The Distance Between Us

when you’re in a good mood. And if you’re in a good mood then you must not be too incredibly angry with me.”
    “You and my mom. You think you have my patterns of sarcasm down, huh?”
    “Yes.”
    “I’m sarcastic all the time, Xander, good mood or not, so there’s no need to draw up a chart or anything.”
    He gives an airy laugh. “Do you know how much I’ve missed you?”
    I close my eyes and draw in a deep breath. There it is. The line that makes me want to forgive him. “How did you know I was here? How did you find out about my mom?” I hold my breath. The answer to this question seems so important to me. Did he decide to come find me after he found out about my mom or before? I so need the answer to be “before.”
    “Well, when I called the doll store yesterday and Skye wouldn’t let me talk to you—”
    “I thought Skye called you,” I interrupted.
    “No, I called you and Skye answered, and all she wanted was your grandparents’ information. I begged her to let me talk to you but she wouldn’t. So I went to the doll store and it was closed. That made me nervous. I’d never seen the store closed during the day before. So I went to that antique store next door to look for Skye, find out what was going on. She wasn’t there, but the owner lady, who I think might be a little crazy, by the way—”
    “We use the word ‘eccentric’ but either one works.”
    “She told me about your mom. She wasn’t sure which hospital she was at, so I started at Community and then came here.” He takes one step forward and gives me his secret weapon of a smile yet again. “Can we hug yet?” he asks, but doesn’t wait for my answer, just pulls me up against him. I don’t fight it and wrap my arms around his waist. Silent tears trail down my face and I relax into him. I needed him.
    “I love you,” I whisper.
    “What was that? I didn’t hear you.”
    “Don’t push me.”
    “I love you, too,” he says. He puts his cheek against mine. “So much.”

Chapter 41

    H e pulls away first even though I have grabbed a handful of the back of his shirt and clutch it tight. “How is your mom? Is she pregnant, then?”
    “No.”
    “That’s good . . . right?”
    “No. I was selfish. A baby would’ve been good news. This is awful. They’re trying to figure out what’s wrong.”
    He tucks a piece of hair behind my ear and wipes a tear from my cheek with his thumb. He tries again to back up but I have grabbed another fistful of his shirt. He chuckles and gives up, wrapping his arms back around me. “We’ll figure it out. My father knows some of the best doctors in the world and—”
    That’s when I let go and take one step back. “No. You’re not here to solve this problem. The last thing I need is for your parents to think I started dating you because my mom is sick and I wanted your help. Sean and Vivian have things under control and everything is going to be fine,” I say even though I’m not sure I believe it.
    “What can I do, then? Do your grandparents have a place to stay? Because I’m kind of in the business of putting people up for a night or two . . .”
    I smile.
    “Are you guys hungry? When’s the last time you ate? Maybe I can get some food for everyone?”
    I grab his hand. “Xander.”
    “What?”
    “Please don’t leave. When the doctor comes out . . . will you just . . . be here for me?”
    “Of course.” He squeezes my hand and we walk back inside together.
    Sean raises one eyebrow when he sees us, probably thinking, Didn’t we all agree that this boy is too pretty?
    “Has the doctor come down yet?” I ask.
    “No.”
    “This is Xander, by the way,” I say, raising his hand slightly in mine. “These are the Meyerses . . . but I guess you all already met at the benefit.”
    Sean’s stare goes between Xander and me, and it seems as though he’s keeping himself from giving some sort of grandfatherly admonition. I wonder if that’s hard for him, to keep an opinion to himself. Maybe he’s learned a thing or two about teenagers in the last twenty years. He obviously didn’t have a clue when my mom lived with him.
    Finally Vivian says, “Xander, we just met her so take good care of her.”
    “Of course, ma’am.”
    “Caymen,” my grandfather says, taking Vivian’s hand in his, “I’m going to feed this lady. Did you need anything?”
    “No, I’m good.” I find a chair in the corner and Xander sits next to me. A television hanging in the corner