Butterfly Wishes

10 - Caleb - Sunday Afternoons

Chapter 10: Sunday Afternoons

[Caleb]

Even though Jade has been to our home before, I can't help but worry that it isn't cleaned right, that there are things out of place - basically, I am worried that Jade will think less of me based on the state of the house I live in. It is absolute madness, but I can't help feeling this way.

"Caleb, son. I bet she won't mind if one of the pillows doesn't match the others. It's a pillow for Christ's sake."

My dad is right, so with a sigh, I let the pillow slip between my fingers and watch it fall on the couch. What is with these nerves? It isn't like Jade hasn't seen our house yet. After all, when she was here last week, it had been entirely out of the blue and unannounced. The entire house looks spotless compared to then, when dirty laundry had covered the living room table and I hadn't had the time to clean in days. But still...

"I can't help it, Dad. Just waiting around while twirling my thumbs, is  going to make me even more restless."

"Are you sure she is just a friend?" Dad raises one of his eyebrows. "I can't remember you ever acting this nervous when your buddies from school came over."

"Dad," I sigh, dropping down on the couch. "She isn't a guy. You know as much as I do that the Y chromosome doesn't care much for tidiness. But Jade is a girl, and again you know just as well as I do that it matters to girls whether -"

"Don't you mean this girl?"

"What?"

Dad shakes his head, smiling. "Don't you mean you're making the extra effort for this girl in particular?"

"God, Dad!" I bury my face in my hands. "Are you hinting that-"

"That you feel like this girl is more than just some girl to you? I am not hinting at anything, son. I am just telling you the things like I see them."

"We're so not going to have this talk." I rise from the couch and walk past Dad, and through the kitchen. "I'm going to get more orange juice from the garage."

"You do that, son, you do that." I hear dad laughing, but I ignore his comment and shut the door behind me.

The cooler air in the garage helps me settle some of the nerves and uneasy feelings that have been building up inside me all day, or better, these past few days. My dad's comment about me feeling more for Jade than just friendly feelings still rattles my brain. But deep down, I know he is right in his assumption. Dad had never been more right than just now, in the living room, calling me out on what I have been pondering for a while now.

When I count the days that I have known Jade, I can't deny that it really hasn't been long. Yet, somehow, stepping off the bus to help her that day really felt like it was meant to be, like I didn't have a say in it.

"Get a grip, Turner." I mutter through clenched teeth at the realization that I'm starting to sound like a character from an overdone chick flick.

There are no meant-to-be's in this world, because if they would actually do exist, I fail to see the point of Mom being meant to die. Staring at nothing in particular, I realize that today is one of the first times I really wish Mom was still alive, more so than usual. Because, what I need at the moment is a Mom-talk. No doubt about it, Mom would have been able to tell me what to do. She would have been able to tell me what these weird, protective feelings were that spark to live inside me every time I even think Jade's name. I have only known the girl for days and somehow, it feels like we have years of friendship strengthening this weird bond between us.