Page 53 of The Scientist
“I think they’d like that,” I told her. “Why don’t we plan a day for you to come over? You haven’t seen the campus yet. It’s really nice. I could show you around, and we could all have dinner.”
“That sounds perfect.”
As we drove home, I could see the fatigue starting to set in again. I pulled into her driveway and put the car in park. When I went to turn off the engine, my mom put her hand out. “Uh-uh, Edward Cullen. You’re not coming to watch me sleep again.”
“I’m just going to stay with you for a little while to make sure you’re okay, and then I’ll leave.”
“No, we talked about this. Call me a hundred times again if you want, but it’s Friday. You need to go out and enjoy being young.”
“Mom, all I’m going to—”
“No,” she cut in. “I’m going inside to take a nap and then hopefully I’ll be feeling well enough to make it to canasta tonight. I met some great ladies the last time I went. And you’ll be out with your friends having a great time yourself.”
I sighed in defeat as she got out of the car and walked inside. When the door closed behind her, I picked up my phone and called her.
“Really?” she answered.
“You said I could call as many times as I wanted.”
“I’m hanging up now, you freak. I promise to call as soon as I wake up to give you a full report on my REM cycle.”
“I’m going to bang down the door if you don’t,” I warned.
“I believe it,” she said and hung up.
Once I got home, I decided to make my mom happy. I texted Sarah and Lionel to see if they wanted to go to dinner, and they accepted. I called my mom on the way, and she said she was feeling perfectly fine and was heading out to her canasta group.
I suggested La Caretta to Lionel and Sarah so we could finally try the margaritas. I was a little nervous to run into my old friend, Zack the waiter, but thankfully he was nowhere to be seen. We had a really fun evening together, and I called my mom several more times throughout the night.
“Would you give it a rest already?” she said after the tenth call. “I told you, I’m fine. I’m trying to enjoy my game.”
“You explicitly stated I could call as many times as I wanted,” I said. “And I never received that REM cycle report, missy.”
“You’re psychotic.”
“I think it’s best if I come over tonight.”
“I’m locking the doors and bolting the windows shut.”
“That never stopped Edward Cullen.”
“This is me explicitly stating not to call anymore,” she said.
“Does texting count?”
“I’ll see you tomorrow, Spider-monkey.”
“Be there bright and early, Loca,” I said before hanging up.
???
I went to bed early on Sunday night and woke up much too early Monday morning.I looked over at the clock to see it was only 5 am. After a few unsuccessful attempts at falling back asleep, I dragged myself out of bed and headed downstairs toward the coffee pot. I pushed open the door to the kitchen, still a little bleary-eyed, when suddenly I heard the flapping of wings and turned to see a black mass of feathers swooping straight toward me. I ducked, letting out a scream, and sprinted out of the kitchen.
I ran all the way out the front door, still yelling and swatting at my hair. My heart was hammering in my chest when I finally stopped to take in my surroundings. Of course,of course,Lex was outside on one of his jogs and was heading straight for me. I thought of how ridiculous I must have looked—shoeless, sporting my old Christmas pajama set, and my hair a tangled mess from trying to keep it from becoming a literal bird’s nest.
“What’s wrong? What happened?” Lex asked when he reached me a few seconds later. He sounded genuinely concerned as he scanned me from head to toe.
“It… kitchen… thing flew… bird!” I said through gasping breaths, pointing at my house.