Someone Else's Fairytale (47 page)

A very apprehensive looking Jen picked us up at the airport in Albuquerque. She gave us each a hug, and while I appreciated feeling included, I knew I was encroaching on a very private family matter. It was a good thing I'd be flying out again the next day, though what awaited me back in New York was anybody's guess. Kyra had been silent most of the flight, though she did grasp my hand once, and say, “I'm really glad you're with me today. It'll all be good, you know?”

She and Jen didn't exchange anything but pleasantries on the drive home. There was a stiff formality between them that let me know they weren't speaking freely. I hunched down in the back seat and tried to be inconspicuous.

When we got to the house, Kyle welcomed me warmly and we all ate a dinner of paella and olives and fresh baked bread. I wanted to call Jason afterward, but he was filming that evening. I left him a voicemail and then read my book until I could politely disappear into the guest room for the night.

I'd never felt so lonely in my life. Hearing Kyra and Kyle in the living room as they discussed college applications made me miss them already.

I stayed up late, but Jason didn't call me back.

My phone rang while it was still dark and knocked me out of a fitful sleep. For several minutes I thought I was just dreaming the sound of my ringtone, but then it stopped and started again. It wasn't just any ringtone either. It was Jason's. I'd downloaded the theme to
New Light
for him, which he'd found hilarious.

The clock on the nightstand said it was
three a.m.
Which meant it was
five a.m.
in
New York
. Something was wrong. I grabbed my phone.

“Jas?” I croaked.

“Hi.”

“Hi.” I rolled over and rubbed my eyes. “You okay? You want to talk?”

“I need you for something.”

“I'm in
Albuquerque
.”

“I know. So am I.”

“What?”

“Can I pick you up in forty-five minutes?”

“What?”

“Please?”

“Wait... what?”

“Please?”

“Is everything all right?”

“I need to see you.”

“Okay, yeah, forty-five minutes. I'll be ready.”

I rolled out of bed and fumbled for my little bag where I kept my shampoo and razor and soap. I knew he could be impulsive sometimes, like when he'd shown up to feed me ice cream after Matthew bailed on me, but this was extreme.

Jen's house was dark, save for a little night light in the hall. I tiptoed to the bathroom and shut the door. She'd no doubt wonder what I was doing, but it wasn't like I could tell her. I didn't know myself. The light in the bathroom flickered on when I hit the switch and the fan started up with a faint rumble. I pushed the edge of the shower curtain inside the tub and turned on the shower.

In my bag, I found a rubber band and put my hair up as best I could, then stepped into the stream of warm water. The sensation of it sluicing over me helped me wake up, but that didn't take away the confusion or fear of what was about to come. I scrubbed myself with soap, rinsed, and stepped out onto the fluffy bathmat and rubbed myself down with a towel. My hair looked limp and flat even after being steamed in the shower.
New Mexico
was that dry compared to
New York
. I brushed it out, then washed my face in the sink and applied makeup. Maybe I couldn't control what happened with Jason in the next few hours, but I was going to look my best for it.

At
three forty
I was back in the guestroom with the light on. I had only one set of clean clothes. I wasn't equipped for cold weather, but then again, the walk to his car would be short. I put on my jeans and tank top, then put a shirt on over the tank top and grabbed my windbreaker. I felt like I was getting ready to see the Balloon Fiesta, only it wasn't October and I wasn't excited.

At
three forty-five
I went out to the front room, and almost immediately, there came a soft knock. I flipped on the porch light and opened the door. Jason stood there, wearing a windbreaker and jeans, and otherwise looking like he was ready to do a television interview. His hair was styled. He'd shaved, and he looked tired, like he hadn't slept well. “Hey,” he said. “You ready?” The night air was frigid.

“I don't know. Am I?”

“Come on.” His Prius was parked in the driveway. At least at this hour we didn't have to worry about photographers or fans. We walked, unmolested, to his car. He held open the door for me and I got in.

It might have just been my imagination, but I thought I saw one of the lights in Jen's house come on as we pulled off down the road. A stab of guilt went through me. I'd tried to be quiet. What would she think when she found my room empty?

