Part Seven
I tossed and turned for hours.
I tried to convince myself that I was freaking out about nothing, but no matter what I did I couldn't shake the ever-growing conviction that Bobbi Sue was right. I didn't want to believe her, but I couldn't deny that everything she had said about Oliver was coming true. What if we were too different? What if I was blinded by this crazy infatuation for him? If that went away, would there be anything left to keep us together?
I fell in and out of sleep. Time became a blur. My thoughts all jumbled together.
"Well, if you can't get to sleep, you might as well get up and talk to me about it." The light in my bedroom flicked on.
"What?" I shielded my eyes from the light and tried to peer through my fingers to see who was talking.
"Baby girl, you always were an over-analyzer." Mom sat down on my bed. "And that doesn't mix too well with your impulsive streak. You get these crazy ideas in your head all of a sudden and then you worry about them."
My eyes finally adjusted to the light. I looked up at her. "Mom?"
"Glad to know you still remember me." She smiled. "Didn't you want to talk to me?"
Boy, did I ever! I reached for her arms and hugged her tightly. "I've needed you so much this week."
"Well, I'm here now, aren't I? So tell me what's the matter." She stroked my hair.
For a moment I simply drank in her presence. Her scent, her voice, the feel of her arms around me. It wasn't long before I felt an unexplained calmness creeping into my soul.
"Mom, did you ever have doubts that you and Dad were right for each other?"
She thought a minute. "I guess the time he bought me a crawdad fishin' net for our one year anniversary, I wondered if he was the man for me."
I smiled. "Daddy bought you a crawdad net?"
"Mmm-hmm. And then when we were looking for houses, he wanted to buy the one with the built-in fuzeball table, even though it only had one bedroom and the carpet was peeling up at the corners."
"Yeah, that sounds like Dad."
She cradled me in her arms. "But darlin', whenever he looked at me, or put his arms around me, or made me laugh…all that other stuff just disappeared, and I knew nothing short of death could take me away from him."
I sighed. She made it sound so simple. I wished Oliver and I could be that simple.
"Are you thinkin' about that sweet, shaggy-haired boy who's crazy about you?" she asked.
"Yeah." I smiled. Thinking about Oliver now made me all tingly inside. "He's pretty great, isn't he?"
"And don't you forget it."
I looked up at her. "Mom, do you think we're right for each other?"
She pshawed. "I've been watchin' you for years, baby girl, and I ain't seen another boy who can make your eyes light up the way Oliver can."
"I know, but…" I hesitated. "We don't make the same grades at school."
Mom ruffled my hair. "Well, let me tell you somethin' about that. Your daddy wouldn't do his homework to save his life. I had to twist his arm and threaten to dump him before he'd even think about it. It's a miracle he got through college at all." She shook her head. "But give him a guitar and a sheet of paper, and the world stands back and marvels at what he can do."
See, it didn't seem like such a big deal when she put it like that.
"Okay, but…how come he acts so immature sometimes?"
Mom rolled her eyes. "Boys will always be boys. Even men will always be boys. And let me tell you, there's a big difference between being immature and knowing how to have a good time."
I lifted an eyebrow. "And which category does making hot dog puppets fall into?"
"I don't know. Which category does dancing on your chair after getting an 'A' fall into?"
I elbowed her. "Hey!"
"Come on, tell me you didn't think the Hannah Montana hot dog puppet was funny."
"Well, I guess it was a little," I conceded.
"Good girl."
I sighed against her. "But Mom, last night we couldn't agree on where to go for our date."
She laughed a little. "Honey, no two people are gonna want to do the same thing all the time. You've got to learn to compromise and to appreciate something for no other reason than because he does. Besides," she scoffed, "if this is the first time in seven months you haven't agreed on what to do, I'd say you're way ahead of the game."
Wow. How did moms do it? You came to them all confused and panicked, and then five minutes later you wondered what all the fuss was about in the first place.
I hugged my mom tightly. "So you don't think Oliver and I are too different to be together?"
She didn't speak for a very long moment. "Baby girl, I think this is one of those times when you already know the answer to your question, and don't need anyone to tell you." She rocked me back and forth. "When the time comes you won't have any doubts left in your mind. One way or the other, you'll know."
I closed my eyes and swayed happily against her, relishing in the sweetness of my newfound peace. At length she drew back and looked down at me.
"Let me give you one last piece of advice. Don't listen to that cousin of yours anymore. Just about every time she opens her mouth, she's wrong about something or other."
I smiled at her. "Okay, Mom. I won't."
"Promise?"
"Promise."
Mom kissed the top of my head and stood up.
"Don't go," I pleaded.
"I won't, darlin'. I'll always be right here with you." She moved toward my bedroom door and turned out my light.
In the darkness I heard her voice. "Oh, and baby girl?"
"Yeah?"
"Happy birthday."
I smiled into the darkness, laid my head on my pillow, and drifted off to sleep.
Sometime in the early morning, I awoke to the sound of something smacking against my window.
