Read Online The World: According to Rachael by Layne Harper - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Layne Harper
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quotes. Start talking, Jackson.”
He leans against the booth and stretches out his long arms along the back of the seat. “Born in Texas. Dad owns an accounting firm. Mom is a mom. I have one sister who is older than me and very bossy, but I still love her. She gave me my niece, who is also very bossy, but she makes up for it by being the smartest, funniest, most athletic and beautiful child that’s ever lived—not that I’m biased,” he says with a rueful smile.
He continues, “Went to Virginia on a lacrosse scholarship. Went to George Washington Law because I wasn’t ready to return to Houston after college and crunch numbers. Worked as a lobbyist for three years. Hated every moment that I was awake. Quit. Took the teaching and coaching job, and I love what I do so much that I look forward to going to work every day.” He pauses and his eyes cut to the ceiling. “Oh. And I adopted George from Lab Rescue about a year ago, and I have a pet turtle named Sam that lives in my classroom at school.”
I check my watch. “That was way less than five minutes. Now, I get to ask questions.”
He motions as if deferring to me. “Ask away. I don’t want you to have to read that big heavy binder to find out about me.”
“I’m from Houston also. What high school?”
“Same one as you.” He’s kind enough to leave out that he was probably in junior high when I was a senior.
“Really?” I am a bit surprised. It’s not too often that I meet alumni from my high school in D.C.
“My sister was in your class. Kelly Jackson?”
“Yes.” I gasp. “Kelly and I had physics together my senior year. How is she?”
His face softens like butter at the mention of her name. It’s so endearing that I smile. “She’s really awesome. Survived a breast cancer scare a couple of years ago, but she’s really doing well now.”
Kelly and I weren’t best friends, but I did know her. I can see the family resemblance now that he’s mentioned it. Her brother looks like how I remember her—she had long, dark locks, big, blue eyes. She was a nice girl. A little shy, but she was really bright. The news of her having had cancer is alarming for so many reasons. She’s a young mother, but it hits particularly close to my own mortality that she’s my age. “Oh, Graham. I’m so sorry to hear that she was sick. I’m glad that she’s doing well.”
“So are we.” He smiles, but it seems forced. A sadness that is very deep inside of him clouds his usually clear eyes. The air becomes swamped momentarily with grief, and I don’t have a clue how to make it better.
Fortunately, Graham does it for me. “There was a second there that I thought I might have to move back to the Lone Star State.”
He makes a mock horror face by imitating Edvard Munch’s “The Scream,” and it causes me relief to know that the grey cloud has lifted. A giggle escapes my lips. “Anything but Texas.” I laugh.
“Your turn. Tell me about you.” He puts his finger to his chin and narrows his gaze. “I want the good stuff.”
I grab the paper napkin and begin to fidget with it under the table so he will not see just how much I hate talking about me. “Born in Houston. I think we lived in the same neighborhood,” I tell him. His sister is bouncing around in my brain as I begin to recall more facts about his family. “My parents are ophthalmologists—still practicing. I’m an only child, but my best friend has a ton of sisters, so I kind of feel like I’m a part of their family. Graduated from Texas A&M University …”
“I know that stuff. It was all over the news when you became the first female White House Chief of Staff. We agreed you’d tell me the things that I can’t Google.”
“Fine,” I reply as I bite my lower lip and cut my eyes to the side. I’m such a private person that I don’t share a lot about me. Quickly, I wrack my brain for something to tell him. “My favorite color is green,” I blurt out.
He motions for
He leans against the booth and stretches out his long arms along the back of the seat. “Born in Texas. Dad owns an accounting firm. Mom is a mom. I have one sister who is older than me and very bossy, but I still love her. She gave me my niece, who is also very bossy, but she makes up for it by being the smartest, funniest, most athletic and beautiful child that’s ever lived—not that I’m biased,” he says with a rueful smile.
He continues, “Went to Virginia on a lacrosse scholarship. Went to George Washington Law because I wasn’t ready to return to Houston after college and crunch numbers. Worked as a lobbyist for three years. Hated every moment that I was awake. Quit. Took the teaching and coaching job, and I love what I do so much that I look forward to going to work every day.” He pauses and his eyes cut to the ceiling. “Oh. And I adopted George from Lab Rescue about a year ago, and I have a pet turtle named Sam that lives in my classroom at school.”
I check my watch. “That was way less than five minutes. Now, I get to ask questions.”
He motions as if deferring to me. “Ask away. I don’t want you to have to read that big heavy binder to find out about me.”
“I’m from Houston also. What high school?”
“Same one as you.” He’s kind enough to leave out that he was probably in junior high when I was a senior.
“Really?” I am a bit surprised. It’s not too often that I meet alumni from my high school in D.C.
“My sister was in your class. Kelly Jackson?”
“Yes.” I gasp. “Kelly and I had physics together my senior year. How is she?”
His face softens like butter at the mention of her name. It’s so endearing that I smile. “She’s really awesome. Survived a breast cancer scare a couple of years ago, but she’s really doing well now.”
Kelly and I weren’t best friends, but I did know her. I can see the family resemblance now that he’s mentioned it. Her brother looks like how I remember her—she had long, dark locks, big, blue eyes. She was a nice girl. A little shy, but she was really bright. The news of her having had cancer is alarming for so many reasons. She’s a young mother, but it hits particularly close to my own mortality that she’s my age. “Oh, Graham. I’m so sorry to hear that she was sick. I’m glad that she’s doing well.”
“So are we.” He smiles, but it seems forced. A sadness that is very deep inside of him clouds his usually clear eyes. The air becomes swamped momentarily with grief, and I don’t have a clue how to make it better.
Fortunately, Graham does it for me. “There was a second there that I thought I might have to move back to the Lone Star State.”
He makes a mock horror face by imitating Edvard Munch’s “The Scream,” and it causes me relief to know that the grey cloud has lifted. A giggle escapes my lips. “Anything but Texas.” I laugh.
“Your turn. Tell me about you.” He puts his finger to his chin and narrows his gaze. “I want the good stuff.”
I grab the paper napkin and begin to fidget with it under the table so he will not see just how much I hate talking about me. “Born in Houston. I think we lived in the same neighborhood,” I tell him. His sister is bouncing around in my brain as I begin to recall more facts about his family. “My parents are ophthalmologists—still practicing. I’m an only child, but my best friend has a ton of sisters, so I kind of feel like I’m a part of their family. Graduated from Texas A&M University …”
“I know that stuff. It was all over the news when you became the first female White House Chief of Staff. We agreed you’d tell me the things that I can’t Google.”
“Fine,” I reply as I bite my lower lip and cut my eyes to the side. I’m such a private person that I don’t share a lot about me. Quickly, I wrack my brain for something to tell him. “My favorite color is green,” I blurt out.
He motions for
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