Jason was nervous, it was obvious. While we drove, he fidgeted and kept glancing in the rearview mirror, as if expecting to find someone behind us. There was a paper cup from The Frontier in his cupholder, but he didn't drink from it. I looked at it wistfully. I could sure have used some coffee. My brain still wasn't all the way functional. Thoughts moved like they were in molasses. I didn't understand why we were driving. If he had to talk to me, why didn't he pull over and do it already?

He headed towards downtown and turned in at the
UNM
campus. I looked at him. It felt like I should have some inkling at this point of what was going on, but I was still stumped. We parked by the anthropology building.

“We going to see aliens land?” I asked.

“Maybe.” He ran his fingers through his hair, then leaned over and kissed me like he just wanted to hold and kiss me forever. My already addled brain spun out. Whatever semblance of rational thought I'd had dissipated and scattered.

When he broke off, I noticed his hands were shaking. “I love you, okay? You know that?”

“Jas, what's going on?”

He took The Frontier cup out of his cupholder and handed it to me. “Come on.”

It was still lukewarm, and it was hot chocolate, not coffee. I drank it down regardless. Sugar was almost as good as caffeine right now. That and the cold outside air woke me up a little more. We got out of the car and I followed Jason up the walkway towards the front doors.

“Okay, here.” He stopped and turned to me. “Remember the last time we were here?” He pulled off his windbreaker, so that he was just in a short sleeved shirt.

“Yeah,” I said. “It's where we met.”

“Right. You were there, and I walked past and I offered you some ice.”

“Jason-”

“And you said no.”

I wanted to rub my eyes, but I'd put on eyeliner, so I could only scratch the corner of one gingerly with a nail. “Okay, so-”

Jason had disappeared.

No, he was kneeling in front of me. He was down on one knee. “I hope,” he said, “this time you'll say yes.” He held out a ring box, with a diamond ring.

Reality crashed into focus. The talks I'd overheard between Kyra and her friend, the grip. Jason refusing to give me a straight answer to my question and begging for more time. Kyra's bizarre questions about why we hadn't slept together. The summons back to
New Mexico
. The tension between Jason and Kyra and their fight over where I should be today. My question hadn't destabilized the relationship at all.

“You want to get
married?”
I said.

“To you, yes.” His hands really shook now.

This was Jason, who stood in front of crowds of thousands of people, all screaming at him. Jason the movie star. The guy who'd hosted
Saturday Night Live
three times.

Now he looked like he had stage fright.

Because he wanted this that badly. My head was still spinning. “Oh,” I said. The empty Frontier cup fell out of my hand and hit the pavement with a hollow clack. I was trembling. I was about to do what all the other girls had done that morning when I met him. My knees felt weak.

“Chloe?” He was on his feet again, his arms around me. “Chlo?”

“Yes. Of course. Yes!”

“Yes?”
 

“Yes!”
I threw my arms around him and squeezed tight. “Ohmigosh! I love you.” I wasn't sure if I was sobbing or laughing. I'd lost it.

He kissed me, which helped ground me in the moment. I took a few deep breaths and dabbed my eyes with the back of my hand. “Ugh, I probably look awful right now.” My hands still shook.

“Hardly. Are you actually surprised?”

“Yeah, completely.”

“You didn't figure this out?”

“No. No way.” I sniffled and dug a tissue out of my jacket pocket.

“Really?”

“Really. Not a clue.”

“Well, I guess that explains why you've been so hard to talk to lately.” He looked like he was ready to collapse with relief.

“Kyra practically told you the plan last night,” said Jason. “Jen called, I tried to play along, and the kid totally blew it and told me off? What did you think was going on?”

We were walking back to his car and I tried not to stare at the enormous diamond he'd put on my finger. More money than I'd made in my lifetime was mounted on the slim gold band. Though I was no expert, the way it sparkled and seemed to glow from inside seemed more intense than any other diamond I'd ever seen. I hoped this thing was insured.

“I thought she might be pregnant,” I said.

“What?”

“Jen was in tears. She was... o-kay, so you're not the only one with acting talent in the family."

"Oh, really?"

"She scared me to death."