Afraid that Jackson had starting building his tree house again, I got up and swung back the curtains. I looked down and saw Oliver throwing pencils at my window. Or should I say, a pencil. He kept throwing the same one.
I slid the window up. "What in Uncle Earl's name are you doing down there?" I shouted at him.
He looked up at me innocently. "What? Didn't you always want me to do that?"
I rolled my eyes. "Yeah, but you're supposed to use pebbles."
"I couldn't find any. But I had half of a pencil in my pocket."
Oh, Oliver. I found myself smiling.
"So…can you let down your hair? I mean…" He cleared his throat. "Your ladder?"
I found my rope ladder and slung it over the window sill. Oliver climbed up.
"What are you doing here?" I asked as he crawled into my room.
"Oh, well I wanted to be the first to wish you happy birthday."
What was I thinking yesterday? This guy is totally perfect for me.
"That's sweet," I said, "but my mom already beat you to it."
He thought a minute. "Okay, then I wanted to be the first one to kiss you."
I made a face. "I sure hope no one else is gonna be kissing me today."
He slid his arms around me and covered my mouth with his.
You know, if he had just kissed me like this yesterday, I wouldn't have cared where in the world we went. I even would've been up for Wally's Burger House. There was just something about the way he touched me and the way his lips brushed against mine that made me completely forget everything but him.
And Bobbi Sue could just go fall into a well or something.
Oliver trailed kisses down my neck. "I hope you're not still upset about last night," he breathed.
"Of course not."
"Good."
I wrapped my arms around his neck and drew him closer. My waist burned beneath his hands. He kissed me warmly, deeply, until I was trembling and breathless.
Oliver drew back. "Mmm, sorry." He looked a little dazed himself. "I have to go."
"Why?" I demanded, absurdly hurt that he could contemplate walking away at a time like this.
"Well, I kind of have to drive up to Santa Barbara to see my grandmother."
"What!?" I exclaimed. "That could take all day!"
He averted his gaze. "I'm sorry, Miles. She's in the hospital. She got a piece of her chocolate cake stuck down her lungs and they had to do surgery to remove it."
How could this possibly be happening to me? "But it's my birthday! You promised you'd take me back to that restaurant tonight!"
"I know, but my mom's making me go. I don't have a choice. I'm sorry."
There was something about his body language that set warning bells off in my head. What was going on here? Something didn't feel right.
Oliver kissed my forehead. "I'll try and call you later, okay? Maybe if I get back in time tonight we can still go."
I frowned suspiciously. "Oliver, I know something is going on that you're not telling me."
He wouldn't look up. "Nothing's going on. Stop worrying. I'm sorry I have to leave today but I'll make it up to you, I promise."
I wanted to cry. How could he leave town on my birthday? I wanted him here. Now I wasn't going to have any fun. It was going to be the worst birthday ever.
He climbed over the window. "Happy Birthday, Miles."
He disappeared down the side of the house, and I threw myself on my bed and cried.
A while later the distinct scent of bacon wafted into my room. I brushed the hair out of my face and sat up. Maybe some breakfast would make me feel better.
Downstairs Robbie Ray and Jackson were sitting at the table eating bacon and eggs. I stopped in the middle of the kitchen and stared at them.
"Dad!"
He looked up. "Oh, hi! Didn't see you there, Bud."
Was he for real? This was my birthday.
"Dad, where are my pancakes?"
"Pancakes?"
"You know, the pancakes you always make for me on my birthday and bring up to me in bed."
He smacked his head. "Oh, that's right. I'm sure sorry about that. I'll whip some up right now. You just go on upstairs and wait for me."
This was unbelievable. Dad never forgot my birthday. I wanted to cry all over again.
"Hey, Miles, you might want to stay out of your bathroom," Jackson warned.
"Why?"
"Because there might have been a small incident up there involving a cockroach and a can of cockroach spray." He bit into a piece of bacon. "We're still airing it out."
I groaned and plopped down onto the couch. My face landed on one of Bobbi Sue's shirts, and I shoved it into the floor.
"Where's Bobbi?" I asked.
"She disappeared a little while ago," Jackson said.
I sat up, suddenly suspicious. "Where did she go?"
Jackson shrugged. "Don't know, don't care."
The telephone rang, and Robbie answered it. "Lilly in ten," he announced.
Thank goodness, at least I still had my best friend.
I opened the door for her. She rolled in on her skateboard and jumped into my arms. "Happy birthday!" She spun me around, then stepped back. "You look a whole year older!"
I smiled. It was so good to see her on her skateboard again.
"Oooh, bacon!" Lilly rolled into the kitchen and grabbed a piece of bacon off of Jackson's plate.
"Hey!"
"You've had enough," she scolded. "You shouldn't eat too much before your tryouts, or you'll get sick."
"But that piece was perfectly cooked to a tender, juicy crisp!"
"I know, it's really good." She licked her fingers.
"Miley, come get a plate," Robbie called. "Your 'cakes are ready."
Come get a plate? He was supposed to serve me in bed!
I ate my breakfast in a rather grumpy mood, then went upstairs with Lilly.
