ON CHRISTMAS MORNING, Lindy decided that she needed to call Jack and wish him a Merry Christmas instead of allowing the tension between them to persist any longer.
She had not heard from him and although this was concerning, she did not see it fit to completely forget that he was someone in her life who required her attention. Even if she was hiding a horrible secret from him.
"Hello?" came Jack's voice from the receiver, as cold and brisk as the Seattle weather.
"Merry Christmas," Lindy said hopefully. She intertwined the phone cord around her hand, feeling like she'd already been caught in her act.
"Merry Christmas," Jack replied. His voice did not lighten up in the least bit.
"I didn't hear from you last night, I got worried," Lindy said.
"Communication is a two-way channel, the last time I checked."
A trickle of icy fear slipped from the top of Lindy's head all the way down to her toes. By the sound of things, it was as if Jack knew already of her disloyalty. Never in their time together had been so cross with her.
"Well, I'm calling now, aren't I?" she said back, slightly irritated but also worried out of her mind.
"I'm busy this morning. I'm going to see my parents today. I would have invited you, but I already knew what your answer would be."
The snippy way Jack had phrased his words together opened Lindy's eyes as to why he was really being so short with her -- he was mad that she was not willing to separate herself from her brother on the holidays.
"I've already explained to you why I can't," Lindy said, her voice low. Of all things, she was not willing to fight with Jack. She had no patience for it, and although she probably had no right to be mad considering what she had done, she still could feel hot prickles of agitation rising on her skin.
"I don't know of anyone who can't stand to be away from their sibling for one holiday," Jack snapped.
Lindy felt like she was talking to a different person. The man on the phone did not sound like the same man whom she had dated for nearly a year. This was someone else. Someone who was capable of hurting her with words.
"Then you obviously haven't listened to me talk about how important Trae is to me," Lindy argued. "I would never spend a holiday away from him. We're all we've got in each other's lives."
"It's just borderline childish, Lindy. An adult relationship means making compromises, and if you can't compromise for me, then how is this going to work?"
"I'm the child? Listen to yourself right now! Whining about me not meeting your parents! Who said I even wanted to meet them, damn it?"
"You know, maybe my friends were right," Jack said coldly. "You are too young for me."
And with that, he hung up on her, leaving her standing there with her mouth gaping open.
Maybe, Lindy thought, this is God's divine way of removing Jack from my life now that Kurt has come back.
Whatever it was, it all felt oddly timed at such a precise moment.
She wasn't sure whether she ought to take it as a hint that she and Kurt were meant to be, or if she really was just a total asshole.
_________
In a display of gratitude towards Trae and Allie for having spent Thanksgiving in Seattle, Lindy agreed to drive to Aberdeen for Christmas in order to spend the holiday at their house.
