Chapter Six:
Naturally, after spilling out basically my whole life story, I couldn't sleep to save my life. I tossed and turned, but my eyes would not close. Finally, at 4:00 am, I gave up on trying to sleep and instead went to take a shower and get ready.
Elise would probably be asleep until ten, and our flight didn't leave until 6 tonight, so I decided to take the time now to go see my grandpa.
Grandpa and I had been close for as long as I can remember, and right now, he's currently in a senior home a little over a half hour away, a couple towns over. I always visit him when I'm here, and as I kid, I went to visit him at least once a week. Once Will could drive, he'd drive us both out there and visit my grandpa with me. I went every weekend in high school.
Upon arrival, it wasn't hard to find my grandpa. He was always in one of three places: his chair in the TV room, the garden, or a table in the dining room. When I arrived, the woman at the desk greeted me and told me my grandpa was sitting at the table waiting for breakfast, even though it wouldn't be served for a half hour. I thanked her and set off to find Grandpa.
I successfully found him, and I smiled fondly. It had been so long since I'd last seen him, and to be honest, I felt like a shitty granddaughter for that. I mean who knows how much time he has left? I should have come to visit him sooner. It worries me when I don't, even though he is in relatively good health.
"Grandpa!" I said happily, bearing a wide grin before walking over to him. He didn't shake from the trance he was in until I hugged him. He blinked at first, startled by my appearance. He didn't ask who I was, but I could tell by his confused expression.
I forced him a sad smile, "It's me, Sophie Bug." I referred to myself with the nickname he used to call me in hopes that it would ring a bell. It did and he smiled happily.
"Oh of course! I'm sorry Sophie Bug, you know how my mind is going," he joked lightheartedly. I was relieved. At first I thought that his condition had gotten a lot worse since I was here last year, but he seemed to be acting back to how he was before and joking around. Knowing him, maybe he was even just giving me a bad time for my extended absence.
"Hey G-Pops!" I said jokingly. "How are you doing?"
He nodded slowly, "I'm okay." I gave him a small smile and he added, "I'll surely be better after some French toast and a game of chess with my granddaughter!" I laughed and sat in the seat across from him.
*****
"Check," Grandpa said smugly before sitting back in his chair. I scrutinized the board, then moved my dragon to kill his bishop. Grandpa sighed, and I thought I detected him mutter a curse word before taking his next move.
"You and William talking much now a days?" Grandpa asked nonchalantly while analyzing the board over his glasses. My inner self smiled at Grandpa calling him William – Grandpa was the only one Will allowed to call him William, which I always found to be endearing.
I pursed my lips, keeping in my frustration with Will before shaking my head, "No, we don't anymore, Grandpa."
Grandpa nodded and I took my turn, "That's too bad. You two were really quite the pals back in the day." Grandpa just adored Will. Ever since we were little, he would embarrass me to death and tease us about getting married. In fact, through all that has happened, he is still dead set on that happening.
"Exactly, it was back in the day," I pointed out as he moved his pawn.
"When did you last see him?" I held back my whining, hating that I was yet again having to talk about Will, but not wanting to be disrespectful to Grandpa. I'd already spent the whole night thinking about Will, though. Or rather, the last two days. I was hoping that is have a nice distraction by coming here, but I guess not.
I sighed, "Yesterday."
Grandpa seemed intrigued, "Oh! I thought you said you don't talk!"
I resisted rolling my eyes so I could continue to respect the elderly, "Our mutual friend got hitched last night. We don't talk, that was actually the first time I've seen him since graduation. High school graduation."
"How was it?" Grandpa asked, still too interested in the whole Will discussion for my taste.
I sighed and rubbed my face, moving my king one space to safety. "Really horrible, like worse than the time...worse than any other encounter I've had with a person!" Oh. Maybe I do have a teeny bit of my family's dramatic flair. I should work on that.
Grandpa chuckled, "I'm sure it couldn't have been that –"
"He dissed my job and caused me to crash a golf cart into a pond on the course. He was a Grade A butt face!" I complained angrily. I wanted to call him so much worse, but I tried to censor it for the elderly, old-fashioned ears around me.
"You crashed another golf cart with that boy?" Grandpa asked with almost a small smirk growing on his face. I nodded in confirmation, frown still eminent. "Still, there's no need for name calling," Grandpa teased and I couldn't help but laugh a little bit.
"He deserves it! Believe me."
Grandpa shook his head, "You've always been so stubborn, Sophie." We lapsed into silence. I didn't really know what to say to that. Grandpa was the one who spoke up first.
"When William was here last week, he seemed to be doing well," He informed me as I sneakily slid my queen across the board. Then, my eyes about popped out of my skull.
"Hold up," I said as I put my hands in the air, "Will came here?"
Grandpa didn't meet my eyes as he stared intently at the board, "Yes he did. He comes around here from time to time."
I raised my eyebrows, "How often?"
Grandpa chuckled, "I don't know Sophia, the days blur together for me here."
