Page 64 of An Adventure For Aster

“Yeah,” he said. “I was just as happy to let the women chat but couldn’t very well say that.”

“No,” she said, laughing, then coughed again.

“You need to get some sleep,” he said.

“I’ve been sleeping all day,” she whined.

“You’re not a very good patient,” he said. “I didn’t expect that of you.”

“No, I’m not. I haven’t had the flu in years. I normally get a cold at least once a year. Hard not to with the germ monsters I’m around, but I get a flu shot and normally am okay. Not this year.”

“You can’t even blame the germ monsters,” he said. “You haven’t been around them in a while.”

“I think I got the flu at the doctor’s office a few days ago.”

“You went to the doctor? Everything okay?”

“I was going to surprise you with it once it was all set but might as well tell you now. I went to get birth control.”

“Oh,” he said. “Nice.”

“I thought you might like that. I’ll start the pills next week. So another month before I feel comfortable enough.”

“Not a problem,” he said. “Always covered the big boy up.”

She burst out laughing. “Oh my God. Why can’t I be around you when you’re cracking jokes like this? You totally are a different person around the guys.”

He didn’t like hearing that. “Do you think I am?”

“Yeah,” she said.

“Does that bother you?”

“I don’t think so. Maybe I’m just a little jealous. How come you can’t be this funny and laid back with me?”

He hadn’t realized he wasn’t. “I don’t know,” he said. “I haven’t put much thought into it. This is all new to me. I’m trying, but it doesn’t come off or flow the same.”

“What is new to you?” she asked. “Being in love?”

“You’re the first,” he said. “But more than that, just having a girlfriend. I haven’t dated anyone seriously before. I’m always watching my actions.”

“Don’t do that,” she said. “Don’t make me wonder if you are doing things for me rather than being you.”

“It’s not that,” he said. “I think I’m more concerned about doing something that would upset you.”

“That is so sweet,” she said. “But why would you think that? Is it because your parents always went out with friends and partied? How is your parents’ marriage? Can I ask that? How are they with each other?”

He pursed his lips. “I guess they are fine,” he said. “I don’t remember them fighting that much when I think about it. They each have groups of friends they do things with and then together. They keep a lot of things separate in their life in regards to finances.”

“My parents never did that. It’s all together. But I know a lot of people who keep it separate. I think it’s a couple’s decision.”

“It is,” he said. He wasn’t sure why they were talking about this.

“Well, I don’t want you to worry about not being who you are,” she said. “Don’t think about other people or what you know from your parents.”

It was hard to do that. “Don’t you look at your parents and think things?”

“I do,” she said. “But those things don’t make me not act the way I want. My mother is nothing like me. My father is a combination of River and Brooks. He can be crude like Brooks but politically correct like River. Depends on the situation. I think you’re like that. Though I haven’t seen you being crude.”

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