Page 90 of Taking the Pitch
It’s been three days since the incident at the library. Three days since I’ve heard from Amelia. Three days since I’ve held her in my arms. The longest three days of my life. I’ve slept on the couch the past three nights because Amelia’s scent is all over my room.
The only thing keeping me from going completely insane is the text Charlie sent me letting me know Amelia was at her place and that she was safe. I asked her how she was doing, and Charlie just told me she needed time to process. I get the feeling I’m not getting the full story from her, and I probably never will, so I have to take what I can get from her for now.
The drive I usually enjoy passes in a blur on my way to my parents’ for Sunday dinner. I almost didn’t go, and I know Mom would have given me a pass, but I decided to go anyway. Maybe being around my family will help cheer me up and bring some normal back to my life. It beats sitting at home in my library that no longer brings me the peace it once did now that Amelia isn’tthere. She brought so much life to my sterile apartment, and now it’s just bleak and empty.
I see Kessler and Lucy are already here when I pull into my parents’ driveway. Shutting off my Jeep, I sit in the silence and stare out the windshield at the house I grew up in. I used some of the features of my parents’ house in my own design for my house I hope to build one day. Hoping a little of the magic and love I experienced growing up here would grow in my own home.
A flash of movement from the curtain brings me out of my thoughts. Taking a deep breath, I get out of my Jeep and head inside, kicking off my shoes in the mudroom and opening the adjoining door.
The smell of my mom’s cooking smacks me in the face. But instead of making my mouth water like it usually does, my stomach sours at the smell. I haven’t had much of an appetite since Thursday. I’ve been living off protein bars and toast. Those seem to be the only things I can stomach.
Mom looks up from where she’s chopping vegetables at the counter and sets her knife down when she sees me. Wiping her hands on her apron, she moves to come over to me. I meet her halfway and she envelops me in a hug. I squeeze her tight as she rubs my back like she used to when we were upset or sick as kids. I may sound like a pussy, but I don’t care. I’m heartbroken and need a hug from my mom.
After a few minutes, Mom pulls back and looks up at me, taking my face in her hands. “Have you heard anything?”
I shake my head. “Just the text I got from Charlie.”
“Mmm, it’s only been a few days. Give it some more time,” she says, patting my cheek with one of her hands and moving back into the kitchen.
I don’t really have a choice. Amelia has completely shut me out.
I head into the living room where Lucy and Kessler are, taking a seat on the chair next to the couch.
“Hey, Judd,” Lucy says, giving me a sympathetic smile.
“Hey, Luce. How’s it going?”
She rubs her growing bump. “Fine. Just finalizing details for the wedding with Cass and getting fat. You know, living the dream.”
A corner of my mouth lifts. It’s the most I can muster at this point, but at least it’s something.
“You’re not fat. You’re growingtwoof my babies, and I wasn’t a small baby. Ask Mom,” Kessler tells her, reaching down and rubbing Lucy’s bump.
“He’s right, dear. I hate to tell you, but he wrecked my vagina with his fat head. Took forever to heal.”
“Ugh, Mom, I did not need to hear that,” Kessler groans at the same time I mutter, “Gross.”
“Oh, grow up you two, it’s a part of life. Kessler, you’re going to see it soon enough.” Mom chastises us from the kitchen.
“Anyway,” Kessler says, changing the subject. “How are you holding up, Judd?”
I lift my shoulders and let them drop. “Fine, I guess.”
“You don’t look fine; you look like someone kicked your dog,” Kessler says.
“I don’t have a dog.”
“I meant if you had a dog.”
The idea I had Thursday before shit hit the fan pops into my head. I dig my phone out of my pocket and unlock it, finding the pictures I took. “Speaking of dogs,” I say, tapping on the screen and turning it to show Lucy and Kessler. “This is Ruby. She’s three and one of the dogs in Amelia’s reading program.” My chest clenches when I say Amelia’s name, but I push the hurt down. “She completely adores kids, actually prefers them over adults. She’s been in the program the longest and is always sadwhen she has to leave the kids to go back to the shelter.” I know I’m laying it on thick, but I want them to agree with my plan. “I was thinking since Christmas is coming up and Hudson has been bothering you guys for a while about getting a dog…” I trail off.
“You want us to adopt this one?” Lucy asks, not sounding sure, but not shutting me down either.
I nod. “I think she would be perfect. She’s already potty trained. She knows the basic commands. She’s spayed and is up to date on all her shots. Plus, you already know she would be good with kids because she wouldn’t be in the program if she wasn’t. The only thing she has a small issue with is that she’s afraid of men, but she took to me right away, so she could be getting over that.”
“Sounds like you should adopt her,” Kessler says.
“If I didn’t travel so much during the season, I would. But it wouldn’t be fair for me to adopt her, then be gone all the time. Trust me, I’ve thought about it.”
