Crystal Ball

“It took you long enough to call me,” Jack grumbled as I gave him a hug. We had decided to meet up for dinner at our favorite diner, Paper Moon.

“Sorry,” I apologized sincerely. “This past week has been crazy. I am working at Eighty-Three now and spend the majority of my time there. What have you been up to?” I asked as I climbed in the booth after Janie.

“Are you babysitting now, too?” he asked, just noticing Janie.

“No, um. This is my daughter, Janie.”

Both of his eyebrows rose, as he looked first at Janie and then at me. “Daughter? When did that happen?”

I pretended to count on my fingers, a playful smile on my face. “Well, lets see…Janie just turned four. It usually takes about nine months to ‘make’ a baby, so… I’d say the end of junior year,” I joked to keep the conversation playful and avoid any awkwardness.

“Junior year?” he asked slowly. “Is that why you left?”

“Part of it,” I allowed. “I’m surprised Alex didn’t tell you about her.”

“Alex knew you were pregnant?” he asked in disbelief.

I instantly shook my head. “Oh, no, no, no. I meant, when I ran into him when we first got back. He saw Janie.”

“Oh. Well, he didn’t even mention that he saw you, so I doubt he would have brought up your secret love child.” I smiled at his joke. “By the way, Vanessa is P.I.S.S., pissed that you’re back. Her and Alex haven’t even spoken since I brought it up after I ran into you.”

“Why would she care?” I wondered aloud. Jack shrugged. “Alex must hate me, huh?”

“What do you mean?” he asked, genuinely confused.

“I don’t know. When I saw him, he acted like I wasn’t even there. He didn’t seem to care that I was back.”

“Oh, he cares.” I cocked an eyebrow, a silent request for him to explain. He shook his head, a smile on his lips. “Never mind. Janie!” he exclaimed, shifting both of our focus to my daughter as she sat silently beside me. “You look just like your momma. Did you know that?”

She nodded slowly, studying Jack. Turning to me, she asked, “Momma? Who’s he?”

“This is my friend Jack. Remember I told you about him? We were very good friends when I lived with Jay Jay before you were born,” I explained. She nodded thoughtfully.

After dinner, I dropped Janie off at my dad’s before following Jack back to his apartment. We stayed up watching movies and catching up. He told me all about the band that him, Alex, our friend Rian, and their friend Zack had formed. I told him how I had managed to raise Janie with minimal help from my grandparents.

We talked about high school, recalling old memories. It almost felt as if I had never left. He was still the goofy friend that I could easily talk to for hours, seriously or not. But as happy as that made me, I couldn’t help but think of Alex. We had been even closer than Jack and me. He and I could talk endlessly and we understood each other on such a basic level. Why wouldn’t I wish for that back?

I was lying on the couch, Jack’s head leaning against my leg, when we heard his front door open. “Honey, I’m home,” a voice called down the hallway, growing louder as it neared us. “Jack, where the fuck are you?” it asked when Jack made no movement. He looked at me with a sheepish smile before finally responding.

“In here.”

“Oh, there you are. Hey, I was wondering if you wanted to hit a few clubs with me tonight.”

“Uh, can’t do,” Jack responded as Alex walked around the couch. He stopped short, noticing my presence.

“Oh-oh. I’ll just see myself out,” he responded awkwardly, gesturing to the way he had come in.

“You don’t have to leave,” Jack insisted, looking to me for approval. I shrugged. It was his apartment after all. It wasn’t like I had any say. Just then, I felt my phone vibrate in my back pocket and fidgeted until I held the device in my hand.

Can you come pick us up? the text from Justin read. I typed back quickly, asking his whereabouts and received an answer shortly after. Party on Grant Ave. Too drunk to drive. Alex would kill me if we had to call him again. I nervously looked to the boy in question, noticing that him and Jack had been engaged in a whisper war while I talked to Justin.

“Jack, I’ve got to go. Jus just texted me,” I explained, being careful not to mention Alex’s sister. “So, you’re free to hit the clubs with Alex.” I smiled awkwardly at the two.

“Oh, okay. I’ll see you soon, though, right?”

“Of course.” I smiled as I hugged the boy tightly. Pulling away, I sent Alex a small wave before I exited the apartment to see if I still knew the suburbs as well as I did as a teenager.