The Last Summer

Chapter 7

My boss lets me off early so I can get ready for tonight, but my boss thinks I'm going to a family thing.

When I get home, I find my mom taking a nap on the couch.

I didn't know she got back from the hospital.....

You can always count on the police to tell you when your crazy mother was released from the hospital.

I don't think more about it and go to my room to get dressed. I am not making the same mistake to wear my work clothes tonight.

I put on one of my favorite dresses. It's sleeveless and a light blue, like the sky. Just simple. Not to casual or fancy.

I decide to put on a necklace. I choose one my dad gave me when I was a kid. It's a circle pendant with an M in the middle surrounded by little gems.

I check the time. 6:50.

I put in my earrings and get a small bag for my phone and a little cash.

I do a quick check in my mirror and go into the living room.

"Macy," my mom says.

"Yeah, mom?"

"You know I'm sorry for last night."

"I know," I really know she's not. I bet she doesn't know what even happened.

"So," she says. "What are you all dressed up for?"

"I'm going out with Jason again," I state.

"Ahh."

Okay, she didn't yell at me. Something's up.

The doorbell rings just at that moment.

"Well, that's him," I stand up and walk to the door.

"Have fun!" my mom tells me.

"Ok, bye!" I say back.

I open the door to see Jason standing on the porch. He's wearing black jeans with a blue shirt under a nice jacket.

His jaw drops a little when he sees me.

Geeze, this is only our second date. Alrighty then.

"Oh, um," he stutters. "You look great, Macy. "

"Not too bad yourself," I respond.

He clears his throat. "So, shall we?"

He holds his arm out as a little joke. I think.

I sling my arm through his and tell my mom bye one more time. We get in his car and start heading off to I don't know where.

"Prepare for the best night of your life," Jason says.

"Oh, ok," I smile.

We eventually pull into a restaurant I've never heard of. It looks nice. Jason tells me that it's a local place that he went to with his family while they were looking at houses.

We get a table and order our drinks.

"So," Jason says. "Tell me an interesting story. "

"A story?" I ask. "I don't really have any stories. "

"Oh, come on. Everyone has a story. At least one," he insists.

"Well not me."

"Not one?"

"Nope"

"Are you sure?"

"Well....."

"I knew it! Story time!"

I laugh. It's weird how comfortable we've gotten just from a couple of dates. I sigh and begin my story.

"When I was a kid, my dad always wanted the best for me. He would take me shopping for clothes and let me do any activity I wanted. I was always a fan of basketball as a kid. So one day, he got tickets to see my favorite team in town and I was so excited.

"We went to the game and had a great time. But when we got home, my mom was drunken mad. She was screaming at the TV for no apparent reason and when we walked in, the first think she did was yell at us and throw her wine glass at my dad. I can't remember what happened after that because dad sent me to my room. The next day, my dad wasn't home. And I haven't really seen him since."

I sigh as I finish my story.

"Wow," Jason shakes his head. "I had no idea...."

"It's ok, really," I insist. "Sorry it's kind of depressing. Now, a story about you."

He takes a moment to think.

"Ok, so I was visiting my cousins in Texas and we were at a football game, Cowboys vs Seahawks," he begins. "Before the game started, they had a little contest for someone who could go on the field and get a signed jersey by all of the team members on the Cowboys. It was to who was sitting in the right seat. Well, that seat happened to be mine and I went down and met the team and everything and it was a great experience. One I'll never forget."

"That's really cool," I say once he's finished.

We talk like this for the rest of the night until we realize that the bill has been sitting there got about 10 minutes.

We pay and Jason drops me off back home.

"I had a great time," I tell him.

"Me too," he says.

There's a small moment that just lingers until Jason leans down and kisses my cheek.

I could have vaporized right then. I'm speechless, so I just smile.

"Good night," Jason whispers.

"Night," I say back.

I watch him go to his car and drive away, then go inside for the night.