Like He Never Left

Chapter 7: Snap Dragons

Dad left for Sunday morning church around 7:30, waking me up when he did. 

"Do you want to go?" he had asked. 

 I don't have anything against people who go to church, or anything against Christianity. I mean, that used to be my main religion, but I've been out of regular practice, and I don't feel like going at all. 

"No, I think I'm going to pack my things up now so that I'm not scrambling to later," I mumbled groggily, wiping the sleep from my eyes. 

"Good plan. Well, I'll be back."

I'm glad that I pack lightly because I've always sucked at packing my crap back up. 

I also take the time to go through my old room. When I moved out with Josie, I left it as a typical guy's room with movie posters, trophies, and other things. I found it exactly how I'd left it. 

I debated taking reminiscent items back with me, like my sports trophies and childhood pictures, but I decided to leave the majority. I did pack up any pictures I could find of me and my mom and my senior year football championship trophy, or at least the smaller version of it, which is what the football captains got. 

I decide to call Brooke. We've been texting, but I want to hear her. Maybe it will help the madness in my head. She picks up on the second ring.

"Hey, babe. What's up?"

She does. She helps so much, and she doesn't even realize it. 

"Just finishing packing. I wanted to hear your voice," I tell her honestly, putting her on speaker so that I can talk and pack at the same time. 

"Oh yeah?" she flirts.

"Yeah, baby. I miss you. What are you doing now?"

"Working on my dissertation, but I'm thinking about taking a break. My brain hurts," she chuckles lightly.

"I bet, beautiful."

"You can't even see me. For all you know I could look like a troll."

"Well, babe, it's a good thing that looks aren't everything," I laugh.

"I believe your line was, 'Oh baby, you're more radiant than the sun even when you think you're hideous.'"

"Yeah, what you said."

"Cole!" she gasps in disbelief. "Jerk."

 I relish in her company, even if I only have it while we're on the phone, and soak it in. She's so full of light. I love her, and all thoughts of uncertainty about us vanish.

"I miss you."

"Ugh, Cole, I miss you, too. When's your flight?"

"Six."

"So I'll see you around nine?" I confirm, and she whines. 

We hang up a couple minutes later so that she can get back to her paper, and I sit in a daze of bliss.

How could I ever have thoughts about Josie when I'm so in love with Brooke? Just hearing her voice brightens my day. 

Dad came home at nine, when he said he would, and noticed my suitcase looking a little fuller.

"Taking some things with you?" he says, nodding down to the suitcase in my hand.

"Er, yeah. Do you care? Just a couple pictures of me and mom and my senior trophy."

"Take them. I don't use them."

He's never been a sentimental person.

"Thanks, Pop."