An Alienating Secret

Sleepover Time!

--Anith—

I pressed the call button on Mom's contact. Jenna leaned beside me on the couch, looking at my phone with interest, and so I put it on speaker phone for her.

"Hey, honey. How are you?" Mom's voice came aloud.

"Hey, Mom, I was just gonna ask... Well, first of all, are you coming back soon?"

"I'm just leaving Conner's place, so, yeah. About twenty-five to thirty minutes back to Jenna's."

"That is so soon..."I let my voice trail off and glanced at Jenna, who covered her mouth to suppress giggles. "Is there any way that, just asking, that I could maybe stay the night?"

"Uh-oh. I was expecting this, little lady." Mom paused. "What did Jenna's parents say?"

I waved for Jenna to stay quiet. We already had the a-okay from her parents, but I wanted to be the one to say it. "They're completely fine with it. Pleased, actually. They're happy that they're seeing me over again. Ecstatic for what that means for the future. To be real, my good mother, it would be extremely disappointing to Jenna's family if you didn't let me stay over. They are just so excited- their entire family. Really."

"Really?" Mom asked (I could just imagine her raising an eyebrow) before she raised her voice so Jenna could hear her even if the call was on private mode, "Jenna, is Anith telling the truth?" 

"Yes, Mrs. J." Jenna promptly replied.

I scoffed. "Of course I am. You doubt me?" 

Mom chuckled. "Could you blame me for asking? Anyway, I'm fine with you sleeping over. You'll just have to tell me what stuff to get from the house."

"I don't want you touching my stuff! Besides, Jenna has a lot of clothes that she doesn't wear anymore that'll fit me." (That was also true, Jenna had shown me a big heap of clothes I could use for the night).

"Are you sure? I don't want you to invite yourself to borrowing her stuff." Mom answered.

Right then, Jenna grabbed my phone from me and said (in her loud "phone voice"), "Mrs. J, trust me, she can take anything she wants! For the night, or forever! They're old clothes, anyway. I even have an extra toothbrush she can use! So, please, don't bother yourself to drive all the way here. You've been driving back and forth for so long. Take it as a thank you. Our gratitude goes so far, that we have to ask you not to drive to pick Anith up until three p.m. tomorrow."

I wasn't expecting her to say that and couldn't stop from laughing. Jenna shrugged and let a few giggles out herself, with a "that was good, wasn't it?" face. Mom let out a sigh, then an amused laugh, and answered, "Ok, ok, Jenna. I'll decide the pick-up time myself with your parents."

"Just remember our gratitude!" Jenna exclaimed, which brought on another round of giggles.

"Ay, what am I going to do with you two?" Mom asked aloud.

I glazed over the question. "We'll see you tomorrow, Mom."

"See you tomorrow, then."

"Love you, Mom."

"Thanks, Mrs. J!" Jenna added excitedly.

"Bye, you two." She hung up.

Jenna and I busted out laughing again once the call ended. "'Remember our gratitude?'" I teased her.

Jenna looked at me. "You can thank me when it works."