Chapter 9

3: Jamie

In the lonely darkness of his hotel room, Jamie McIntosh stares up where he thinks the ceiling should be. During the day it’s easy to lose himself in the moment—the school’s itinerary keeps him busy from nine in the morning until nine at night, and this evening he had his friends at the pub to keep his mind off the fact that he’s so far away from home. But right now, alone, he’s all too painfully aware of the distance between himself and his parents. Is it too late to call his mom?

No, he shouldn’t. This is his first real trip on his own; he didn’t even go away to college like everyone else. His family’s in Richmond, and it took a lot of persuasion to talk his mother into letting him live on campus. He didn’t want to miss out on the experience by commuting, and he’s made some great friends—Peter, Mark, Seth. Thad.

Who’s just down the hall,he reminds himself.