“What are you doing?” Mom asked as shewalked into the dining room. She had her usual cup of coffee in herhand and she was whistling.
That was new.
“Looking for a job.” I looked at hercuriously. “What are you so happy about?”
Mom’s face reddened for a moment, and thenshook her head. “Nothing. Life. So, are your friends comingstill?”
That was weird. “Uh, yeah, I talkedto Alexis a few days ago. She and Todd will be here next Monday.I’m hoping to get us all a job at the Fun Fair or something.”
The Fun Fair was our county’s only real formof entertainment, and it was also the only typical place in which acollege student would apply, as it was a seasonal position.
“Oh, I didn’t realize you were going towork?”
I frowned. “Well, I can’t be a free-loaderall summer. I mean, I have my savings from the Library, but that’sgoing to go away real fast if I don’t get something here.”
“Okay, well I just don’t want you to thinkyou have to have something. We’re doing fine.”
“I plan on rebuilding that fort.”
Mom took a deep breath and looked mad onceagain. Me bringing up the fort was obviously not a happy thing forher to hear.
“Why are you doing this?”
“I saw him the other night.”
Mom looked at me and sighed. “And?”
“And, I think Alexis may be right. Ithink he still has feelings for me. And even though he has agirlfriend, and this may not work out, I still want to be hisfriend. I love him, Mom.” I started to cry, and felt so dumb.That’s all I’d been doing lately, and to be honest, I was gettingon my own nerves.
Mom smiled sadly. “I just don’t want to seeyou hurt. I don’t want to see him hurt, either. Maybe I was wrongabout you two.”
I shook my head. “No, Mom, that’s the thing.Everyone knew except for me. I mean, I felt something when I waswith him. I did. I felt this Zing, and it was amazing, and Ithought I had that same kind of feeling for Jessup, but…”
“It wasn’t there?” Mom asked. She placed herhands in front of her on the table and leaned back in thechair.
“No. It left. I guess the thought of havingsomething with someone close to where I was, someone who liked thesame things that I liked was exciting, and I wanted to have it all.I wanted to be in college, have the normal experience, date, loveand all that, and it was impossible with Payton a million milesaway. He’s not innocent either. Honestly, he kept pestering meevery few minutes about what I was doing, and he was so jealous… Hewas different. I thought it would be easier for both of us if wejust…”
“Found someone else?”
“No, I guess, if we just did whateveruntil I was done.”
Mom frowned, and looked at me as if Idisappointed her.
“Keri…”
I put my head down. “It’s not that I wantedto… well…”
“Sex is a serious thing, Keri. You don’tjust do that with whomever…”
Mom’s face was red now, and she lookedmad.
I felt stupid, the kind of stupid only amother could make you feel. “I didn’t do anything. I couldn’t.”
Mom took a deep breath and shook her head.“I love you, Keri, but honestly what the hell were youthinking?”
“I don’t know. I just… I really thoughtJessup and I had this thing… and then we didn’t.”
“And now you want Payton?”
“I know I sound immature, and that I don’tsound like I know what I want, but I do.”
“And that is?” Mom asked.
“I just want to be with Payton. Around him,with him… friends, really whatever it is I can get at thispoint.”
“That’s going to be harder than you think,honey.”
I nodded. “I know I really screwed thingsup, but I’m going to fix it.”
“What if he doesn’t want what you want?”
“Then I’ll go back to school knowing that Itried. I’m not leaving until he knows how much I love him.”
Mom’s frown left her face and she smiled.“I’m proud of you, honey.”
I smiled back at her. “I’m proud of me,too.” Then we both laughed.
Two days later, I was standing in awaiting room at Aeris International. Aeris was a job findingservice that helped place people into careers. I found out aboutthem through a high school buddy that told me they hired people towork at the Fun Fair.
When they called my name, I stood and walkedto the reception area. A woman came out right away and led methrough some glass doors into her office.
“I’m Samantha Salzbrennar,” she said as sheheld out her hand for me to shake. I shook it, and she gestured metoward one of her empty chairs.
“So, you want to work at the Fun Fair?” sheasked, and I nodded.
“Yeah, it would be an ideal place,” I said,smiling. I had a folder with me that held my resume and references.She held her hand out and I handed it to her.
“So, you’re a college girl?”
I nodded. “Yes, I go to Ohio State.”
“Nice. I went to Ohio Northern.”
I smiled, and looked at her. “Ohio weather,am I right?”
She laughed, and I felt more at ease.When in doubt, go with the weather.
“So, how long do you plan on beinghome?”
“Just until September, and then I’ll beheading back to Ohio.”
Samantha nodded. “And what aboutbreaks?”
“Well, I guess I never really thought aboutit. If I have a job, I’d be more than happy to come home for thoseas well.” I couldn’t help but think of Payton. Would we still befighting like we were now, or would we have made up by then? Thepromise of that made my heart flutter.
“So, you’d be willing to come home and workfor your Thanksgiving and Spring breaks?”
“Yeah, and Christmas, too, if you need theextra help,” I offered. Samantha smiled and marked something downon her clipboard.
“Do you have any experience in foodservice?” she asked.
I shook my head. “Unfortunately, I don’t. Iwork at the University Library while in school. I have goodreferences, though.”
Samantha nodded once more, and then frowned.“You wouldn’t be interested in a mascot job, would you?”
My eyes widened, and I laughed. “Um, yeah,of course, that would be fine. Anything
