My Forever (44 page)

“Thanks a lot,
Dani. That was fun. You’re
easy to be around.”
He’s smiling wide, and even has a few freckles sticking out under the sun.

“No problem.” I can take pictures with anyone who wants to take pictures.

“Can I give you a ride back home?” he asks.

“Got my bus pass.” I wave and take off
before anything has the potential to get too friendly or awkward
.
Maybe I’m just paranoid.

I realize as I get on the bus why I like Sea
n. He reminds me of my brother.
Same build. Same smile.

I’m tired and walking through the gate when I hear Jackie and Chase on our front porch, or dock, or whatever.

“Hey there
you two.” I wave.

“Oh!” Jackie turns toward me
with this odd, surprised look on her face
. “Hey, Chase was just leaving.”

It’s funny because they
l
ook
pretty cozy to me—
sitting together on one lounge chair.

“Right.” I
wave again. “Goodnight
.”

Guess their date went well.

~
~
~

My paycheck comes in from the wedding that I felt so excited to shoot. I c
an’t wait to see how well I did.
I like a lot of my shots
,
and I don’t even love doing weddings. I’m disappointed. Mandy has it broken down for me. Of the photos the bride chose only twenty percent were from me. I wonder if I should be doing weddings at all.

~
~
~

It’s Mother’s Day. Jackie and I are headed to the Masons. I had dinner
with the Wright’s last night because t
hey begged for me to celebrate with them a little bit too. Jackie and I wander in the front door and her father’s standing there on his cell phone.

“Jackie wants to say hi.” Clint hands the phone to her.

“Hello?” she asks. “Oh hey there! How are you! Oh, you heard I finally found someone to date
,
huh? You remember Mr. Watson? At my dad’s
law firm? It’s his oldest son… Thanks, me too… O
h yes, of course. Just one sec.” Jackie hands the phone to me.

I start shaking. There’s only one person it can be. I swallow
,
and they both leave the room. I’m searching for my voice, for words, for anything, I’m wasting precious seconds.

“Hello?” He sounds confused.

“Michael?”

“Dani…” His voice is full of love and relief and everything I want it to be full of. “You weren’t there yet
,
and I thought I’d miss the opportunity
,
and I’d be devastated.”

“It’s so good
to hear your voice.” I sit down
.
Right on the marble floor in the entryway.

“Yours
too. Y
ou have no idea.”

“I thought this would be too distracting.” I tease, still in shock.

“It is… I did ask for you on Christmas. You weren’t in your room.”

“Nobody said…”
anything
. Nobody talked about the call at all.

“I told them not to. You were right, Dani. I wanted to hear your voice.”

“Thanks for this.”

“Dani, I miss you...”

“So what you’re actually learning out there is how to bend the rules?” I try to tease again.
I want to laugh and cry and throw my arms arou
nd him, but he’s not here—
just his voice.

“No, just who I really love.” Wow. He pause
s. “Only a few more months, Dani. C
an you hold up for a few more months?”

“Definitely.” I smile. “Easy.”

“Well, I love you. I’ll see you soon.”

“Love you too. S
o much.”

As the line clicks
I don’t know whether to laugh or cry.

I have an email from him just a few days after our talk.

Dani –

I know I should feel bad for talking to you.
My “supervisor” had stepped out of the room.
I even went to my Mission President. I told him all about you, about me
,
and we had a nice long ta
lk. He told me to be careful, and
assured me I was doing good things here. Not just for the people I’m serving, but for my companions as well. He said I’m wise beyond my years. I guess that’s good, right? So I’m so close, I’m going to try to tone down my letters to you so I can focus, but you can tell me anything, Dani. I want to hear it all.

Elder Mason

Really it’s exactly the kind of letter to make a girl want to jump up and down and squeal.
For the next few days I float on his words.

30

I’m in Mandy’s office picking up my paycheck when I see a girl knocking on the window.

I open the door. “Mandy’s not in right now.”

“I know. I just stopped by. She called to say my wedding photos were here.”

“And you’ve paid already?”

“Yes, of cours
e, it should all be in the file.
I’d like to at least look at them really quickly if you’re afraid to let me take them.”

I pull her file out and the receipt is right there on the outside.

“
Just a sec
.”

I find the packages easily. She has several folders
and some large blowups. I have no idea
what people do with a three-foot tall picture of t
hem in their wedding dress but…
whatever.

She wants to look at them
,
and I’m anxious to get home, but I have time. She sits down and flips through. I remember taking a lot of these. I realize I’m holding the paycheck for this shoot. I check my paycheck, Mandy’s accounting, and then I start counting as the bride flips through. They’re nowhere near the same. I’m in shock.

“You continue to look
,
and
let
me know if there are any issues.
I need to check on some paperwork.” I feel tingly numb. I’m definitely angry and feeling cheated? I’m not sure.

“Sure. No problem.” She has a giddy smile that’s also far away and distant, she’s reliving her big day.

I pull out the Anderson wedding file, the one with the request for edgy photos. Mandy has a few pages of proofs of
the pictures that were ordered
in the front of the file. I recognize almost all of them. I try to take deep breaths, but it doesn’t work. I want to put my fist through something. I wai
t until the bride is finished and
leave Mandy a note:

I quit. You owe me money.

Dani

I take the bus home with tunnel vision. I’m not sure what to do with myself. I write Daniel an email. He’s moved and we can email now. I also write Michael. It makes me feel a little better but the school year is over, I’m not taking classes
,
and I don’t have a job.

I get an email from Daniel just before I shut down my computer. When I write him in the evenings, his response is usually pretty quick.

You’re smart Dani, just go it alone. You could call it Gemi
ni something because
we’re twins and because we both know how dad hates anything even slightly related to astrology. Good Luck Little Sis.
I know you can do this.

             
             
Love, Daniel

I shut my computer down with a smile.

~
~
~

Jackie’s looking bleary eyed from another late night out with Chase as I walk into the living room.

“Hey Jackie? I need to talk to you about something.”

“Oh! Me first.” She doesn’t even wait. “I’m getting married!”

“What?”

“Check it.” She holds her hand out toward me. Even though she’s in the kitchen and I’m in the living room I can see the rock.

“Congratulations!” I go in and pull her into a tight hug.

“So, what’s up with you?”

“Don’t we need to talk about the fact that you’re getting married?” I ask. “It seems like it warrants a longer conversation that that.”

She shrugs. “I’m not planning yet, so nope, the fact that I’m
getting
married
pretty much covers it.”

She makes me a bow
l of cereal and we
sit outside in the elusive sun.

“So, what’s going on with you?”

“Mandy’s been cheating me out of money.”

“Wow.”

“I know. She’s a member of the church and everything. I just never checked.”

“Well membership doesn’t require perfection.” Jackie raises an eyebrow and takes another bite of cereal.