'tis the damn season

Thirty-Seven: You Are In Love

"One night he wakes, strange look on his face, pauses then says, 'you're my best friend' and you knew what it was, he is in love" 

The second we got back to Steve's, I ran straight for the phone. There were no messages left, so I quickly punched in my phone number, and let it ring, waiting for someone to pick up; but just like every other time, no one did.

After trying a couple more times, I finally hang up the phone, as Steve approaches me after letting Nova outside. Since we were away practically all day yesterday and today, he had called his next door neighbour to ask if she could let Nova outside and feed her. She was a very happy dog when we finally walked in the door tonight.

"Anything?"

Disappointed, I shake my head. "It's been like three days, and they haven't called or answered at all," I sigh. "That's weird isn't it?"

I knew he didn't want me to worry if there wasn't reason to, but I could see the slight look of concern on his face now.

"It is kind of weird," he admits. "But it could still be a coincidence, we don't really know."

I think that was what I was going to have to hold onto. The fact that there was still a chance that it could be a big coincidence and we just kept missing each other.

My heart skipped a beat when the phone started ringing next to us. I grab it quickly before it can even finish its first ring, with my eyes wide.

"Hello?"

"Hello? Who is this?" An unfamiliar voice asks.

It was a woman, but definitely not Joyce.

"Uh, this is Lauren, who is this?" I ask, glancing at Steve with a disappointed look, to let him know it wasn't my family.

"Lauren... Byers?" She asks, as if she's guessing.

"Yes...," I answer, a little confused. "I'm sorry, who is this?" I chuckle.

Her tone sounds less than pleased when she answers me. "This is Diane Harrington, the owner of the house you're currently in," she says firmly. "Is my son there?"

I felt the colour wash out of my face when I realized who I was talking to.

"Yeah he's right here," I say quickly, before shoving the phone into Steve's chest.

He looked at me confused, but took it from me anyways.

"It's your mom, and she sounds like she's in a really good mood," I whisper, before walking over to the sliding glass door to let Nova back inside.

I pick up her empty water dish and fill it at the sink while Steve's on the phone.

"Hi mom how's Greece?" He asks, with a chipper tone.

I couldn't hear what she was saying on the other end but by the way his shoulders fell, and the fact that he was now staring at the floor as he listened to her, I didn't think she answered in the way he would have liked.

I've never even met her and she was rude to me; I couldn't imagine the way she talked to Steve.

"I know you don't but—," he starts, but she obviously cuts him off, before he can say anything more.

I set down Nova's water next to her food, and get her to follow me into the living room. I thought it would be best if I left the room. I found one of Nova's stuffed squeaky toys and tossed it to her, letting her bring it back so I could throw it for her again.