Vanessa

"Hey dad!" I called

Down the hall to my

Dad. "Do we have anything

Going on this weekend?"

Um, no, I don't think

So. Why? He called back.

"I was wondering if I

Could invite Tony over."

Uh.

"You do remember Tony,

Right?" I asked. If he

Said he didn't I think

There would be a new side

Of Vanessa to emerge and

Her name would be irritation.

It had been two weeks since

Conner's funeral, which meant

It had been that long since I

Had last talked to Tony. I missed

Him.

No, no, of course I

remember him. He was

nicer than that other

guy you had. What was

his name? Anyway, sure,

he can come over.

"Thanks dad!" I all ready

Had the phone in my hand,

His number typed in, waiting

For me to press the dial

Button.

It rang once, twice, three

Times and then someone

Picked up. It was a woman.

Hello.

"Hi. Is Tony there?"

I asked. This was kind

Of weird. I knew his

Parents weren't together.

I didn't know who this woman

Was. His dads girlfriend

Maybe?

Yes. Hold on a minute

Please. I could hear a

Shuffling in the back-

Ground. An opening door,

Then Tony's muffled voice.

Hello? he asked. He

Sounded tired, and

Confused. Who is this?

"Ah, did I wake you?"

I asked. If I had, I would

Feel really bad. I hated to

Be woken up when I was

Sleeping.

Oh, hey baby. Naw. I was

Getting up soon anyway.

What's up?

"I was wondering what

You were doing this

Weekend."

Hmm, nothing I can

Think of. I think that

Would be fine. I just

Don't know how I will

Will get there. But don't

Worry, I'll find a way.

"I could come and pick

You up, it's not that far

Away.

You sure your dad

Would be okay with

That?

"It will be fine. Don't

Worry. But you can come?!"

I was really excited.

Yeah. I'll see you

Then.

"Wait, I need directions."

I said. "We won't be doing

Anything if I can't get you."

Ha, nice thinking. I got

A piece of paper and he

Gave the directions. From

What I could gather, his

House was less than an hour

Away from mine, not so bad

When you consider we met at

A rehab place hours away from

Our houses.


I picked Tony up just

As we had planned. A

Pleasant enough woman

Answered the door. She

Had the same voice as

The woman that answered

The phone the other day .

Hello. She said over

Her shoulder to whoever

She was finishing a

Conversation with. Then

She turned around to face

Me, looked a little surprised,

Then understanding clicked

In her head. Oh, you must be

Vanessa. Tony, your friend is

Here.

There was the sound of

A chair being pushed away

From a table, feet practically

Running from the kitchen and

Around the corner, then Tony

Was in view.

Hey Vanessa. He didn't

Slow down until he

Was right next to me.

Once there, he threw

His arms around my waist

And pulled me into the

House, closing the front

Door behind us.

Welcome to my prisonHe

Said, turning me in a circle

So I could see the whole

Area. From the décor of the

Living room and fanciness of

Dining room, I guessed that

Tony's father had a good job.

Pa, we're going now.

Tony announced to his

Father, who was sitting

At the kitchen table,

Feeding a baby from a

Little jar of blended

Vegetables.

'Kay. Have a good time, kids.

Give me a call if you need a

Ride later.

All right. Tony spun me

Me back around, his arm

Still hooked around my

Waist. As we walked back

Out of the kitchen Tony

Began to plant sweat kisses

On my neck, cheek, lips. I

Tried to keep myself from

Giggling, put a few noises

Slipped out and as I tried

Muffle them, turned them into

Awkward snorting noises.

We climbed into my dad's

Car and headed back to

My place.


We sat in the car for a

Few minutes, catching

Up with each other.

Then we went inside. I

Was sure daddy was timing

Me.

When we walked in, Daddy

Was on the phone and Grandma

And Bryan were making lunch.

Tony, did you have lunch

Grandma asked him.

No ma'am he replied.

It was so strange seeing

Him act so proper.

We spent most of the day

Outside in the backyard,

Cuddling, and talking

All the stuff that had

Happened the last couple

Weeks.

Tony had gotten a job

At a hotel parking cars.

He said that he like it

Because he got to drive

All sorts of expensive

Cars.

That was really something

Compared to my sitting

Around because Daddy wouldn't

Let me go anywhere alone.

I took Tony home at nine,

But we had only gotten

Around the corner from my

House before he made me

Pull over for a nice make-

Out session.

When I got home, Bryan

And Daddy were sitting

On the couch waiting for

Me. Daddy had a strange

Look on his face, somewhere

Between disbelief and relief.

Bryan on the other hand, looked

As if his life had

Just ended. Fear struck

Me like a lighting bolt.

Something was wrong with

Mama.

Vanessa, I have something

To tell you. Here it comes

I thought. Will I be able

To handle it. The office

Called before and they want

Us to move.

Move. That's what this

Is all about. "Where?"

I asked.

Not too far. He assured

Me. Tahoe. So, you and

Bryan can visit Grandma

Whenever you want.

My brain stopped

Processing after

Tahoe. Tahoe! That

Was where Tony lived.

We would be so close.

I could barely hold the

Excitement in until Daddy

Was finished telling me all

The fine details.