Thomas & January (Sleepless 2)

The next morning, after we woke and I got January back into her room, I went to tell her we should get going and accidentally caught the tail end of a telephone conversation. That wasn’t all that bad and if I’d left as any normal person would have, giving her privacy, I’d probably be the happiest jackass this side of the Mississippi, but I didn’t do that. No, in a typical asshole Thomas move, I stuck around to listen in. That was bad, for many, many reasons and a move I was going to pay dearly for. Believe me.

“We’ll be in Stockholm tomorrow.” I heard her say over the phone, making my heart race and my skin panic. No, she’s not. She’s not.

“Probably around three in the afternoon by the looks of it,” she continued, then laughed. “No, he doesn’t suspect a thing.” My heart sank to my feet. “No, don’t even bother.” Don’t bother? “All right, love you too. Uh-huh. Tomorrow then.”

That’s when I discovered that I was a gullible bastard.

January

“We’ll be in Stockholm tomorrow,” I told my sister July.

“What time? So I know to tell Dad.”

“Probably around three in the afternoon by the looks of it.”

She paused. “Hey, has Tom figured out what a massive dork ass you are yet?”

“No, he doesn’t suspect a thing,” I teased, folding a scrap piece of paper in my lap.

I heard the front door open and close and knew it was my father returning home from work. He would expect his usual hourlong conversation if he found out I was on the phone, but I knew Tom was ready to leave soon. I reminded myself to call him later the next day.

“Do you have time to talk to Dad, actually? He just walked in,” July asked.

“No, don’t even bother.”

“Okay, I love you, January. Be careful over there. Should I tell Dad tomorrow then?

“All right, love you too. Uh-huh. Tomorrow then.”

Thomas

I should have told January that I saw Jonah the night before but I didn’t. I don’t know why I didn’t. I guess I was still letting a small piece of my insecurity control the rational side of my brain when it came to that fact. Truthfully, I wanted to know how he was finding out where we were and as much as I hated to admit it, her phone call made my heart ache. I hated to jump to conclusions, but that’s exactly what I was doing.

“I called The Great Remember up this morning,” I told her stoically as we made our way to see them. “Did I tell you that?” I asked, studying her reaction.

“Oh? Well, that’s a good idea, I suppose. What’d you say?” she asked, peering up into my face. She was so beautiful and innocent-looking. You're reading too much into that call, Tom.

“I just let them know our names, who we were, and that they could expect to see us after the show.”

“You didn’t tell them about Jonah?” she asked.

“No, should I have?”

“I don’t think so. I was just wondering.”

She grabbed my hand as we walked to the venue. Her thin fingers felt so cool to the touch, I absently brought them to my mouth and blew on them. She wouldn’t betray you. I told myself. You can’t fake sincerity like that...But, maybe she’s just playing you. Maybe she’s Jonah’s inside man...No fucking way! I argued with myself. January would never do that. She’s not capable. I’d bet my life on it.

“Hey,” she said, breaking me from my thoughts. “What’s got you so worried?”

I forced a smile. “Just thinking.”

The Great Remember was phenomenal live, but I was so distracted with watching January then watching out for Jonah, I almost missed the potential.

“Shouldn’t we, you know?” January asked me as I nursed my beer.

“Huh?”

“Meet them?”