Things We Couldn't Say by Jay Coles

Author:Jay Coles
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Scholastic Inc.

ONCE WE PULL UP to Kreamy Kones, my phone dings. I pull it out to check where the notification’s coming from and my eyes get wide from what it is. It’s a reply from my mom. She’s finally read my email and she’s finally replied. Instantly, I lose all the breath in my lungs.

To: [email protected]

From: [email protected]

Subject: RE: UNTITLED

G-Bug,

Sorry I’m just now responding to you. I’m so glad you emailed me. And I’m so glad you got my letters even if you never got to read them before. I would love to talk. I’m not sure if I can make it to your game. Is there another place/time that works?

Mom

“What’s wrong?” David asks, cutting the engine.

“I … umm …” I can’t get the words out.

I just show him the email response and his eyes match the wideness of mine. “Wow,” he says. “It’s like we spoke it into existence. That’s awesome. How’re you feeling?”

“I don’t know,” I say. “All the emotions at once at full intensity.” I draw in a breath.

“Don’t overthink it. You should respond,” David says. “Don’t get caught up worrying about whether she will stay or worrying about what you want to say. Just go. Be with her. Enjoy the time with her for what it is. Trust your heart.”

“You’re right. It’s annoying that you’re right.”

“Besides, tomorrow’s going to be a huge day.”

“Yeah,” I say. “Maybe when I talk to her, I’ll need another round of therapy by the end. Or maybe not. Maybe our conversation will be therapeutic enough.”

When we walk into Kreamy Kones, we find Olly and Ayesha at the counter ordering. When they see me, their faces illuminate with excitement. I shake up with Olly and then Ayesha.

“Hey, David,” Ayesha goes, looking at me with raised eyebrows.

“Hi, Ayesha. Hi, Olly,” David says.

“Yo! Looks like you guys are cool again, huh?” Olly says.

“Oh. Right. I meant to text you guys that we, uh, made up. Sorry. It all happened just a little bit ago. Anyway … I just got an email.”

They take turns reading it on my phone.

“Aw, Gio,” Ayesha says. I’m not sure if that’s sympathy or more excitement, but I take it.

“That’s cool, Gio,” Olly says. “Now, order since we have something to kind of celebrate.” Celebrate? I don’t if that’s the word I would go with. I mean, I am looking forward to talking to my mom, but I don’t know if there’s really anything about it to celebrate.

I ask for my usual. Mint chocolate chip ice cream with cookie dough and sprinkles. David orders chocolate ice cream with Oreos on top. We all go and find an open table for four in the back near where the entrance to the back freezers is.

I’m picking through to find all the cookie dough pieces in my ice cream when Ayesha asks me what would be the first thing I ask my birth mom when I meet up with her.

“I think I really just want to know the truth,” I say. “Pops hasn’t really ever told me much.

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