My Forever (21 page)

Michael sighs as a small convertible BMW pulls up in front of us. It honks twice as it stops by the curb.

“I’m sorry, I know you wanted your dad but I couldn’t help myself!” A girl with white blond hair, tan skin and blue eyes
,
smiles widely.

“Hey, Jackie.” Michael smiles back, giving me a
sideways glance as he does it.

She bounds out of the car, looking every bit the kind of preened young woman who would drive a car like that, and throws her arms around him. She hugs him tightly, long enough for Michael to look at me and roll his eyes. She’s perfectly thi
n, a few inches taller than me (not hard)
and completely gorgeous.

She looks at me then. “Isn’t he just the cutest thing? And so
good
, and so far behind me in school.” She laughs. “And you’re Dani!” She throws her arms around m
e like I’m some long lost sister
or something. I’m not sure what to do. I look at Michael over her shoulder. I must have an odd expression because he laughs a little as Jackie keeps her arms around me.

“Oh! And look at your belly!
It’s
the cutest little thing.” She pulls away and puts her hands on my stomach. I
stare
at Michael again. I can’t be anything but happy around someone who’s so exuberant. She’s like Barbie on speed.

“It’s nice to meet you.” I finally get out.

“Oh! You too! I’ll be so glad to have someone else living in my house. It’s lonely there
,
but I don’t like any of my friends enough to want them to live with me.” She wrinkles her tiny little nose. “Michael said he couldn’t imagine anyon
e not getting along with
Dani
. W
ell, except your parents I guess.” She shrugs, still smiling. She’s honest. At least I’ll know where I stand with her at all times.

“Hey, Jackie?” Michael is staring at her, eyes wide. “Maybe that’s not the best thing to bring up, eh?”

“Oh, right.” She flashes me another smil
e. “Well, let’s get your things. There’
s dinner at my parent’s house tonight
,
and then we’ll head to our place in the morning. I can tell already it’s going to be a late night
,
and I don’t like going home in the dark.”

“And
how
old are you?” Michael teases.

“Only two years older than you little brother.” She winks back at him. “You take the front
,
Dani.
I know Michael’s too big for the backseat
,
but you’re pregnant
.
I
also
really love watching tall people scramble to fit back the
re.” She throws him a smile as she
hops into the driver’s side. Michael crams himself into the backseat with both of our bags. He doesn’t even attempt to use the door.

I step into the nicest car I’ve ever ridden in. The leather is soft and everything looks like it shouldn’t be touched.
What am I doing here?

“Do you know what you’re having yet?” Jackie asks.

“No.
I meet my new doctor next week
,
and I’ll find out then.” I
can
talk. That’s good to know, though it seems as if it won’t be necessary often. Not while Jackie’s around.

“Cool! Can I come?” s
he asks. “I mean
,
I know we just met, but I’d love to see the ultrasound.”

“Sure.” I can’t imagine anyone finding that interesting. “It might be a little boring though.”

“Oh, I don’t mind. I work in my dad’s law office on the days I want to unless there’s something really urgent going on. Now,
that’s
boring.” Her eyes widen as she looks across the center console at me.

“I thought your dad was in real estate.”

“Nope, that’s M
ichael’s dad you’re thinking of,” s
he corrects me.

“Right.” I look around at the tall trees as we drive away from the airport
,
and I take in the warm air. I’ve always loved Seattle, but we didn’t come here much, even when we only lived a few hours away. I let my hair out of my knotted up ponytail and feel the wind. It’s delightful.

~
~
~

Everything turns into a blur as we pull up to Michael’s Dad’s house. He comes out in his massive height and white smiling glory to pull everyone into a huge hug. His wife, Heidi, some sort of supermodel turned sophisticated
-looking
woman
,
hugs with the same enthusiasm as Jackie. There would be no mistaking her
for anyone but Jackie’s mother. T
hey look exactly alike.

I’m tense and almost fr
antic to keep Michael close by because
this is all so foreign for me. The house is unreal, like something off Cribs. The foyer is all marble floors, decorative vases and closets that can’t be seen when you first walk in. I step into a living room that’s two stories of windows looking out onto Lake Washington. Everything is beige, white and soft blues.
Every item in the room
feels like it all just belongs here, the artwork, the furniture... I’m afraid to sit and afraid to touch anything.