"So I was thinking," she said, "we could go watch Jackson tryout for the basketball team this morning, and then get some burgers at Wally's for lunch. Doesn't that sound like fun?"
What? No! Why was everyone acting like it wasn't my birthday!?
"Lilly, why would I want to spend the morning watching Jackson try out for the basketball team when we both know he's going to make a complete fool of himself?"
"Because it's a great way to show your school spirit. You know, go team?" She did a little cheer.
"But Lilly, it's my birthday."
"I know. That's why we're going to Wally's after. They serve free cupcakes on your birthday." She made a puppy face. "Please? Can't we go? Pretty please?"
Fine. Whatever. It's not like I was planning on having fun today, anyway.
The gymnasium was packed with tall, buff guys in sweat pants and T-shirts. Lilly and I sat with a small gathering of onlookers on the bleachers to watch. I was already in a bad mood, but having to sit there in a stinky, noisy gym watching guys run around in circles made everything worse.
Jackson's warmup consisted of jumping jacks, running in place, and some strange form of Irish riverdancing. It didn't take a genius to realize that this couldn't possibly end well.
The guys lined up and went through a series of exercises. I had no idea what the point was half the time, but it was very obvious from the start that Jackson couldn't keep up. He missed most of his shots, got knocked over by just about every person on the floor, and about halfway through he was clearly starting to tire. The other players took great pleasure in teasing him about it.
I kept glancing at Lilly throughout the whole event, and as Jackson's performance worsened, so did her enthusiasm. As the end drew near she got very quiet and wouldn't talk to me at all. Her brows were drawn together, her lips tight.
"Lilly, it's okay. You knew he wouldn't make the team."
"I don't care if he makes the team."
"Then what's wrong?"
She wouldn't answer.
The coach put them through a difficult dribbling pattern, and when Jackson's feet got tangled up under him and he tripped and fell, the basketball players erupted into hysterical laughter. Someone called him "shorty" and someone else asked where he'd left his "right foot."
Jackson stood up looking defeated. For the first time in my life, I actually felt sorry for my brother. And angry at Bobbi Sue for making him humiliate himself like this.
I didn't realize that Lilly had gotten up until she was halfway across the gym floor. All I could do at that point was stare stupidly and watch.
"What're you all laughing at, hmm?" she asked, hands on her hips.
The coach frowned at her. "I'm going to have to ask you to leave the floor, Miss."
"Now wait a minute, I wasn't through." She glared at the players."Jackson can do a lot of things that would make most of you fall flat on your face."
They laughed as if such a supposition was ridiculous.
"You don't think so? Jackson is the world record holder for pogo-sticking. Mmm-hmm, that's right. And he can walk around the house on his hands and pick up things with his toes." She got up on her tip-toes and gave one of the major culprets an intimidating Lilly-stare. "He's a very good tree-climber, he rocks at beach volleyball, and he could beat any one of you in a battle against a ninja squirrel any day of the week."
What she said sounded crazy, but no one was laughing anymore. Lilly looked up at Jackson. "So what if he can't play basketball? At least he's not afraid to try new things and have fun doing it." She drew in a breath. "If you all just stopped laughing long enough to get to know him, you'd realize that he's a very special person."
I had a pretty good view of Jackson's face, and let me tell you, he looked down at Lilly as if he was seeing her for the very first time. His eyes were wide, his expression was solemn, and there was no mistaking the fact that he was in awe of her.
"Coach," he drawled, without taking his eyes off Lilly. "I quit."
The coach cleared his throat impatiently. "Thank goodness. Back to work, everyone."
Lilly took Jackson's hand and led him off the court. As they reached the stands, the onlookers started cheering. Everyone likes the underdog, right?
"Hey dude!" someone shouted. "You want to show us a little bit of that hand-walking stuff?"
Jackson looked at Lilly, and she nodded. He got down on his hands and started walking along the sidelines. As he passed Lilly, he caught her hat underneath the toe of his tennis shoe and pulled it off her head. The crowd loved it.
What can I say? He's a natural.
Jackson, Lilly, and I went to Wally's for lunch. Somehow my bad mood had vanished. It was impossible to witness something like that and not be affected. I decided that if my birthday was the fated day that brought my best friend and my brother together, then it might as well be a happy birthday after all.
Needless to say, I was a bit of an odd ball out. Lilly and Jackson kept smiling at each other across the table, and neither of them could spare a minute to acknowledge my presence. So I just sat and watched and enjoyed my chocolate Wally's cupcake.
We got up to leave. Jackson and Lilly were joking around about pickle juice, and thus not paying attention to anything around them. As we headed for the car I spotted someone walking out of the grocery store across the street carrying a bag in each hand.
I froze in my tracks and did a double take. Oliver?
The blood drained from my face. What was Oliver doing at a grocery store? He was supposed to be in Santa Barbara with his grandma!
I looked more closely and saw someone in a cute yellow sundress walking beside him, a bouquet of flowers in her dainty hand.
And what the heck was Bobbi Sue doing with him!?
Now you all better review if you want to find out what's really going on!
