That's Disgusting

"Amazing," Dad kissed Mom on the cheek before leaving for work.

"Thanks for the support, Gale." She playfully slapped her palm against his shoulder. "Leave already."

"Love you too, babe." He blew her a kiss and threw me a laugh as I gagged at their small display of affection. In my book, which I assure you is not some sleazy romance novel, there are a few things parents just shouldn't do. Like showing they have feelings for each other, at least. I was also content to believe I was the first test tube baby ever created, if you can guess what else is in there.

"You stop that too," Mom threw the hand towel she'd been wiping the counter with at me. It landed lightly on my right shoulder, before I turned around and threw it in the general direction of the laundry room.

"Sorry. If I would've known you'd be lovey-dovey with Dad, I would've waited until he left. By the way, what's amazing?"

"Parents have feeling too, kiddo." I don't think so Mom. "And I found another job this morning."

"Already?" I asked in surprise. I knew she'd been diligently searching, but it'd only been about a day and a half.

"Give your old mom a little credit," she grinned at me.

"Congratulations then." I corrected myself. "Another secretarial job?"

"Yes." She nodded before pulling out the DustBuster and attacking the crumbs on the kitchen table with it.

"For another law firm?" I made sure to raise my voice so she could hear me over the whir of the DustBuster. With the intensity she was cleaning with it, I was surprised she didn't take off part of the countertop.

"No. It's for a health company, actually." She walked over to the garbage can and pounded the end of the DustBuster against it, shaking out the crud.

"Really?" I raised my eyebrows. I had to be honest, so I opened my big mouth:

"That's really weird. At least it fits you though."

"I'm not 'weird,' am I?" She pretended to be hurt, emphasizing the word weird. I admit, it's weird to have your mother try to use the same language as you. That chapter would have to be added to that 'Parents Don't Do' book as well.

"That's not what I meant." I smiled. "You're a health nut, so I'm sure you'll fit in perfectly."

"I hope so. It's a fairly prestigious company."

"What one?" I wasn't sure I wanted to hear about this all of the sudden.

"Weight Watchers."

"Oh.." My stomach twitching, I smiled meekly in response.

This would be a good time to leave. I remembered my previous engagement and quickly bolted out the kitchen door before any further comments about weight could be made.

Am I supposed to be happy about that?

"So what do you want to do now?" I slowed my bike to a stop at a corner and turned to JoAnn.

"Do now?" She laughed loudly, an incredulous look on her face. "What's left that we haven't done in this town? I think I've seen parts of it today I never knew existed."

"Nah," I waved my hand in the air casually, as if to indicate we'd only started. Truth was, I was beginning to run out of places myself, after the park, the movies, the malls, the arcades, the teen dance clubs (which involved nothing more than standing in horrendously long lines before the darn things closed practically in our faces), and the list goes on. It was all part of my "JoAnn, I love you and won't let you forget me" plan. Truth was, we'd spent so much time together in the last two days, I was almost beginning to wish she'd leave already.

Almost, that was a sarcastic note.

"Seriously, you want to go get some ice cream or something?" I asked.

"How about we just go somewhere.." She paused, resting her hands on her handlebars and thinking for a moment.

".. And sit. No more running around, I can't take it." She sucked in her breathe and exhaled slowly.

"I dunno.." I pretended to consider the option of relaxation. Truth was, I felt just as exhausted at the moment. Three hours of hard core 'malling' will do that to a person, especially when your sole mode of transportation is a beat-up ten speed.

"How about Pizza Planet?" She suggested.

"You read my mind," I returned her grin as my stomach growled loudly. "I could go for a pizza right now."

"Mushrooms and pineapples?" She added with a laugh, stepping on her bike and heading in the direction of our favorite hangout.

"That's disgusting!" I called after her. Feeling the wind against my cheeks, trailing behind JoAnn and watching her frame bent over her bike, my smile disappeared. I couldn't help but wonder what my life would be like with out her. The idea she'd be gone in one day was disheartening.

I've lost both my best friends in a week and a half, I remembered Zac. Deep in my thoughts, I barely paid attention to the scenery that flew by us.

Zac, on the other hand, didn't have the same spark inside of him that JoAnn did. It was almost as if she was a firecracker, waiting for some snide comment from someone else to set her off. It was quite a remarkable character trait, what I knew I'd miss about her most.

Zac and I may have history, but she's got such a strong spirit.. what will I do without my social security blanket?

"Lindsey!!" JoAnn screamed at me, snapping me out of my unfocused state-of-mind. Upon hearing her voice, I also heard an obnoxiously loud car horn scream at me. Halting to a stop, I looked over my right side to see an enormous truck stopped about three inches from me.

"Oh my God," I muttered inaudibly. I stared for a second up at the driver of the truck, my eyes widened. He yelled something unrepeatable at me before I realized I was supposed to move my butt out of his way. Pedaling like a maniac, I joined JoAnn on the busiest corner of downtown Tulsa.

"Are you deaf?" She stared at me.

