I shouldn’t have been scared. I should have been excited.
But I couldn’t be.
Camri was the closest friend I have right now. And yet God decided to take her away.
Tesa was leaning against the kitchen counter wringing a towel in her hands.
I held my head in my hands, sitting at the same spot Camri had sat a week ago.
I never knew that so many things could change in seven days.
The door opened.
Caleb held the door open for Camri, who walked straight upstairs without acknowledging anyone.
For someone on crutches, she was able to climb the stairs quite easily. I’ll give her that much.
Caleb shut the door, shifting his keys from one hand to the other. He slowly looked up at Tesa and me.
Tesa’s eyes asked the silent question we both we wondering.
“She’s gone.” Caleb turned and walked down the hallway to his room.
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That evening, Tesa hands me a plate with food on it.
“For Camri. She might take it from you.” She pats me on the shoulder, then turns back to doing dishes.
I stare down at the plate of food in my hands.
Would Camri even listen to me?
Careful not to spill anything off the plate, I take the stairs two at a time.
I pause at Camri’s door.
“Camri?” I use my knuckle to rap quietly on the door. “I have your dinner.”
I head a small sniffle from the other side.
All I wanted was to walk into the room and hold her.
“Please?” I beg.
“Get lost, Logan,” I hear her say.
Well at least she said something. That’s progress.
“Camri. You are going to need to eat at some point.”
“I said – leave me alone!” I head a thud of a book or a shoe hitting the door.
“Fine. I’ll leave the plate right here if you want it.”
“Don’t bother.”
“But I do leave it.”
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I am consumed by my own thoughts later that night as I use my feet to push myself on the porch swing.
I time the crickets chirping to the constant creek of the worn metal of the swing.
I remember when Dad installed it for Caleb and Tesa. Tesa was so happy. She loved it.
A pang burns in my heart at the thought of Dad.
I wish he were here.
The door opens and Caleb walks out onto the porch. “I was looking for you.”
“Well, congrats. You found me,” I remark snidely.
“I wanted to talk to you about something.” He crosses the porch and sits down next to me on the swing, causing it to sway harder from his momentum.
“I may or may not listen, depending on what it is,” I reply without looking at him.
“So, this is really taking a toll on Tesa-”
“Really? I thought she loved the company,” I interrupt him.
“Sarcasm right now is completely inappropriate.”
I snort in protest.
Caleb reaches up to scratch at the rust growing on the metal chain.
“But I am willing to try and forget what you did, just so she doesn’t have to worry about us.”
“What I did? Really?”
“Ok. Can we just forget about that entire incident till this is over?”
I sigh and glance at him. “I don’t think this will ever be over.”
Caleb agrees with me silently.
I reach up to scratch at the metal chain, then lower my hand when I realize that my body mirrors Caleb.
“I’ll forget about it, but not for you or me. I’ll do it for Tesa,” I tell him.
Caleb smiles small. “Thank you.”
We grow silent as we listen to the song of the crickets and toads.
“So, um…” he trails off as he stares off the porch. “Camri is just a friend, right?”
“Really, Caleb? Are we going to be doing this right now?”
“What?” he shrugs innocently. “I just wanted you to know you had my stamp of approval.”
“Caleb! There is nothing between us.”
“Sure doesn’t look like it.”
I sigh at him. “It doesn’t matter anyway. She has shut everybody out. Including me.”
“Just give her time. She had practically everything taken away from her in two weeks. She’s just in shock.”
“I hope she comes back soon. I really need her.”
Caleb pats my knee and stands up, causing the swing to sway again.
“You are a good person. Logan. Don’t waste what God has given you.”
He pulls open the door to the house.
I say out a while longer, lost in thought.
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