Twigs by Alison Ashley Formento

Author:Alison Ashley Formento [Formento, Alison Ashley]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 978-1-4405-6566-3
Publisher: F+W Media
Published: 2013-02-15T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter 19

At midnight on Wednesday, after my second full day at Hinkney Community College for Losers and a lousy evening toiling for Dink, I practically hugged our computer when I got online with Brady for a late night catch-up chat. We’d both been shocked by the amount of homework thrown at us the first few days of Higher Ed, and we each tried to top the other.

Brady wrote first: I miss you, but I’ve got to read 3,000 pages by tomorrow.

I replied: Must write eighteen essays and translate a book of Mandarin.

Twigs, Lee speaks ten languages, at least. He can help when you visit on Friday.

I’m using my real name at HCC, Madeline. It’s the grownup me. You like?

Madeline??? Maybe for HCC, but you’ll always be my Twigs.

Way to make me melt, Brady. How am I going to study now?

Wait until you see me this weekend.

I want to come, Brade. You know I do. Much depends on Matt’s situation. Army hasn’t spilled about his condition yet.

I get it, but what about my condition without you?

I bet all those college hotties are already chasing you.

I’m too busy studying to notice anyone else.

We e-mailed back and forth until Mom came in, leaving Deaf Lou snoring in her bedroom. It’s amazing how loud a deaf man can be when sleeping.

When I got home after work earlier, Deaf Lou had been sitting on our couch, reading the paper. He’d given me a wave and signed, “How’s it hangin’?”

I had no clue how to respond to that in words, much less in sign language, so I just waved. A couple of pizza boxes littered the dining-room table. I’d been surprised to find a few cold slices of black olive, with a sticky note on one box—For Twigs—in what I guessed was Deaf Lou’s handwriting.

I’d starting typing what I planned to do to Brade when I saw him next when Mom swooped in, bumping my chair.

“I’m on the computer, Mom.”

“I can see that, Twigs. I need to check my e-mail. It’s morning there.”

There meant wherever Matt existed. Good morning, Iraq.

“Just a sec.” I’d been hoping for some late-night hot e-mail chatter with Brade, but I wanted to know about Matt, too. I typed a quick farewell.

Mom’s here. Must go. Miss you. All of you. Love, me.

My mother hovered close, waiting for me to finish. She rested one of her hands on my shoulder. It surprised me—the weight and warmth of this hand—one that hadn’t given me a hug in longer than I could remember.

“Ah, that’s sweet,” Mom said, reading my e-mail to Brady before I clicked SEND. “Save a little of that love, Twigs, or a man will take it all. I speak from experience.”

Mom squeezed my shoulder and she didn’t seem sarcastic, but I couldn’t be sure. I decided to let it go. Moving aside so Mom could sit at the computer, I couldn’t help but smell Deaf Lou on her. The guy seemed okay, but I swear, his cologne could kill flies. I swallowed back a gag and grabbed my pile of books from the dining-room table.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.