"I dunno," I said between pants. I wasn't sure if it was the fast pedaling or the exhilaration, but I was suddenly without breathe.

"I was just thinking about something."

"You think too much," Jo scolded me with a shake of her head and slight smile.

"Since I don't trust your daydreaming, we're walking the rest of the way there." With that, she jumped off her bike and started pushing it down the sidewalk.

"Sure." I followed suit. It was only half a block to our final destination anyway. Still slightly out of breathe, the idea of something cool to drink appealed to me even more than food at the moment.

"Ahh," I breathed in the refreshing feeling of an air-conditioned room, mixed with the tinted scent of tomato sauce and garlic.

"Much better than riding around, making ourselves sweat to death," JoAnn agreed as she brushed past me and slid into a booth.

"Oh, eww." She complained.

"What?" I asked, sitting across the table from her.

"My legs are sticking to the seat." She patted the plastic cushion.

"Thanks for sharing that JoAnn." I rolled my eyes but smiled anyway.

"Anytime."

".. God, I'm going to miss you so much." My smile faded.

"Hey now," she looked me directly in the eyes. "Don't be sad about this. It happens all the time. Just takes a little getting used to, nothing more."

"That's easy for you to say. I've never lost a best friend before. Never had any other than Zac, either."

"Well, you still have him, so you're not completely abandoned." As I watched her lips form a smile, I saw there was no way I could tell her what had really happened between me and Samantha concerning that boy. The entire set of relationships was completely weird to begin with.. Notice me, not my mother, using that word again.. ok, sorry. It gave me an idea though.

"Hey guess what?" I decided a change of subject was for the best.

"What?"

"Mom got a new job already today."

"Really? Cool," she spoke distractedly. It didn't really matter, senseless chatter was more than sufficient at the time being, to fill the silence between us. No need for heavy conversations on our last afternoon together, or at least just the two of us. Her tomorrow was dedicated to saying good-bye to Greg. Speaking of which..

"Are you thinking about tomorrow?"

"Yeah." She replied immediately, shifting her gaze back to my face.

"Going to be rough?"

"Well, he seems to want to make it that way." She admitted with a sigh. "Mr. Romantic wants to take me our for a fancy meal, then a midnight carriage ride in the park."

"Aww.. I think that's really sweet of him." Not like I'll ever be able to find a guy to do something like that for me.

"Yeah, but it's like he's trying really hard to make it so I won't forget him or something. I don't mean to blow him off, but there's nothing I can do about it."

"What do you mean?" I asked, feeling guilty of the same charge.

"It's not going to work. The distance, I mean." She closed her eyes and rested her chin on her hands, propped up on the table.

"But if you love each other.."

Isn't that how it's supposed to work? Since when is love not enough? Obviously, I needed a little more clarification.

"That's not the issue. Long distances just don't work. I'm speaking from too much experience here."

"You're starting to sound like my Mom on that experience remark," I grinned at her.

"Thanks, now I'm starting to feel old." At least she smiled.

"Not a problem."

"Umm.. I guess we're here." I stated the obvious as we stood on the sidewalk past JoAnn's house.

"Thanks for the last two days, they've been really fun." She shifted her weight, throwing her bike onto her front lawn.

"No problem. Thanks for spending time with me on your last days."

"Last days?" She laughed at my choice of words, crossing her arms over her chest. "I'm not being sentenced to the electric chair, you know."

"Oh, you know what I mean." I made a face at her sarcasm.

"I have to tease you one last time though."

"Hey, none of this 'last time' shit." I spoke firmly. "As soon as I get my license, I'm driving up to see you. Promise."

"All right," she smiled faintly, but the look in her eyes revealed she didn't really believe me.

Just goes to show I have to prove my point in the future. Looking back into her violet eyes, I made a mental promise and reached up to my left earlobe.

"Here." My fingers closed around the tiny silver hoop I never took out. I unfastened the clasp, removed it, and held it out to her.

"Your earring?" She glanced at my open hand warily. I nodded.

"Yeah. If you remember, you gave me this pair on my last birthday. You were also the one who convinced me to have it done, even went with me to the jewelry store. Remember the freaky lady who pierced me?"

"Of course." JoAnn laughed at the memory of the woman and her electric-blue hair. I don't think any more of a description is necessary.

"That I'll never forget."

"Exactly.. Well, I want you to have one of my earrings, so we can be a set. Cheesy, I know." I shrugged apologetically. After looking at my face for a few seconds, she extended her hand and lifted the silver hoop in her fingertips off my palm.

"Believe it or not, but this means a lot to me, Linds." With a grin on her face, she removed the small gold stud in the left side of her nose and replaced it with my hoop.

"Ok, now that is the most disgusting thing I've ever seen. That thing was in my ear, Jo." Nevertheless, giggles escaped through my lips at yet another typical reaction of hers.

"What? You think it's cleaner up here?" She pointed to her nose while laughing hysterically. "Just be glad I didn't make you wear this one for me."

"You're insane." I leaned over and gave her a small hug before whispering, "Take care of yourself, ok?"

"Love you too."