Friends, Lovers, or Nothing

Chapter Twenty-Four - Bold As Love

It's Monday afternoon when my phone buzzes from my back pocket while I'm finishing up my shift at Pavement. I retrieve it, only to find a random number with a New York area code calling me. Giving a shrug to Makenzie, who's filling the dishwasher next to me, I answer the call and press the phone to my ear.

"Hello?" I say, in more of a question than a greeting. I couldn't think of a single person in New York who would be trying to reach me, but when a familiar voice echoes back in my ear, my eyes almost brim with tears.

"Blake is that you? It's me, Gwenyth."

Gwenyth, my social worker from back home, was actually calling me. Hearing her voice alone causes a flood of memories to resurface, both good and bad. I haven't spoken to anyone back home since I moved to Boston and I'm almost startled by how nice it feels to hear a familiar voice.

"It's me, yes," I reply back, too shocked to say much else. Makenzie looks up from her dishes to give me a questioning look but I ignore her as I hear Gwenyth continue speaking.

"It's been a while, huh? I just wanted to call to check-in and see how you're doing up in Massachusetts. It's been a few months since you moved away so I wanted to see how you've been adjusting."

I clear my throat before answering, causing another questionable look from Makenzie. I give her a look of assurance before walking further into the back to continue my conversation.

"It's actually been really great. I've made some friends here and I even have a job," I tell her, my voice cracking in the middle. I can't believe she called me but then again she was the only adult in my life who ever showed actual interest in me. Even though it was her job to be there for me, it always felt genuine. Just like this phone call.

"That's wonderful Blake! And how's school?"

"It's been pretty good! I've been taking mostly required gen-eds but they've been going well. I'm excited to start taking classes in my major come Spring semester though."

"What major have you declared?"

At her question, I'm reminded of how she was my biggest influence in becoming a Psychology major, yet I never told her as much before I moved. Her compassion and generosity in helping foster kids, myself specifically, will never be forgotten, so I decide to tell her that.

By the time we get off the phone, Makenzie has all the stools set on the tables and every dish in the vicinity cleaned. I give her a sympathetic look.

"I'm so sorry, I got carried away on the phone, I didn't realize how long had passed," I tell her as I make my way back out front where she now resided.

Kenzie gives me a fake eye roll as she hops down from the countertop to approach me, "Don't worry about it, Bee, it's what friends are for. Who was that by the way, it seemed serious," She asks me, her tone indicating that she knows it might be too much to ask yet she did anyway.

"It was my old social worker from New York. She was the one who was in charge of my whereabouts when I joined the system, she assigned me to new homes, etcetera," I tell her.

"Oh," she says, looking confused, "What did she want?"

"Just to check-in since she hasn't heard from me since I left for school. I suppose that's what they're supposed to do when someone leaves the system with little to no resources."

Makenzie considers my words and then slightly frowns, a noticeable crease forming between her eyebrows. Before she can say anything, I take a step closer to her and grab her hand, "Hey, stop that! This is not a Blake pity party, okay? I'm all good," I tell her and I mean it.