Status: Complete
Past Lives
5o
As I threw my bag into the car to head back to Philly for game 6, I looked over at Ads and crossed my arms. She grabbed her keys and gave me a weird look. "What's wrong?" I could tell something was hinky. I just didn't know what.
Before we left for Philly the first time, Ads said she was coming on the rest of the road trips, that the hospital understood. Now she was staying behind again for "work." I didn't know what was going on, but I knew there was something.
I shook my head. "Nothing. Just a little tired. Can't wait to sleep on the plane." I needed to figure out what was going on. Something wasn't right. Ads wasn't telling us everything. Somewhere, something was lost in translation.
Ads gave me a little nod. "Ok..." She opened her door and climbed in while I got in the passenger side so she could drive me to the airport. We were quiet almost the whole way there, just listening to the music. I just wanted to get to Philly and figure things out. I wanted to curl up on the plane and sleep. I wanted to curl up on my bed with Craig and just cuddle. I just wanted to be comfortable. The awkward silence in the car wasn't comfortable.
Anything but.
I climbed out at the gate and gave her a wave.
"Text me when you land, ok?" Ads seemed concerned. Or like she was hiding something.
"Yeah."
I walked inside and went through security. I was getting to the point where everyone knew me. "Tell your man I said, 'good luck,' ok, Jamie?" I smiled as the friendly older woman scanned my bag.
Nodding, I smiled. "I'll let Craig know, Anne." I headed to the gate and waited for my flight to board. I pulled my knees to my chest, covering the Penguin on the chest of my hoodie. It was getting late and I knew it would be chilly.
A girl walked over to me. "Hey, you work at Excuses, don't you?"
I nodded. "Yup. Guilty as charged."
She smiled. "I thought so. You've hung out with some of the Pens when I've been in there. My boyfriend said you might be one of the girlfriends."
"Also guilty."
"I don't want to be creepy," she said quickly, "I just wondered if you'd tell them all to kick some Flyer ass for me?"
Laughing, I said, "Definitely. That's a message I have no problem passing along."
She thanked me and ran over to who I was assuming was her boyfriend. I pulled my iPod from my backpack and stuck earphones in. I couldn't get to Philly fast enough. I missed Craig and I thought my best friend was up to something.
--
I turned my phone on as I grabbed my duffle from luggage claim. There was a text from Ads.
Hey, keep me updated tomorrow, ok? I'm not gonna be able to watch.
This whole "I have to work" thing really wasn't sitting well with me. I just didn't buy it. Why had she been cleared to go to Philly before, but now she was on the schedule? Why was she missing an opportunity to support her man in one of the worst cities to play in? Something fishy was going on.
I vetoed texting Ads in favor of calling her. As her phone rang, I thought of the most diplomatic way to call her on whatever was going on that I could. When she answered her phone, though, I blew it.
"Ads, I call bullshit."
I could just see her raising her eyebrows. "What are you talking about?" I couldn't tell if she seemed shocked or confused or scared. I shook my head.
"You were cleared to go to the game. Now you 'have to work.' What's really going on, Ads? You never want to miss Brooks playing." I had her there. She loved watching him.
"Jamie," Ads groaned. "I have to work. I'm sorry I can't be there to hold your hand-"
"What the hell are you talking about? I'm an adult, I can take care of-"
"Oh you can? Who's been making sure you stay alive? Who's been playing mommy for you?"
"WHAT THE HELL, ADISYN?" If she was going to blame Trevor on me, she had another thing coming. I didn't ask to live with her and Brooks because of the bastard. This was going too far.
"It's not my fault that I have a real job with real time constraints. Excuses can let you go when you want. The hospital needs me."
"You're sure defensive for someone who has nothing to hide."
"I don't need this shit, Jamie. I have to get to work." The line clicked and I had to hold myself back from throwing my phone. Instead, I stomped out to get a cab to the hotel. I was so pissed off. I didn't care what she said, Ads was hiding something and I was going to tell Brooks.
--
I threw my stuff in my room and went to knock on Brooks' door. I was so done with dealing with this. He opened the door and smiled. "What's up, Jamie? How was your flight?"
