Next to Me by AnnaLisa Grant Page B

different, it could have been me, too. I’ve…never told anyone that. Not even Mercy or Spring.” Landon looks at me, taking in what I’ve just told him. I can’t really read his expression. Is he shocked? Surprised? Does he think what I’ve told him is absolutely nothing like what he experienced in Iraq? I hope I haven’t offended him.
    “Jenna…” he starts, but stops to collect his thoughts. “I’m so sorry that happened to you. That is far worse than anything I ever experienced in Iraq.”
    “Oh, I don’t know. Being shot at and having your friends die as buildings explode around you is pretty terrible.” I give a breathy laugh as I try to downplay what I told him, beginning to regret having told him. I don’t want
    his sympathy. I just wanted him to know that I could relate somehow.
    “Those guys were my friends and it sucks that I lost them. But he was your dad . That trumps anything else.” He squeezes my hand and runs his thumb across my fingers.
    “At least when my mom died I had time to prepare for it,” I tell him. It feels really nice talking about this with him.
    “Your mom is dead?” His face is puzzled, as if he doesn’t believe me or finds this hard to believe.
    “Yeah. She had breast cancer and it was about six months from the time we got the news that treatment hadn’t worked to the time she died. I was only ten,” I explain.
    “Oh…that’s right. I remember you telling me that now.” The questioning leaves Landon’s eyes and a soft concern replaces it.
    There’s a knock at the door that can only be Mercy coming to bring me my keys. Landon helps me off the couch. This pencil skirt is not a good hanging-out-on-the-couch outfit. I open the door and Mercy is standing there with a raised eyebrow that immediately lowers in disappointment.
    “What’s that look for?” I ask her.
    “I was kind of hoping you’d be buttoning your top so I could scold you,” she says dissatisfied and trying to peer into the apartment to see Landon. “Hi Landon!” she says a little too loudly.
    “Hi Mercy!” Landon calls back to her in a loud whisper, remember that Spring is sleeping.
    “Sorry to ruin your plans to lecture me. We’re actually doing what we said we were going to do: get to know each other.” I take my keys that are now hanging from her extended finger. “Where’s Jerry?”
    “He’s downstairs holding the cab for us,” she tells me.
    “Then you really didn’t have time to lecture me anyway!” I tease as I give her a hug. “Get down there to your man. I’ll see you tomorrow night at
    work.”
    “Bye Landon!” she calls to him.
    “Bye Mercy!” he answers.
    Mercy hugs me and is on her way.
    “Sorry about that,” I say. “Mercy is like a sister, and a mother, to me. She can be a little protective.”
    “No…I’m glad you have such great friends.”
    “You said something earlier about how it must be nice. What did you mean?” I ask him.
    “Well...while I was in Iraq for eight years my friends from high school all moved on with their lives. They were all there at my big coming home party, but after that they went on with the lives they had been living. I started doing contract work and have been travelling with my job since. So…I’m kind of the loneliest 30-year-old out there. It’s sad, I know.”
    “How long does that mean you’re in Chicago?” Worry fills my eyes as I realize that all my determination to grow up and give Landon a chance could be all for naught if he’s just going to pick up and move on to another contract. I’m way too new at this to think for a second that I could make a long-distance relationship work.
    “I’m here indefinitely, Jenna. Once this contract ends, I’m hoping to have something else in place so I don’t have to leave. I already love Chicago and…I don’t want to leave you.” Landon smiles, putting my mind at ease.
    This is good. I can do this. And, for the first time in six years, I feel like I’m finally doing