I furrowed my eyebrows. This was weird, why has Will been visiting my grandpa? Then, I thought of another question, and I asked "Hey what does he even do for a living? We've been out of college for almost a year now. Does he still live in Ramsey?"
Grandpa chuckled knowingly, which only raised my curiosity. I groaned, and seeing as it was my turn to play, I moved my queen right four spaces and smirked. My plan was complete, "Checkmate."
Grandpa stared at the board then shook his head, "Well I'll be darned. You beat me. No taking pity on the elderly?" I smiled smugly and Grandpa gave me a grin, "I did teach you everything you know though, so it's really my win also."
I rolled my eyes and teased, "Sure Grandpa, whatever stops the tears!" He yawned, tired after talking and spending time with me. I checked my phone and realized I had been here for three hours. "Shoot, I've got to get back. I have a plane to catch later tonight and I left my friend Elise at home."
Grandpa nodded in acknowledgment and I stood up and gave him a hug and a kiss on the cheek. "Thanks for visiting me, I sure missed you."
I smiled out of guilt, "I'm sorry, I'll be back sooner."
"You better!"
I chuckled, "Love you, Grandpa."
"Love you too, Sophia."
"Need help with anything before I head out?" I asked.
He shook his head, "I'm alright. But Sophia, take a seat for a moment. There's something I want to talk to you about."
Anxiously, I took a seat, and he spoke, "Do you remember when you were little, and you'd come visit me with William?" I nodded, growing more unsure, not to mention slightly uneasy at the mention of his name. "You two would put whoopee cushions under the seats of us old folk, then you'd laugh like it was the most hilarious thing in the world. You'd both tell us all these horrible jokes. I mean really sweetheart, they were terrible. Nevertheless, we all found humor in it."
"Of course I remember. It's Will who doesn't remember anything," I sighed out of exasperation. "Grandpa, where are you going with this?"
Grandpa laughed as if I was the most entertaining thing in the world, "Sophia, you're a wonderful young lady and I love you to pieces. Don't be so headstrong when I tell you that sometimes, you've got to move on and give people a second chance."
"But I—" I tried to interject, but Grandpa held his hand up, adamant to finish his speech without my defensive interruptions.
"Wait, I'm not done," he smiled gently and I closed my mouth to listen. When he felt contented that I wouldn't disrupt, he continued. "It's been years, Sophia. People change, just remember that. You and William had a one in a million friendship. I know your relationship didn't work out, but what about that marvelous friendship? Some things are just too great not to fight for, sweetheart. And if you quit, you're not behaving like the girl I know you are."
I knew better than to argue with my grandpa. We were both quite opinionated, and at times hot-headed, and I knew that he would never agree with me if I told him how long I'd tried to get Will to be my friend again.
Also, deep down, I knew he was right. I'd be thinking the same exact thing for years. And although I had given up five years ago, I knew I would really give Will a shot if he actually came around. Even after all he has put me through and the fact I never received an apology, my heart knew that if he came around, I would follow.
But the thing is, he never did.
Instead of pointing out that Will had been a really crappy friend after we broke up, I forced a smile and nodded at Grandpa. "You better head out, kid. I wouldn't want you to miss that flight."
I nodded and we said our second goodbyes before I turned to leave.
"Sophia," Grandpa called, and I peered over my shoulder back at him. "You got ESPN in your apartment?" I nodded and he beamed. "Then do me a favor and tune in to it at 6:00 tomorrow."
I furrowed my eyebrows, "Um yeah, sure. Why?"
Grandpa rolled his eyes, still his slightly sassy self, "You're so inquisitive. Just do as your old man says."
I chuckled, "Okay, bye G-pops."
Interesting. Why would he want me to watch ESPN? Weird.
*****
"You about ready?" I called up to Elise. "We've got to leave in 45 minutes."
"Don't rush me! I'll be ready!" She yelled down to me. My mom giggled as she walked into the kitchen, obviously noting Elise's frantic tone.
"You better be!" I shouted, laughing at what I was imagining Elise's face to look like.
"Oh, Sophia, Isabella just called. She's across the street at the Harvey's and wants to see you before you leave."
I nearly spit out my orange juice, "Why does she want to see me over there?!"
Mom rolled her eyes, "Don't freak out, Sophia. My god you would think I just told you what your father and I did last ni—"
I clamped my hands over my ears, "Uh Mom! Mute button! I'm leaving," I stormed out of the room, and I'm sure my mom was laughing smugly behind me. "Elise I'll be back, I have to go across the street and talk with Isabella!"
"Take your time!" Elise was probably thanking the heavens that now she could pack without me pestering her. She had woken up an hour after I got home, lazily sat around, and now she was hustling to get everything ready.
I briskly walked across the street, in a rush to escape Mom's rambling. But in my hurrying I forgot that the door I quickly knocked upon was Will's, and I hadn't put a thought into it until I heard footsteps.
Well crap.
