The Girl From Home by Adam Mitzner Read Free Book Online

Tonight” performed at the senior variety show with Pauley on the skins comes back to him.
    â€œSo you’re in a band?”
    â€œYeah. We’re called Caravan. We just did the open mic night down at the Grove. We play at my church sometimes, too.”
    â€œHey, that’s great. Married? Kids?”
    â€œNo way, man. Got Nixie, though. She’s a black Lab mix. Just the two of us against the world. You know how it is, right?”
    Even though Pauley obviously meant the question to be rhetorical, it throws Jonathan. The last thing he wants is to be able to identify in any way with Pauley DiGiacomo’s life. And yet, he does know how it is, and he doesn’t even have a dog.
    â€œYou going to make it inside?” Jonathan asks.
    â€œI’m just chillin’ here for a few. Sounds rockin’, though.”
    â€œOkay,” Jonathan says, glad to be able to extricate himself from a stoned ghost of the past. “I’m going to head in now.”
    Pauley takes a toke. “Great talking to you, man.”
    *  *  *
    The signs inside the high school direct Jonathan toward the gym, which he could have figured out on his own because that’s where the music comes from. Now it’s Roxette’s “It Must Have Been Love.”
    In front of the gym is a row of tables, manned by middle-aged people who should be teachers, but Jonathan recognizes them as his former classmates. Dana Mason’s hair is as blond as he remembers it, almost white, but God does she look old. He wonders whether it’s possible that the mirror has been lying and he looks that old, too. At work, he’s surrounded by people in their twenties and thirties, and Natasha is still two years shy of the big three-oh. Somehow he had convinced himself that they were all contemporaries.
    â€œJohnny Caine—no way!” Dana says brightly. “Well, you look great. You didn’t come to the other reunions, right? And you’re not on Facebook. Or if you are, I can’t find you. I’ve looked. Wow, Johnny Caine. So . . . tell me?”
    â€œTell you what?” he says.
    â€œMarried? Kids? Job? Where do you live? You know, twenty-fifth high-school reunion stuff?”
    â€œI’m married, but no kids. I work on Wall Street and live in New York City.”
    â€œI knew it. I knew it,” Dana says with a giggle. “I always used to say that Johnny Caine is going to be a millionaire someday.”
    He smiles to confirm her assessment. “Your turn.”
    Although he didn’t think it was possible a moment earlier, Dana’s expression lights up even more. She reaches into her purse and pulls out her phone.
    â€œI should keep this out because I keep showing people. This is Jackson, he’s my baby, and a high school senior now. And my oldest . . .” She scrolls through the pictures. “She looks terrible here, but this is Mandy. She’s a sophomore at Rutgers.”
    Jonathan feels like a dirty old man when he thinks about the fact that Mandy looks almost exactly like Dana did back in high school. “Wow. Your daughter’s in college.”
    â€œKaren Thompson is a grandmother already! And I don’t think she’s the only one. Is your wife here? I’d love to meet her.”
    â€œUnfortunately, I’m here by my lonesome. My wife had another engagement.”
    â€œOh, that’s too bad,” Dana says. “But I totally get it. My husband is tired of the old stories, too, which is why I’m also flying solo tonight.” Then, looking over Jonathan’s shoulder, she says, “Hey, it’s Patty Tiernan. You remember Johnny Caine, don’t you?”
    Jonathan turns around. “Hi,” he says, even though he doesn’t recognize Patty Tiernan at all.
    â€œHi,” she says back, sounding as if she can’t place him, either.
    â€œWell, you’re all set, Johnny,” Dana says.