Word Count Day 8

21,345/50,000

Chapter 7 (continued)

An hour or so later Allison was walking back to her dorm from the parking lot, feeling like she was stepping back into life. The sweater she wore, a loose, itchy one with an ugly striped pattern was her only physical tie to her night at Sedgewick's. His pants didn't look like they'd fit and it wasn't like her clothes were toxic. But she wore the sweater because she could.

She had classes to get to that afternoon, but she hadn't decided yet if classes were something she could handle. She planned to get back to her dorm and taste a bit of reality, see if it was anything she might be able to stomach.

She unlocked the front door and took the elevator up to third floor. Her room was at the end of the hall, in the corner. It was just before lunch, and she hoped the place would be quiet and empty. Everyone knew about her mom, and there was that quiet awkwardness in the air.

"Allison?" she turned to see her roommate, coming in from the stairwell behind her.

"Hi, Kallie." She stopped and waited for her roommate to catch up, and they continued down the hall together.

"How are you doing?" The question came slowly, and not immediately either. They were almost in their room when it came out, and Allison was grateful for the restraint. She knew Kallie hated to ask the question, but it need to be ask.

"I'm okay… I think."

"Where were you last night? Did you spend the night at home?" Kallie was genuinely concerned, and Allison appreciated that. She smiled as she told the story, telling Kallie how she didn't want to come home and spent the night at Sedgewick's house.

"Sedgewick? Is he the guy you saw at the grocery store?" Allison nodded. "The one you ran off to introduce yourself to yesterday at breakfast?" Allison nodded again. "No way."

"I know." Allison flopped down on her bed, grateful that they'd opted against lofting their beds. It made for a tight room, with furniture circling the room, but it also meant she could throw herself onto her bed. It worked for long days of class, over dramatic Friday nights, and for times like this.

"You spent the night with him?"

''Well not with him, but at his house."

"Where was he?"

"He slept on the couch."

"Wow, a gentleman?"

"I guess, yeah."

"And what happened this morning?" Allison dropped her gaze to her shoes.

"I don't know. He took off early. I had breakfast with his grandma, which was actually… she's a pretty amazing woman."

Kallie couldn't take this. She pulled out a chair and sat down herself.

"He lives with his grandmother? And he left you to have breakfast alone with her?" Kallie shook her head. "Allison, who is this guy and what fairy tale did you find him in?"

"I know, though it feels more like a tragedy than a fairy tale. Something out of Shakespeare."

Kallie grew quiet, then asked softly, "Because of your mom?"

Allison sighed and tried to wrap her brain around it.

"In some ways, yeah, but Sedgewick was tragic long before I came around." She told her friend what she knew, or the extent of it, which was that Sedgewick's mom had abandoned the family, that his father and brother both died, and he grew up with his grandparents. His grandfather also died when he was fairly young, and he'd been living with his grandmother since.

"Well, talk about meeting the right guy on the right day."

"I know. How many first dates do you have that will cry with you?"

"Oh, Allison."

"The funny things is I don't know where to go from here. What's next when you spend your first day crying in each other's arms and sleeping over? What kind of second date does that make for?"

The two sat in silence for a few minutes.

"His grandma said something about love this morning, something about love not following a script, and I can't help but wonder if this really is love. He's been an amazing friend through an awful time, but he's a friend I hardly know. Can you love someone you don't know?"

"Does it kind of feel like a movie?"

"Yeah, like the Hollywood plot where I cry on his shoulder and the weepy music plays and we get through it together and go on to get married and have lots and lots of babies to make up for our pain."

"Lots and lots of babies?" Kallie asked, and two broke into giggles.

"Oh, Kallie, I don’t know what I'm doing."

"Do we ever?" Kallie stood up and pulled a few books from her bag, swapping them with other books for the afternoon. She pulled out a binder and sat down at her desk to finish up some last minute assignment.

Allison rolled over and picked up the dorm phone to check her messages. Her dad and called, and the R.A., and her dad again, and a couple girls from down the hall, and her coach, and a couple professors. Word had apparently traveled fast. Thankfully her R.A. had called most of her professors and took care of some of the time and emotion heavy contact work, which would effectively excuse Allison from classes for the week if she wanted. She didn't know if that would help or not, but the choice meant something to her.

"Are you heading to class soon?" Allison asked.

"Yeah, I just came back to swap books. Do you need anything?"

"I should probably call my dad back."

"Oh, no problem. Do you want me to go? Or do you want me to stay here for after? Or…"

"Well, it'd probably be easier if you weren't here when I talked to him. But thanks."

"Whatever you need." Kallie packed up her stuff and headed for the door.

"Thank you." Kallie stopped at the door and nodded, giving her friend as much reassurance and support as she could.

Allison sighed and picked up the phone to call her dad.

"Hi daddy."

Chapter 7

She awoke to birds outside her window, a noise that seemed out of place and strange. She rolled over, pulled the covers closer, and slowly opened her eyes. Sunlight streamed in the front facing window, lighting up Sedgewick's room. The alarm clock said 8:37, and that woke her up. She pushed the covers back and remembered her impromptu pajamas. She smiled weakly and rubbed her eyes, amazed at the last 24 hours and this boy named Sedgewick.

She crawled out of bed, thankful for the rug on the floor. She shivered and reached for her pants, but then stopped and tiptoed over to the dresser. She opened the top drawer and saw several neat piles of folded T-shirts. The second drawer had more shirts, but the third drawer had jeans and pants. She pushed a few piles aside and found a pair of sweat pants. She pulled them on, enjoying the loose and comfy fit.