I turned around so I could make a run for it, but apparently I decided too late because right as I made it to the end of the porch, the door opened.
"Sophia!" A voice called.
I creased my eyebrows in confusion. That was way too high pitched to be Will.
Then I heard a laugh, "Don't flee, get back here!" Okay, that one was Isabella. I looked back and saw Isabella standing at the door with Will's older sister, Whitney. Oh! Of course Isabella was here, her and Whitney are best friends, and have been since about the time Will and I met. They were both smiling knowingly at me, and I continued to stand at the edge of the porch awkwardly, shuffling my feet.
Whitney giggled and rolled her eyes playfully, "My brother isn't here. It's safe to enter." I felt my face lightly flush and I gave them both a sheepish smile before coming in the house. As I entered, she added "He left at about five this morning to catch his flight to New York."
Curiously, I asked "Why is he going to New York?"
"He's been living in The City since November," Whitney told me, obviously seeming suspicious as to why I didn't know that.
What the hell.
It took some fast brain action for me to keep my jaw from dropping. That bastard had been in New York for the last five months and hasn't told me?! I mean sure, we weren't in speaking terms. But if he wanted to recreate our friendship than he would have gotten in contact with me!
Oh who am I kidding? He still doesn't want to be my friend. Stupid little fu–
"What time does your flight leave?" Isabella asked, interrupting my vulgar train of thought.
"Not for a few hours, but we have to leave and drive to Boston soon." We all moved in to the living room and took a seat. As I did, I took in the surroundings of the house I hadn't been in for five years, a house I spent most of my childhood in.
There were still family pictures on the wall, and I was actually surprised to see that four of the five pictures I was in were still either on the wall or the mantel. Including the one of us at graduation, fake smiles and all. I wonder what happened to the other picture. The one of us when we were six, holding hands, eating Popsicles, and completely covered in mud. I clearly remember that day, it was one of the best days of my life.
"How have you been, Sophie?" Whitney asked as we sat down.
"I've been good, how about you guys?" But before I got an answer, I asked Isabella, "When do you leave for your honeymoon?"
"We leave Tuesday morning. Apparently if Matthew went to work tomorrow, he could get an extra three days off. I don't know why though."
"Don't change the subject! We were talking about you and Will!" Whitney exclaimed, causing both me and Isabella to whip our heads to her. Only my face had a curious one and Isabella's appeared to be scolding.
"Whitney!" She hissed before smacking her best friend lightly on the arm.
Whitney waved her off and I asked, "What?"
"What Whitney means is, what's the deal between you and Will?" Isabella re-worded, her tone considerably more calm than Whitney's.
I pursed my lips, "We're not friends at the moment."
"But, he's been talking to your mom and asking—" Whitney tried. What? Will keeps in contact with my mom?
"I'm sorry guys, can we not talk about this? I've already spent ages talking about him for the last three days," I admitted with distaste.
"Oh come on, please?" Whitney begged, but when Isabella sent her a warning look, she gave in. "Fine." I couldn't help but crack a smile. Whitney, and Isabella too, have been like my older sisters for as long as I can remember. The four of us would hang out in the Harvey's pool almost every summer, and they both were my babysitters. And Whitney, like everyone else in the whole freaking world of Ramsey, seriously wanted me and Will to get married someday.
Now are you starting to see why I don't like coming back to this place? It's like a freaking endless black hole of memories that capture me.
Isabella looked at me with a smile before leaping out of her seat and hopping next to me on the couch, throwing her arms around me. "I've really missed you munchkin! I feel like I hardly know you. We need to talk more! Remember that firecracker little girl who shoved her ice cream cone in my face on numerous occasions? Well I love her to bits and need to hear from her more."
I laughed when I hugged her back, "Call me when you get home from your honeymoon okay?" She nodded against my shoulder, and then Whitney made a little whimper noise and joined in the love fest.
"You are a local legend, you know. Our town misses you, come back more!" Whitney pointed out with a humorous laugh. I wouldn't exactly say I'm a legend, but I and Will are pretty widely known around these parts for all our crazy shit we pulled.
Seriously, we were the pranksters. We were class clowns, even though in our high school wall of fame we were voted 'Most Likely to Get Married.' Apparently everyone thought that was a better fit for us. And let me tell you, that made it very awkward when yearbooks came out and we had broken up. I could only bring myself to look at the picture of us under that caption once, because it had been a picture of Will holding me bridal style and I was kissing his cheek.
The smile on his face in that picture could light up a whole room.
We all pulled away and I gave them both a smile, "I'll try my best." I really did miss these two. In the years of trying to avoid Will, I had forgotten on the other great things I had been missing about my hometown. My family, Isabella, Whitney, the little cafe on the corner. Basically anything or anyone that wasn't Will was something that I missed.
Oh, who am I really kidding? Even though he's a jerk wad and I hate his guts most of the time, I miss Will the most of all.
Internally, my heart sank to my feet. It looks like it would be another sleepless night tonight.