greeted. “You’re right on time.”
“You ready?” she asked.
Maddie was wearing jeans and a simple, crocheted, beige top that
made me feel as though I had made the right decision. “Yup,” I said. “Just let
me get the lasagna and we can get going.”
It had been a long time since I’d driven to Dylan’s home. It felt
so natural that I was uncomfortable by the thought. I reminded myself that at
one point in my life it had been my second home. I remembered all those times
when Dylan and I had gone straight from school to his house. Mrs. Thomas would
make us lunch and then we would play video games, go biking or just sit in the
backyard and talk.
“Are you ok?” Maddie
asked.
“Sure,” I said
unconvincingly.
“I can feel the nerves
coming off you,” Maddie pointed out.
I gulped. “I’m just …
psyching myself out a little. I really shouldn’t be this nervous.”
“Lizzie, you need to
breath,” Maddie said calmly. “It’s going to be fine.”
“Do you think he’s
changed much?” I asked.
“I’m sure we all have,”
Maddie answered. “But at the heart of it, I’m sure he’s the same person he’s
always been.”
“I don’t know how to
react when I see him,” I admitted. “I mean, should I hug him? Should I shake
his hand? Should I just wave from across the room?”
Maddie smiled. “Just do
whatever comes naturally.”
I glared at her. “Oh
you’re a big help, I’m so glad I brought you.”
Maddie laughed and instantly I realized how neurotic I must sound
to her. “I know it must seem like the only reason I’m going tonight is because
of Dylan but it’s not.”
“I know…”
“I mean I do want to see
him but … even if he wasn’t going to be there, I would still be going and I
would still have brought the lasagna.”
“I know, Lizzie,” Maddie said firmly. “You don’t have to tell me
that. We’ve known each other for twenty-five years. If there’s anyone who’s
willing to make food and take it to someone in need, it’s going to be you.”
I smiled. “Thanks. I’m
just a little nervous.”
Maddie glanced at me
curiously.
“What?”
“Do you think that maybe
the reason you’re so nervous is because you might still have feelings for
Dylan?”
“No,” I said before I
could even consider the question. “Definitely not.”
“You sound sure.”
“I am,” I said quickly. “I mean, I haven’t seen the man in eleven
years. I’m just nervous because, well, he was my high school sweetheart. Wouldn’t
you be?”
“I suppose so,” Maddie
said with a shrug that wasn’t very convincing.
Our conversation came to an abrupt halt as I pulled up outside
Dylan’s large driveway. There was already a parade of cars outside and I knew
the house would be packed with people. I got out and straightened my blouse,
then I got the lasagna and Maddie and I headed for the open front door.
We walked in and headed straight for the long table where the food
had been laid out. There was already a range of different things: fruits,
sandwiches, pies, and more. A few people nodded to us as we moved through the
room, but I was too preoccupied to have a conversation with any of them.
That’s when I saw Mrs. Thomas. She was sitting in one corner of
the room with a bunch of tissues in her hand. Her eyes were red from crying and
her cheeks were tear stained. I left Maddie at the food table and moved towards
Mrs. Thomas. My heart broke at the expression on her face and I realized how
much she had loved her husband.
I knelt down right in front of her. “Hello, Mrs. Thomas,” I said.
“I’m so sorry for your loss.” The words didn’t sound right as they came out. It
was such a conventional thing to say that it seemed to me as though all meaning
had been drained from it. She looked at me in confusion for a moment and then
it clicked.
“Elizabeth?”
I smiled and nodded.
“I haven’t seen you in a
long time.”
“I
“You ready?” she asked.
Maddie was wearing jeans and a simple, crocheted, beige top that
made me feel as though I had made the right decision. “Yup,” I said. “Just let
me get the lasagna and we can get going.”
It had been a long time since I’d driven to Dylan’s home. It felt
so natural that I was uncomfortable by the thought. I reminded myself that at
one point in my life it had been my second home. I remembered all those times
when Dylan and I had gone straight from school to his house. Mrs. Thomas would
make us lunch and then we would play video games, go biking or just sit in the
backyard and talk.
“Are you ok?” Maddie
asked.
“Sure,” I said
unconvincingly.
“I can feel the nerves
coming off you,” Maddie pointed out.
I gulped. “I’m just …
psyching myself out a little. I really shouldn’t be this nervous.”
“Lizzie, you need to
breath,” Maddie said calmly. “It’s going to be fine.”
“Do you think he’s
changed much?” I asked.
“I’m sure we all have,”
Maddie answered. “But at the heart of it, I’m sure he’s the same person he’s
always been.”
“I don’t know how to
react when I see him,” I admitted. “I mean, should I hug him? Should I shake
his hand? Should I just wave from across the room?”
Maddie smiled. “Just do
whatever comes naturally.”
I glared at her. “Oh
you’re a big help, I’m so glad I brought you.”
Maddie laughed and instantly I realized how neurotic I must sound
to her. “I know it must seem like the only reason I’m going tonight is because
of Dylan but it’s not.”
“I know…”
“I mean I do want to see
him but … even if he wasn’t going to be there, I would still be going and I
would still have brought the lasagna.”
“I know, Lizzie,” Maddie said firmly. “You don’t have to tell me
that. We’ve known each other for twenty-five years. If there’s anyone who’s
willing to make food and take it to someone in need, it’s going to be you.”
I smiled. “Thanks. I’m
just a little nervous.”
Maddie glanced at me
curiously.
“What?”
“Do you think that maybe
the reason you’re so nervous is because you might still have feelings for
Dylan?”
“No,” I said before I
could even consider the question. “Definitely not.”
“You sound sure.”
“I am,” I said quickly. “I mean, I haven’t seen the man in eleven
years. I’m just nervous because, well, he was my high school sweetheart. Wouldn’t
you be?”
“I suppose so,” Maddie
said with a shrug that wasn’t very convincing.
Our conversation came to an abrupt halt as I pulled up outside
Dylan’s large driveway. There was already a parade of cars outside and I knew
the house would be packed with people. I got out and straightened my blouse,
then I got the lasagna and Maddie and I headed for the open front door.
We walked in and headed straight for the long table where the food
had been laid out. There was already a range of different things: fruits,
sandwiches, pies, and more. A few people nodded to us as we moved through the
room, but I was too preoccupied to have a conversation with any of them.
That’s when I saw Mrs. Thomas. She was sitting in one corner of
the room with a bunch of tissues in her hand. Her eyes were red from crying and
her cheeks were tear stained. I left Maddie at the food table and moved towards
Mrs. Thomas. My heart broke at the expression on her face and I realized how
much she had loved her husband.
I knelt down right in front of her. “Hello, Mrs. Thomas,” I said.
“I’m so sorry for your loss.” The words didn’t sound right as they came out. It
was such a conventional thing to say that it seemed to me as though all meaning
had been drained from it. She looked at me in confusion for a moment and then
it clicked.
“Elizabeth?”
I smiled and nodded.
“I haven’t seen you in a
long time.”
“I
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