that."

"What if I told them to lay off? Just for the day I'm sure they can do that. Jesse everyone misses you," she pleads but I scoff.

"I've told both of them since I left to lay off. I'm sure even if they agree to it they won't be able to help themselves." I hear her sigh and can imagine her scrubbing the side of her face.

"Well I want to see you at least one more time before the year is up. Could we meet up sometime before I go back home for winter break?" she asks.

That I can do. "Of course. What days work for you, I can take a couple days off if I need to." The line goes silent for a second. "Hello? Mere, are you there?"

"Yeah I'm still here. I um, actually wanted to ask if I could come to you this time. I would like to see where you have settled down for now. Would it be alright if I did that? My last final is on the seventh so I could be there probably by five or so. The jet to mom and dad's is the eleventh so I would leave then. My last day we could do an early birthday celebration for you." My brain freezes at her request. If I were single I would have no problem with her coming over, and even though she knows who Abby is, I'm scared shitless about her meeting my girlfriend. On the other hand, Meredith doesn't ask much of me herself. If I am not going home for the holidays with her the least I can do is invite her over to my home so she can meet everyone.

"You know what? That sounds like a good idea to me, I'll send you my address. Or do you need me to pick you up?" I ask.

"No no, I can take the high speed train into Boston and then catch a ride from the city. That would be too long of a drive to and from in a day."

"Are you sure? That's a long ride to go all alone." My sister is very intelligent, however she is also a pretty nineteen year old girl on the train from one major city to another. Meredith is technically an adult but I would be stupid to not believe she is still naive.

"Yes, I will be fine Jess. I've taken the train plenty of times to a bunch of places with other people. I would take the jet but I wouldn't want mom or dad to ask too many questions about what I would be using it for," she explains. "I'll take the train and then catch a cab set up a car rental or something to get to your place."

"Wait, don't take a car from Boston, I can get you from there. Just let me know where you are getting off at and I can meet you there with my car. By the time you get here the traffic could be brutal. I don't want you sitting in a strangers back seat for that long." She laughs into the speaker.

"Alright, I'll text you everything once I have all the details," she replies happily.

"Sounds good, I'll see you soon Mere."

"See you soon. Bye."

"Bye." I take my phone away from my ear and place it down on my desk so I can get back to work, though our conversation just keeps replaying in my mind and my head can't concentrate on anything other than Meredith meeting everyone here. More than that, I am racking my brain on how to make she and Abby meeting each other less painful when the time comes.