Chapter Eleven
“Istillcan’tbelieve Dad let me come stay with you. This place is amazing!” Jenny exclaimed as she made her way through Sofia’s tiny one-bedroom apartment. They had been back in town for almost a week and every time Sofia turned around, Jenny was going on about something new she found, which only reminded Sofia how badly she needed to give her apartment a good spring cleaning.
“I wouldn’t say amazing. You could fit three of my apartments just into your bedroom in New York.”
“Eh, space isn’t all it’s cracked up to be. Style is key and Zia, you have style,” she said with a laugh.
“You say that now, but after a few more days of sleeping on my lumpy second hand couch, you will beg to go home.”
“No way. Dad said I can stay for the summer if I want. Between your place and Zio Micah’s, I have no intentions of going home anytime soon. My plan is to tan and find a man.”
“What? You will not be dating while you are down here. Absolutely not.”
“Oh, come on, what else am I going to do while you and Ozzie are busy making up?”
“I already told you there is no need to get your hopes up, little matchmaker. Ozzie and I are finished.”
“But why? I mean, sure he messed up, but you’re still crazy about him, aren’t you?”
“It’s hard to be crazy about someone who you had just started dating. Especially after you find out he’s a compulsive liar.”
“But he only did it because it scared him to tell you. That has to mean something, right? It’s not like he was actually engaged to that woman and cheating.”
“No, but what’s the difference between cheating and lying about who you are?”
“Did he actually lie, though, or did he just not tell you the whole truth?”
“It doesn’t matter. It’s all the same thing.”
“I don’t think so. I think sometimes adults make things much more complicated than they need to be. If you are nuts about Ozzie and he feels the same way about you, then you two can make it work. You just have to both get over yourselves and take a risk.”
“I don’t know how he feels about me. I haven’t heard from him.”
“Not at all?”
“No, not an email, a text, nothing.”
“Maybe you should call him then. You want to see him, don’t you?”
“It doesn’t matter anymore.”
“Zia, happiness is found, right? So maybe you need to go find yours?”
“Sound advice from an eighteen-year-old,” she said as she pulled her niece in for a hug, “You are wise beyond your years, little girl.”
“That must be Hattie,” Sofia said as she heard the knock on her door.
She went to open it and found her best friend standing there with a gift-wrapped box.
“You brought me a gift?”
“No, it was sitting on your mat.”
Sofia took it from her and walked into the kitchen, and put it on the counter.
“Open it!” Jenny squealed with excitement as she and Hattie followed her.
Sofia opened the box she let out a small laugh. Tears sprung to her eyes as she pulled out a loaf of bread, peanut butter, and strawberry jelly. At the bottom of the box was a small note.