Read Online If I Lose Her by Greg Joseph Daily - Free Book Online Page B

was the
A-scribble A-scribble of Ansel’s signature.
     “When I was
twelve, I saw this photo in a magazine one day at my mom’s store, and I cut it
out and pinned it to the ceiling over my bed,” I told him. “Then, one by one, I
collected other photos that I pinned over my bed. Ansel’s ‘Half-Dome, Blowing
Snow’, and Curtis’ ‘An Oasis in The Badlands’. Their work is so haunting. When
I look at them I feel like I’m looking through a window at an actual moment,
still being lived, somewhere in the past. I almost expect the Indian in Curtis’
‘Oasis’ to turn and look at me.”
     “I know what
you mean. Sometimes I just sit and look at this village for hours. Thanks for
being willing to come and take our little family’s portrait by the way. I
thought Susan’s senior portrait turned out really nice. Much better than that
studio we went to for Christmas photos last year.”
     “No problem.
Speaking of which, we should probably get to it if we want to still catch the
light.” Then we all went outside and gathered around a newly painted, white
gazebo they had in their backyard.
     The light
was good and I wasn’t nearly as nervous anymore since her dad and I had found
some common ground to stand on, so I took the photo and we went back inside for
dinner.
     “Jolene says
your mom owns the Thimbles and Lace in old Aurora,” her mother said.
     “Yeah,
that’s right. She’s had stores at different locations around town for as long
as I can remember, but she seems to like old Aurora.”
     “I’ve been
in it. In fact I found a great pair of earrings I wore to our anniversary
dinner last year. Do you remember that Mike? That little blue pair, with the
little silver flowers?”
     “Oh, I don’t
know honey, I can’t always keep track of all of the jewelry you buy.”
     “Well
anyways, I thought it was a lovely little shop.”
     “Thanks.”
     The food was
good and I was hungry.
     “So Alex,
what are your plans now that summer is soon upon us?” Her dad asked stirring a
cube of butter into his pile of mashed potatoes.
     I put down
my fork and wiped my mouth with the edge of my napkin. Then I looked across the
table at Jo. I forgot to tell her. “Uh, it looks like I am going to
Minnesota with my mom.”
     “Oh?”
     “Yeah, my
mom likes going up there sometimes to sell brooms to some of my grandfather’s
old customers.” 
     “How long
will you be gone?”
     “Probably
all summer,” I replied slowly.
     I kept
watching Jo for a reaction.
     “Do you have
family up there?”
     “My grandma
still lives near there, but we go mostly so mom can just get away for a while.”
     I could tell
that Jo was trying to process everything I was saying, because of how she was
playing with her food instead of looking at me.
     “When are
you leaving?” she asked finally looking up at me.
     “The Friday
after school gets out.” This meant just over two weeks.
     We spent the
next hour or two chatting about my family and their family, my future dreams,
which I had no idea about since I was only eighteen, and we munched on dessert.
Then the evening wound down and it was time for me to go.
     “Thanks for
coming,” her dad said shaking my hand, “you really should come around more
often.”
     “Yes Alex,
it was lovely to meet you,” her mother echoed.
     I said
goodbye to them and her sister and Jo walked me out to my car.
     “When were
you going to tell me about Minnesota?”
     “I’m sorry.
Mom just told me that we were going this afternoon, and I hadn’t had a chance
to talk to you about it. She said that I could stay if I wanted to, but then
she went on about how this is probably our last summer together before I move
out and how she doesn’t think she would be comfortable driving all that way by
herself and…” I pulled Jo close, wrapped my arms around her and rested my cheek
against her head. “Should I stay?”
     “I don’t
want you to stay just because of