She opened the bedroom door to a subtle quiet. The house was warm, bathed in sunshine, and savory scents drifted up the stairs from the kitchen. She made her way down the stairs, pausing at the bottom. A pile of blankets and an extra pillow were piled on one end of the couch. She walked down the hallway towards the kitchen and there was Sedgewick's grandmother, seated at the table with a cup of coffee and a book.

"Good morning, dear."

"No, don't get up, it's okay," Allison said, wrapping her arms around herself. Sedgewick's grandmother gestured to the chair opposite her, where Sedgewick usually sat in. Allison sat down, taking in the kitchen and then resting her feet on the bottom rung of the chair, curling her toes around the bar.

"Well, unless Sedgewick brought other girls home last night, you must be Allison. I'm very pleased to meet you. And I can assure you I'm the only old lady in this house. I'm Sedgewick's grandmother, Gertrude."

"I'm so honored to meet you, Miss Gertrude. Sedgewick's told me a lot about you." Gertrude laughed and her pushed her chair back from the table.

"Gertrude is fine dear. The proper attire for this kitchen is pajamas or bathrobes—you seem to fit right in. There's no need for formality. Would you like some breakfast?" Allison nodded. Gertrude piled a plate with eggs and bacon from the stove, setting it in front of Allison, whose eyes widened. She turned to the fridge for a glass of orange juice.

"There's coffee if you like," But Allison shook her head. "Sedgewick never drinks the stuff, but I always start the day off with a little black juice."

"Where is Sedgewick?" Allison asked between bites. Gertrude sat down again took a sip from her mug, smiled and winked at Allison.

"Oh, that boy. You know, I came down stairs this morning and saw the blankets on the couch and I wondered what was going on. Then I saw the note on the table. Sedgewick doesn't leave notes often, doesn't need to, but of course by the time I woke up this morning he'd left three." She pointed to a piece of paper, covered in a quick, sure writing:


Gram,

I'm off to Perkins for a late night coffee with Allison. I'll be home late.

Love,
Sedgewick

And then below that:

Gram,

Me again. Allison couldn't go home last night, so I brought her back her. She's in my room. I hope that's okay.

Love,
Sedgewick

And finally, below that:

Gram,

I imagine Allison will be sleeping in this morning, but I had a class I couldn't miss. Tell her I said good morning. She'd probably love some breakfast, if you don't mind. Thanks so much!

Love,
Sedgewick

Allison smiled and curled her toes. She set the note to the side.

"Thank you, for breakfast and letting me stay the night. It wasn't that I couldn't go home last night, I just…"

"I understand, child. You're most welcome. Sometimes we could all use a hand." She reached across the table and patted Allison's hand the way only a grandmother could. "And I'm sorry about your mother." Gertrude left it at that, turning back to the kitchen to clear her dishes, and Allison just nodded.

"I imagine you're missing classes this morning?"

"Yeah, I suppose I am."

"That's okay child, you're allowed to skip a few now and then. Especially now. Though I don't suppose Sedgewick's class was as early as he let on this morning. It's not very often that he beats me out of bed." Allison didn't say anything.

"It's not every night that he brings girls home, and I think it all might have been just too much for him." Gertrude smiled and winked, and Allison giggled.

"Do you mean he left because of me?"

"Oh, I don't know dear, I can only guess. But a lot of thinking goes on in that boy's head, sometimes more than is necessary. I can imagine he's a bit head over heels with you, and going from meeting you one morning to a sleepover the same night, well, that requires a bit of thinking. He did meet you yesterday morning, didn't he?"

"Yes, it seems so funny now, but we did just meet yesterday morning."

"And that's okay child, no need to feel sheepish. Love doesn't follow a storyline."

"Is it love?"

"Well, I don't know dear, I can only guess. But there's not much else, other than grace, that would draw together two people who need each other so much. That's probably the other reason Sedgewick snuck out early this morning. No disrespect to you, but this isn't very easy for him, with your mother and all."

"No, it's not." Allison remembered his tears, wondered how many other college guys would openly weep. "Do you think Sedgewick needs me?"

"More than you know." Gertrude cleared Allison's dishes and sat back down again, reaching out to hold Allison's hand in hers.

"Child, I don't mean to interfere or get in the way. Sometimes we old ladies like to talk. But Sedgewick is my baby, as much of a man as he is, and I can't help but hope for the best. Like him, I've only just met you myself, but you seem like a beautiful young woman, and if love is involved, I have no problem with that. But I don't need to tell you that's not my place. That's for you and Sedgewick to figure out, and with the week you've had, please don't feel like you need to figure it out anytime soon."

Allison looked into Gertrude's face, past her wispy gray hair and creased lines, and into her deep eyes. She could see hints of Sedgewick, not in the eyes or specific facial features, but just in the general glow, the depth, and what felt like love.

"I don't imagine you came prepared for a sleepover, but you're more than welcome to use the shower if you like. We have plenty of extra towels." She could tell Allison was considering the idea, weighing the options. Gertrude stood up to clean away the remains of breakfast "And as for clean clothes, you seem to have found some suitable pajamas, I imagine you could find something presentable. Could give Sedgewick quite a shock to see his wardrobe wandering about campus. Serve him right for taking off."

Allison smiled and she stood up and crossed the kitchen. She stood in the doorway, leaning against the frame watching Gertrude pile dishes in the sink.

"I think I will take you up on that shower." Gertrude told her where the towels were and turned back to the dishes. "And, thank you."

"No, thank you, child."

A few minutes later Allison found what she needed in the bathroom, stripped of Sedgewick's clothes and stepped into the shower. She winced at the stream of water, but then slowly let it wash over her, first her face and then her head and then down her back and over her body. She stood under the warm, steaming shower, letting it wash over her, rinse her body and her mind and her soul.