“Are you okay?” Michael’s hand is warm on my shoulder.

“I have no idea.” I stare out the windows at the boats taking advantage of this beautiful day.

“Are you sorry you came?”

“It wouldn’t hit the list of things I’m sorry about, no. But it doesn’t change the fact that I don’t belong here.” I
face
him.

His eyes look at me like always, with warmth and comfort. “Of course you do. They’re all so full of things to say you’ll be able to sit b
ack and observe—
I know
how
you like that.”

I do like that. The fact that Michael knows I like that makes it even better.

“Come on, let’s go find out where Heidi got dinner from.” He puts his arm over my shoulder to lead me into the kitchen.

The conversation doesn’t pause when we walk in
to the kitchen
. No one makes a second glance at Michael’s hand over my shoulder and even when his hand slides off, he doesn’t move away.

I expect to feel like the poor pregnant girl
,
but I don’t. Not here. The night goes by quickly. I’m not questioned or grilled
,
but I don’t feel ignored either. My eyes start to close as I sink lower into the couch.

“Let me show you your room.” Michael stands up. “Actually, Heidi, which one is her room?”

“Second on the left.” Her gaze shifts from Michael to me. “I’m really glad you’re here, Dani. We’ll see you in the morning. Don’t be afraid to ask for anything that might be missing from your room.”

“Thank you.” What a pathetic thing to say for what they’re doing
,
but what other words are there? I need to find
new ways of saying thanks
.

I don’t know how many bedrooms are in the house, but it’s a lot. More than my parents have for eight kids. Well, seven. We go up a wide flight of stairs and I keep looking around, waiting for the house to stop.

“Thanks for coming here w
ith me,” h
e says as he sets my bag in my room. As if I’m the one that needs thanking. “I’m sure it’s a little overwhelming.”

“Everything is overwhelming right now,” I admit. “I’m just trying to go with it.” I try to smile at him so he knows I’m okay. I can tell he’s worried. “I don’t even know how to thank you.” I pause. “I prayed for a way to get out of Alaska.”

His grin fills his face. “I’m glad. Goodnight, Dani.” He pulls me into a soft, slow hug. We stand together for a few moments, only my growing belly keeping us apart. There can’t be any mistaking this, can there?

“Night.” We stare at each other for a minute. I stand next to my neatly made queen sized bed in
a perfectly
decorated beige and blue room and watch him walk out, closing the door behind him. What a crazy situation
this
is.

~
~
~

Jackie
pulls
her car
into her space for the houseb
oat community she lives in
and
uses an electronic card to get us through the gate
. We immediately start down a
ramp leading down to the water. I’m just following
her and Michael
,
trying to let it sink in that I’ll be living here.

Thick trees line the sides of the walkway. The dock is wide. As soon as we hit the water, the homes start. There are long docks stretching away from each side of the main dock, each having homes attached to both sides. Her house, of course, is on the furthest spot, having an uni
nterrupted view of Lake Union.

“I know, you’re probably wondering why I live way out here instead of downtown.” She steps in next to me.
Michael’s
in front of
us with my suitcase and backpack.
“I like that people can’t get past the gate
,
and I like the water.”

“Me too.” The water looks black though, underneath the shadow of the houses. Some of these homes have been here a long time
,
and the green moss
floats where the homes touch the water
.
I can’t imagine resting my feet in the lake.

“This is
us
.” She stops facing her home. It’s a very modern
,
grey
house, with odd roof angles and a flat front covered in tall, rectangle windows. Her porch runs
along the left side
to the front
,
which opens up to a huge deck area that has small tables and lounge chairs scattered about. There’s a short walkway on the opposite side. I f
ollow Jackie t
o
ward
my
room.

“This is it.” She opens the door. “I know it’s not much
,
but you have your own door to the outside, your own teeny bathroom and then obviously a door into the main part of the house. If you’re ever in need of a bath, let me know
,
and you can use my tub. If I’m not here, just help yourself.”