When Janie wakes, she vows to practice directing and controlling her dreams every night. It will help. She knows it will.
She also vows to keep reading Miss Stubin’s notes, so she can come up with some questions.
10:36 a.m.
Janie munches on toast as she pulls out the box of files from Captain.
She begins where she left off, and reads the reports, fascinated.
4:14 p.m.
She finishes the second file. Still sitting on her bed in her pajamas.
Remains of snacks everywhere. The phone rings, and with a gasp she remembers Cabel’s note from this morning. “Hello?”
“Hey.”
“Shit.”
He laughs. “Can I come over?”
“I’m totally still sitting here in my pajamas. Give me thirty minutes.”
“You got it.”
“Hey, Cabe?”
“Yes?”
“Why are you mad at me?”
He sighs. “I’m not mad at you. I promise. I just…I worry about you.
Can we talk about this when I come over?”
“Sure.”
“See you soon.”
4:59 p.m.
Janie hears a light knock and the door opening. She peeks her head around the corner, and to her great surprise, it’s Carrie.
“Hi, it’s me, your fair-weather friend!” Carrie grins sheepishly.
Shit, Janie thinks.
She grabs her coat and puts on a smile. “Hey, girl,” she says. “I was just going out to shovel. Care to join me?”
“Uh…I guess.”
“What’s up?”
“Nothin’. Just bored.”
“Where’s Stu?”
“Poker night.”
“Ahhh. Does he do that regularly?”
“Not really. Just whenever the guys call him.”
“Mmmm.” Janie grabs the shovel and starts clearing the steps first, then the sidewalk. She keeps her face turned toward the direction she thinks
Cabel will come from. It’s growing dark, and she hopes he notices her.
“So, what are you doing tonight?”
“Me?” Janie laughs. “Homework, of course.”
“You want company?” Carrie’s looking wistful.
“Do you have homework to do?”
“Of course. Whether I do it or not is the real question.”
Janie sees him out of the corner of her eye. He’s stopped still in the side yard of the neighbors across the street. She laughs with Carrie and says, “Well, that’s enough of that.” She bangs the shovel and climbs the steps. “Go on in,” she says.
Carrie steps inside, and Janie gives Cabel a fleeting glance over her shoulder. He shrugs and flashes the okay sign. Janie follows Carrie in.
Carrie stays until midnight, when she’s good and drunk on Janie’s mother’s liquor.
Janie thinks about going to Cabel’s after Carrie leaves, but decides she’ll get a good night’s sleep here and see him in the morning.
January 8, 2006, 10:06 a.m.
Janie calls Cabel. Gets his voice mail.
11:22 a.m.
Cabel returns Janie’s call. Leaves a message on the answering machine.
12:14 p.m.
Janie calls Cabel. Gets his voice mail.