Read Online Nobody's Fool by Barbara Meyers - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Barbara Meyers
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coffee table.
“Your children are beautiful,” Jolie continued. Sarah’s son snuggled closer to his mother. The baby’s eyelids were drooping. The bottle was almost empty.
“This is Chad,” Sarah said, indicating the boy. “And Chelsea.” She kissed the baby’s forehead.
“You’re so lucky,” Jolie said.
Sarah’s look was one of suspicion, as if she wondered if she was being mocked.
“No, really,” Jolie added to reassure her.
Sarah sat back. “Why are you here? It’s not like we’re friends or anything.”
“No, we’re not,” Jolie agreed. She could hardly argue with the truth, could she? “I came because…because I wanted to apologize.”
“Apologize? For what? Flirting with Chip?”
“No—I…” Chip had been the one doing the flirting. Did Sarah truly not realize that? Somehow that possibility made Jolie feel even worse. She’d had a purpose in coming here. She should say it and get it over with.
“Look, Sarah, I know this is probably too little too late, but I want to apologize to you anyway. My friends and I—” No, leave them out of it. They weren’t her friends anymore, and hadn’t really been true friends in high school. She’d chosen the behavior she’d shown toward Sarah and had no one but herself to blame. “I was cruel to you in high school. In junior high, too. I was a self-centered, selfish bi—” Jolie glanced at Sarah’s son and stopped herself short. “I was caught up in a popularity contest and too insecure to do anything besides what others expected me to do. I hurt you, I know I did. We were all terrible to you, and if I could take it back I would—”
“But you can’t,” Sarah cut in. She didn’t sound angry or upset. She was almost smiling.
“No, I can’t.”
Now Sarah did grin. “You know I’ve dreamt of this day or some version of it for a long time.”
“You have?”
“I never thought it would happen, but sure. It’s every fat girl’s dream to have the popular kid who made her life hell show up and apologize.”
“It—it is?”
“I don’t know about everyone, but it certainly was mine. Of course, in my dream you’re fifty pounds heavier and I’ve stolen your job and your boyfriend.”
“You’re not angry.”
“You expect me to be, don’t you?”
“I’m not sure what I expected,” Jolie admitted.
“The truth is I owe you.” Sarah wiggled out of the chair, the baby in her arms. Chad had fallen asleep while they’d been talking. “I’ll be right back,” she whispered.
Jolie gazed at the sleeping boy. She could see Chip in the color of his hair and the line of his jaw. And of course those vivid blue eyes. She bit her lip, wondering how different this little boy might look if she were his mother instead of Sarah. Except, of course, she’d never have married Chip. She’d never loved him. He’d been the star of the football team, the most popular boy in the senior class. That’s why she’d dated him.
Sarah returned and let the recliner out so Chad was almost lying flat. She covered him with a small blanket.
“He thinks he’s too big to take a nap.” She signaled to Jolie. “Let’s go in the kitchen.” She picked up the flowers and Jolie followed behind. Jolie sat at the table while Sarah arranged the flowers in a vase. The kitchen was warm and homey with childish drawings held by magnets on the refrigerator door. The counter clutter included plastic cups and a box of animal-shaped crackers.
Sarah set the vase in the middle of the table. “Would you like something to drink? Iced tea? Diet Coke?”
“Diet Coke.”
Sarah filled glasses with ice, poured the drinks and joined Jolie at the table.
“I meant what I said before. I really do owe you.”
Jolie shook her head. “You don’t owe me anything.”
“Oh, yes I do. If it weren’t for you, God knows where I’d be today.”
“I don’t understand.”
“For as long as I can remember I had a crush on Chip. What girl didn’t? He was this
“Your children are beautiful,” Jolie continued. Sarah’s son snuggled closer to his mother. The baby’s eyelids were drooping. The bottle was almost empty.
“This is Chad,” Sarah said, indicating the boy. “And Chelsea.” She kissed the baby’s forehead.
“You’re so lucky,” Jolie said.
Sarah’s look was one of suspicion, as if she wondered if she was being mocked.
“No, really,” Jolie added to reassure her.
Sarah sat back. “Why are you here? It’s not like we’re friends or anything.”
“No, we’re not,” Jolie agreed. She could hardly argue with the truth, could she? “I came because…because I wanted to apologize.”
“Apologize? For what? Flirting with Chip?”
“No—I…” Chip had been the one doing the flirting. Did Sarah truly not realize that? Somehow that possibility made Jolie feel even worse. She’d had a purpose in coming here. She should say it and get it over with.
“Look, Sarah, I know this is probably too little too late, but I want to apologize to you anyway. My friends and I—” No, leave them out of it. They weren’t her friends anymore, and hadn’t really been true friends in high school. She’d chosen the behavior she’d shown toward Sarah and had no one but herself to blame. “I was cruel to you in high school. In junior high, too. I was a self-centered, selfish bi—” Jolie glanced at Sarah’s son and stopped herself short. “I was caught up in a popularity contest and too insecure to do anything besides what others expected me to do. I hurt you, I know I did. We were all terrible to you, and if I could take it back I would—”
“But you can’t,” Sarah cut in. She didn’t sound angry or upset. She was almost smiling.
“No, I can’t.”
Now Sarah did grin. “You know I’ve dreamt of this day or some version of it for a long time.”
“You have?”
“I never thought it would happen, but sure. It’s every fat girl’s dream to have the popular kid who made her life hell show up and apologize.”
“It—it is?”
“I don’t know about everyone, but it certainly was mine. Of course, in my dream you’re fifty pounds heavier and I’ve stolen your job and your boyfriend.”
“You’re not angry.”
“You expect me to be, don’t you?”
“I’m not sure what I expected,” Jolie admitted.
“The truth is I owe you.” Sarah wiggled out of the chair, the baby in her arms. Chad had fallen asleep while they’d been talking. “I’ll be right back,” she whispered.
Jolie gazed at the sleeping boy. She could see Chip in the color of his hair and the line of his jaw. And of course those vivid blue eyes. She bit her lip, wondering how different this little boy might look if she were his mother instead of Sarah. Except, of course, she’d never have married Chip. She’d never loved him. He’d been the star of the football team, the most popular boy in the senior class. That’s why she’d dated him.
Sarah returned and let the recliner out so Chad was almost lying flat. She covered him with a small blanket.
“He thinks he’s too big to take a nap.” She signaled to Jolie. “Let’s go in the kitchen.” She picked up the flowers and Jolie followed behind. Jolie sat at the table while Sarah arranged the flowers in a vase. The kitchen was warm and homey with childish drawings held by magnets on the refrigerator door. The counter clutter included plastic cups and a box of animal-shaped crackers.
Sarah set the vase in the middle of the table. “Would you like something to drink? Iced tea? Diet Coke?”
“Diet Coke.”
Sarah filled glasses with ice, poured the drinks and joined Jolie at the table.
“I meant what I said before. I really do owe you.”
Jolie shook her head. “You don’t owe me anything.”
“Oh, yes I do. If it weren’t for you, God knows where I’d be today.”
“I don’t understand.”
“For as long as I can remember I had a crush on Chip. What girl didn’t? He was this
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