Olive led Paul through the house and into the kitchen. “Here they are,” she said, smiling. “They made cookies for your party tonight.” She patted him on the shoulder and turned and went back to the living room.
Celia stood at the sink washing dishes, and Fay stacked snickerdoodles in a tin. “Hi, Paul,” Fay said. “What’s up?”
“I’m looking for Malcolm. He’s not answering his phone. I thought he might be here.” He looked at Celia, who gave him a tentative smile.
“No, he’s on a last minute supply run for Marigold. She forgot to get paper plates, cups, and ice for the party.”
Celia draped the washcloth over the faucet. “I better get home. Mom wants me there by five to start dinner.”
“What are you talking about? The Dearings are serving dinner at the party,” Fay said.
Celia looked at the floor. “I’m not going.”
“Of course you are.”
She shrugged. “I wasn’t invited.”
Paul’s heart sank. “It’s an open house, Celia. The whole town is invited,” he said.
“And besides,” Fay added, “you know you have a standing invitation there any time you want it.”
“People say those things, but they don’t mean them. It’s just polite,” Celia said.
On instinct, Paul moved closer to her, but remembered himself and stood awkwardly by the table.
“Celia,” Fay scolded, “Marigold doesn’t say things to be polite. She says what’s true in her heart. She enjoys your company, so she meant it when she said you are welcome even when I’m not there. Plus, it’s Paul’s party too, and you want her there, right?” She waved her hands at Paul, urging him to step in.
“Of course I want you there.” He studied her as she continued studying the floor. Her being there was the only reason he wanted to go.
“And I want you to go because I want one last night with you before I go to New Hampshire for the week. I won’t even see you over Thanksgiving,” Fay said.
“I’m not going to this party, Fay.” She crossed her arms over her chest.
Fay leaned forward and put her hand on Celia’s forearm. “Okay, fine. I’m sorry. I don’t mean to upset you.”
Celia shrugged, dismissing her. “You better go get ready. I know you want to spend as much time with Malcolm as you can before he leaves.”
“I can spend my time how I want, and right now I want to sit here and listen to you, if you feel like talking.”
“I don’t. Go on. You have just enough time for a shower, and you need one.”
She laughed. “Alright, I’ll go shower. But I wish you’d change your mind.” She turned to Paul. “I’ll see you at Malcolm’s in a couple hours. You two can stay here as long as you like.” She made a face at Celia, who made a face in return.
When she was gone, Paul pulled out a chair at the table, and motioned for Celia to join him. It took her a minute, but she walked over and sat across from him. “You should come. Malcolm will want you there to help him celebrate.”
She furrowed her brow. “The party’s for you, too. You both got in.”
Paul leaned forward a little, resting his elbows on the table. “Yeah. But my plans have changed. I’m not going to IU after all.”
Celia coughed, surprised. “What are you talking about?”
“I’m not going.”
She leaned forward, matching his posture. “Yes, you are.”
“I’m not.”
“You are,” she insisted.
“Why are you arguing with me?”
“It’s what I do.”
He laughed, then sobered. “Celia, I can’t go.”
“Why not?”
He didn’t want to get into all the gory details. She had enough on her plate without worrying about him. But he figured she’d hear the basics through the grapevine. “Mom lost her job.”
She leaned back in her chair. “Did Dr. Shepherd go out of business?”
“No.” Paul’s knee bounced up and down. “She billed a bunch of patients wrong. But whatever, the reasons don’t matter. She doesn’t have a job right now, so I need to get one. There just won’t be enough for college.”
“But I don’t understand. She can get another job.”
Paul drummed his fingers on the tabletop. “Jobs are hard to find.”
“But what about your plans? Your mom needs to take whatever job comes along. You’ve helped her enough, Paul. It’s your turn.”
Paul swallowed down the lump in his throat. “Maybe she will get another job and everything will be fine. But for now, I’ll just delay things by a year. One more year in Juniper before I go to college won’t hurt anything,” he said, and stood. “I’m going to talk to Mr. Dearing at the party tonight. After I graduate, I bet he’ll give me a job at Dearing Plastics.
Celia’s eyes flashed to his. “No.”
“Yes.”
She jumped up, and Paul wasn’t sure what she intended to do. He held out his arms, hoping she’d fall into them. She stared at the fresh, pink scars on his forearm, and he looked down at them, too. Jumping out of that truck had been stupid, but it had quieted the thoughts in his brain for a little while. He kind of wished he had a truck to jump out of right now. Celia looked up and met his eyes, then darted around him and disappeared through Fay’s back door.
Paul sighed. Always she was running from him, never to him. He slipped out the back door and turned toward his house to get ready for a party where there’d be a cake with his name on it, and he’d have to have this same conversation a few dozen more times.