I shrugged. "Not bad. Listen, Brooks," I wasn't making this visit for social reasons. This was serious. "I think there's something up with Ads."
Brooks looked confused. "What do you mean?"
"She was coming to Philly...and then out of no where she had to work? The hospital gave her off. And before you say 'schedules change', just let me get this out there." I continued, cutting him off, "She's hiding something, Brooks, I know it. She was a massive bitch on the phone earlier."
Brooks countered, "But Jami-"
"Please."
"I'll call her," he sighed. "But I believe her, Jamie."
The door closed and I huffed. Fine. I'd go see my boyfriend. If anything, I could cuddle him and go to sleep. I was tired. I had so much running through my mind: Brooks wanting to propose to Ads; what Ads was up to; where Craig and I were going.
Before I could even knock on his door, it opened and I was met with the smile I loved.
"I was just coming to find you." He pushed hair behind my ear as he said that and then noticed the strain on my face. "Jamie, what's wrong?"
"Can you come to my room?"
Craig nodded and I led him down the hall. As we walked inside, he pushed the door shut and put his hands on my hips. "Ok. What's going on? Don't try to bullshit me."
I shook my head. "It's Ads. I feel like there's something going on." He pulled my chin up and I fought back tears. "She's...she was going to come this weekend. But now she 'had to work' even though she'd had it off. I know schedules change, but...when I brought it up on the phone she attacked me."
"Aw, baby..." Craig pulled me into a hug and kissed the top of my head. "Honey, she really might have had to work. I think you're over thinking this." I tried to protest, but he put his finger to my lips. "She would have told you if something was going on. You're almost like sisters. You're too close to let this get between you."
I nodded and leaned my head into his chest.
"I think you're tired, sweetheart."
Once again, I just nodded.
"Do you want me to sleep here tonight?"
Another nod.
"Put you pj's on. Jeans suck." He pulled out his phone while I changed my pants and into a tank top. He sent a text out so he "wouldn't be missed." He pulled off his pants and crawled into my bed. I turned off the light and he pulled me into his chest. Kissing my cheek, he whispered, "It'll all work out for the best, babe. I promise."
I didn't remember anything after that.
Before we left for Philly the first time, Ads said she was coming on the rest of the road trips, that the hospital understood. Now she was staying behind again for "work." I didn't know what was going on, but I knew there was something.
I shook my head. "Nothing. Just a little tired. Can't wait to sleep on the plane." I needed to figure out what was going on. Something wasn't right. Ads wasn't telling us everything. Somewhere, something was lost in translation.
Ads gave me a little nod. "Ok..." She opened her door and climbed in while I got in the passenger side so she could drive me to the airport. We were quiet almost the whole way there, just listening to the music. I just wanted to get to Philly and figure things out. I wanted to curl up on the plane and sleep. I wanted to curl up on my bed with Craig and just cuddle. I just wanted to be comfortable. The awkward silence in the car wasn't comfortable.
Anything but.
I climbed out at the gate and gave her a wave.
"Text me when you land, ok?" Ads seemed concerned. Or like she was hiding something.
"Yeah."
I walked inside and went through security. I was getting to the point where everyone knew me. "Tell your man I said, 'good luck,' ok, Jamie?" I smiled as the friendly older woman scanned my bag.
Nodding, I smiled. "I'll let Craig know, Anne." I headed to the gate and waited for my flight to board. I pulled my knees to my chest, covering the Penguin on the chest of my hoodie. It was getting late and I knew it would be chilly.
A girl walked over to me. "Hey, you work at Excuses, don't you?"
I nodded. "Yup. Guilty as charged."
She smiled. "I thought so. You've hung out with some of the Pens when I've been in there. My boyfriend said you might be one of the girlfriends."
"Also guilty."
"I don't want to be creepy," she said quickly, "I just wondered if you'd tell them all to kick some Flyer ass for me?"
Laughing, I said, "Definitely. That's a message I have no problem passing along."
She thanked me and ran over to who I was assuming was her boyfriend. I pulled my iPod from my backpack and stuck earphones in. I couldn't get to Philly fast enough. I missed Craig and I thought my best friend was up to something.
