We’ve settled in pretty well here, especially once the furor over Susie’s death died down. She’d hate the fact that she went out without a sound, that no one really seemed to miss her and that she’d not left much of a footprint. I’d given up on my suspicions when it didn’t seem like anyone knew anything, and my family seemed just as surprised as me when they learned about her death.
The fact that they moved on pretty seamlessly in the conversation to something else entirely had put my mind at ease. When Jeff disappeared days later, my mind went on another forage into the abyss, but nothing came of it.
I’d even wondered at some point if Cody and his boys had buried him somewhere, but Steve couldn’t keep a secret to save his life, and since he knew nothing about such a thing happening, I was almost certain that hadn’t been the case. Now months later, I’ve all but forgotten his existence or our final encounter, and since my family never knew about that night, I can’t very well blame them now, can I?
Things were going so well that I’d all but forgotten that Jess and Alexis were here to watch over me, and we’ve been back to being just friends and roommates for a while now.
I thought for sure, with Susie gone, that I’d leave the sorority, but now I’m hooked by their deeds and other happenings that have shown me that they are more than I ever thought. Life in the apartment was about to get very quiet once Cody and his guys moved on after graduation, which is the only grey cloud in my otherwise blue skies.
To say I got more than I ever dreamed of the day Cody came into my life is putting it lightly. Beyond the freedom I now feel from my family’s harness, the love we share with each other and the camaraderie with our friends have given me a new outlook on life.
He’s taught me not to look for traps and snares beneath every rock when it comes to dealing with my family, and the way they’ve accepted him into the fold is both questioning and exhilarating at the same time.
As expected, I have no idea what’s going on with my own wedding plans since mom and her team have completely taken over. At least they’d calmed down enough to postpone the rushed wedding they’d threatened me with for one a year later. I still expect some days for Cody to say that we’re moving too fast and that puts fear in me like nothing else could, but instead of seeming as if he wants out, he draws closer.
He’s more upset at the thought of leaving me while he goes away for training than I am, and I’m beyond annoyed. It wouldn’t be our first time apart since I moved into his dorm; that happened after he was drafted and had to go away to some minicamp nonsense, and I barely made it without him. Now just the thought of it breaks me out in a cold sweat. Realistically though, I know there’s nothing we can do about it.
Although his dad is out of the woods and may no longer need his financial support for his medical bills, it was still his dream for a long time to play professionally, so asking him to give that up to stay here with me for the next four years would be beyond selfish. Speaking of which.
“You definitely should go to the doctor. Your dad comes home in a few weeks, and although he’s fine, we still shouldn’t take any chances. You want to go see him, right? Well, you can’t if you’re sick.” I knew that would light a fire under him if nothing else did.
It’s been four months since he’d seen his dad, who my father had kept under his care all this time until he was sure the cancer was completely gone. I think dad was more excited that he’d saved my future father-in-law than about the new breakthrough treatment he’d discovered after years of hard work.
“I think you’re right. I was going to wait until I got insurance through the team, but that might take a while.”
“What did you just say?” This poor boy. I think sometimes he forgets who he is.
“You know how expensive doctors are.” I also forgot his hate for anything to do with hospitals and insurance companies.
I didn’t bother arguing with him, just grabbed my phone and made the necessary call. “Mom, Cody needs to see the doctor.” I ignored his fierce look even went so far as to turn my back on him so that I didn’t have to read his lips while he tried talking me out of what I was doing.
“Why, what’s wrong?”
“He’s been throwing up almost every morning for weeks now.”