Summer of Us

Chapter 15

It must be a sign.

That's what I think later, after I've woken up and had time to gather my surroundings. But now, I wake up in my half-lit room, cuddled against my mother. She smells like champagne and the fruity shampoo she uses, and right now, sleeping against me, she's the softest I've seen her in years.

I recall what had happened last night, why she might be in my bed. We must've fallen asleep together. It's morning now, the sun spilling red and blood orange into the canvas of the sky, still settled behind the rows of trees and houses along the horizon.

And then I remember Monty, and the trip to Banks. Startled, I look to the digital clock on my nightstand, the one that used to wake me up every day of high school. It's half past six. Monty leaves in not half an hour.

"Shit!" I say, launching myself out of bed. I flip on all the lights, waking up my mom in my haste. "Mom, mom, I need to go!"

"What?" she asks, eyes half open. Her voice is thick with sleep. "What time is it?"

"Six thirty-two!" I shout, ripping open my closet to search for my L.L. Bean backpack. It used to be my dad's, and almost always goes unused to preserve the smell of his cologne, his sweat. But I'm so panicked that I push this thought to the back of my mind and wrench it open. Taking one last whiff, I say, "Monty's leaving at seven!"

"Oh," she says, then sits up straighter with realization. "Oh."

"Help me!" I say, snatching clothes off hangers and madly opening drawers. She gathers her surroundings and soon, we're both tearing through my room, shouting things at each other.

"What's going on?" Stace appears in my doorway, dressed in her threadbare Barbie nighty she refuses to give up even though Sandy begs her each time she sees it. She's rubbing the sleep out of her eyes with a small fist, watching us warily.

"Stacey!" mom says, going to her. She grabs her by the shoulders, shaking. "Downstairs, I need you to grab as many snacks from the kitchen as you can. Bring them back here. We'll go shopping for more later, ok?"

"Why?" she asks, and I could strangle her. This is no time for questions! No! Time!

"Just do it, Stace," mom urges. "I'll buy you strawberry Pop-Tarts."

Wish she would have lead with that, because at the mention of her favorite snack, Stace bolts from my doorway. Down the hall, her footsteps can be heard tromping down the stairs.

"The hell are you two doing?" Sandy appears moments later, watching us fly around my room madly. She's dressed for work, everything but her shoes, where long white socks are in their place.

"Ava's going to be late," mom says, stuffing underwear and two bras into my bag.

"For what?"

"The trip to Banks with Monty, Sands."

"That's today?" she asks, checking her smartwatch, as if that'll give her the answer. "Aves, why didn't you pack before?"

"Because I'm stupid," I say, pushing passed her to get to the bathroom. When inside, I collect deodorant, toothbrush, toothpaste, my cosmetics bag. I begin to pee, and halfway through I realize there's blood streaming out of me. Fuck, fuck, fuck.

"Is he coming by?" Sandy says, standing at the door. She stops talking when she sees me lunging for the area below the sink for pads, trying to stay on the toilet at the same time. "The fuck are you doing?"

"Pads!" I squeal, pointing wildly. "I need pads!"

She rushes in, finds the pack below, and hands the whole thing to me. "Is he picking you up? What's the deal? Why are we doing all this last minute?"