--
I turned my phone on as I grabbed my duffle from luggage claim. There was a text from Ads.
Hey, keep me updated tomorrow, ok? I'm not gonna be able to watch.
This whole "I have to work" thing really wasn't sitting well with me. I just didn't buy it. Why had she been cleared to go to Philly before, but now she was on the schedule? Why was she missing an opportunity to support her man in one of the worst cities to play in? Something fishy was going on.
I vetoed texting Ads in favor of calling her. As her phone rang, I thought of the most diplomatic way to call her on whatever was going on that I could. When she answered her phone, though, I blew it.
"Ads, I call bullshit."
I could just see her raising her eyebrows. "What are you talking about?" I couldn't tell if she seemed shocked or confused or scared. I shook my head.
"You were cleared to go to the game. Now you 'have to work.' What's really going on, Ads? You never want to miss Brooks playing." I had her there. She loved watching him.
"Jamie," Ads groaned. "I have to work. I'm sorry I can't be there to hold your hand-"
"What the hell are you talking about? I'm an adult, I can take care of-"
"Oh you can? Who's been making sure you stay alive? Who's been playing mommy for you?"
"WHAT THE HELL, ADISYN?" If she was going to blame Trevor on me, she had another thing coming. I didn't ask to live with her and Brooks because of the bastard. This was going too far.
"It's not my fault that I have a real job with real time constraints. Excuses can let you go when you want. The hospital needs me."
"You're sure defensive for someone who has nothing to hide."
"I don't need this shit, Jamie. I have to get to work." The line clicked and I had to hold myself back from throwing my phone. Instead, I stomped out to get a cab to the hotel. I was so pissed off. I didn't care what she said, Ads was hiding something and I was going to tell Brooks.
--
I threw my stuff in my room and went to knock on Brooks' door. I was so done with dealing with this. He opened the door and smiled. "What's up, Jamie? How was your flight?"
I shrugged. "Not bad. Listen, Brooks," I wasn't making this visit for social reasons. This was serious. "I think there's something up with Ads."
Brooks looked confused. "What do you mean?"
"She was coming to Philly...and then out of no where she had to work? The hospital gave her off. And before you say 'schedules change', just let me get this out there." I continued, cutting him off, "She's hiding something, Brooks, I know it. She was a massive bitch on the phone earlier."
Brooks countered, "But Jami-"
"Please."
"I'll call her," he sighed. "But I believe her, Jamie."
The door closed and I huffed. Fine. I'd go see my boyfriend. If anything, I could cuddle him and go to sleep. I was tired. I had so much running through my mind: Brooks wanting to propose to Ads; what Ads was up to; where Craig and I were going.
Before I could even knock on his door, it opened and I was met with the smile I loved.
"I was just coming to find you." He pushed hair behind my ear as he said that and then noticed the strain on my face. "Jamie, what's wrong?"
"Can you come to my room?"
Craig nodded and I led him down the hall. As we walked inside, he pushed the door shut and put his hands on my hips. "Ok. What's going on? Don't try to bullshit me."
I shook my head. "It's Ads. I feel like there's something going on." He pulled my chin up and I fought back tears. "She's...she was going to come this weekend. But now she 'had to work' even though she'd had it off. I know schedules change, but...when I brought it up on the phone she attacked me."
"Aw, baby..." Craig pulled me into a hug and kissed the top of my head. "Honey, she really might have had to work. I think you're over thinking this." I tried to protest, but he put his finger to my lips. "She would have told you if something was going on. You're almost like sisters. You're too close to let this get between you."
I nodded and leaned my head into his chest.
"I think you're tired, sweetheart."
Once again, I just nodded.
"Do you want me to sleep here tonight?"
Another nod.
"Put you pj's on. Jeans suck." He pulled out his phone while I changed my pants and into a tank top. He sent a text out so he "wouldn't be missed." He pulled off his pants and crawled into my bed. I turned off the light and he pulled me into his chest. Kissing my cheek, he whispered, "It'll all work out for the best, babe. I promise."
I didn't remember anything after that.