Page 51 of Fragments of You

“Before I knew that you had moved in on my girl,” I cut him off. “About that. Care to explain?”

“I don’t owe you anything, least of all an explanation.” He opens the front door, no doubt preparing to shut the damn thing in my face.

“Maybe not, but perhaps you owe Paisley one,” I offer, doing my best to keep my voice relaxed.

“And what makes you think that?” he sneers.

“You know why.” The threat is so apparent, I might as well have said the words.

“So that’s why you’re here, to blackmail me?” He drops his bag inside the door before stepping fully back out onto porch.

“It doesn’t have to come to that. I really do just want to talk.”

The indecision on his face is apparent, but that doesn’t stop him from gesturing to the chairs to his right.

Good. That means his fear of Paisley learning who he really is outweighs his disdain for me. At least I have that working in my favor.

He takes a seat, waiting until I’ve lowered myself into the other chair.

“You wanna talk, then talk.”

“I came here in part to thank you,” I start.

“Thank me?” He draws back, confusion tugging at his features.

“I’ve recently learned what a huge impact you had on Paisley’s life and just how much you helped her, especially in those early days after I had left.”

“Let me guess, this has something to do with the letters.”

“You know about those?” I honestly hadn’t considered this was something Paisley would have shared with Felix, but then again, I guess it makes sense. They were friends first.

“Of course I do. Paisley and I don’t keep secrets from each other.”

“So then you’ve told her about—”

“Some things are better left in the past,” he cuts me off, not even allowing me to say the words.

“I doubt she’d see it that way.”

“I thought that’s not why you came here,” he reminds me.

It’s so strange. I can so clearly remember a time when Felix was my closest friend. Outside of Paisley, Felix is really the only person who knew me, the real me, not the one who played a part for everyone else. Countless times I’ve sat on this porch and yet, this is the first time I feel like an outsider instead of part of his family.

I wonder what his mom would think if she saw the two of us now...

“It’s not,” I finally say after a long moment. “You and I were like brothers once. I was hoping we could find a way to put down our weapons and find some common ground, for Paisley’s sake.”

“Does this mean you’re ready to accept that she and I are planning a life together?”

“I don’t know that I could ever fully accept that, Felix, but I’d like to think I’m man enough to respect whatever Paisley decides.”

“What she decides? You talk like you still have a chance.”

“You’d be foolish not to consider that maybe I do.”

“I’m not doing this with you.” He pushes to a stand.

“Sit the fuck back down, Felix.” I say it so casually, it’s as if I were asking about the weather.

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