Page 112 of The Quit List
And that’s why I put my foot down and insisted he go. He seemed hesitant as he left, checking in on me once, twice, thrice more before he walked out the door, but it had to be done.
After all, that privacy screen for his outdoor shower ain’t going to install itself. I don’t love the thought of any rogue guests having Sasquatch sightings—that sight is for me and me only from now on.
I’m already counting down the days until he’s back in the city for a visit.
Then again, maybe this is a feeling I’ll have to get used to.
I’ll just be excited for Jax from my sofa two hundred miles away, cheering him on while trying not to miss him too much.
“I’m simply educating myself on all things wilderness,” I insist.
Aubrey throws a champagne gummy bear at me. “You’re a terrible liar, but I still love you.”
She then takes advantage of my propped-injured-foot situation and turns off Bear scaling a frozen mountain in favor of Meghan Markle looking impossibly perfect in a variety of pencil skirts.
“Aah, that’s better.” She sighs happily.
I roll my eyes at my best friend just as my phone pings with an iMessage.
The veritable Riverdance my heart performs in my chest when I see his name on my screen is almost embarrassing. Finally!
Hello from the cabin - which now has internet!
Welcome back to this century :)
It’s been a minute. Is Taylor Swift still famous? Justin and Hailey still married?
The fact that you know who Justin and Hailey are is very… interesting.
My brother-in-law is Canadian. I can speak it almost fluently now.
Oh yes, a very important bilingual skill to have.
Right up there with Spanish, French, and Mandarin, I think ;)
I snort with laughter.
Rick says hi, by the way. He misses you.
A photo of the little dog accompanies the text. Rick has one paw up, like he’s waving.
Tell Rick I miss him, too.
I send a little heart emoji, but of course, it doesn’t quite cover what I’m feeling right now. Which is more along the lines of: I miss you like a weirdly huge amount so much please come home asap and stat, please and thank you.
Aubrey turns her attention from the TV to look at me. “Is that him?”
I nod. “He just got internet at the cabin.”
“Now you can keep in touch. Although, I don’t understand why you didn’t go back out there with him. You obviously wanted to.”
“For one, there’s the whole ‘I have a job to get back to tomorrow.’ And for two…” I gesture to my foot. “I think I’m better off here right now.”
As much as I like it better there.
The thought surprises me, but it’s true. For that glorious few days in nature, I got to be part of Jax’s world. I felt good there.
I expected to miss him, of course. Miss his steady presence and his easygoing conversation and the feel of his arm around me when we watch TV together.