Page 17 of Old Acquaintances

Johnny grabs my suitcase. “Where’s Tuck?”

I open the passenger side door. “He’ssupposedto be in Savannah.”

My luggage is slid across the back seat and the door shuts. Johnny stands beside my seat. “It’s the guy’s birthday.”

“It’s my birthday, Johnny.” I search his face for any sign of remorse or shame. “How could you just spring this on me?”

“Because if I said he was coming, then you wouldn’t come.”

“Because I don’t want to see him!”

Johnny’s freckles squint when he disagrees. “That’s not true. You do want to see him. And we can’t keep dancing around divorced Mom and Dad, making sure the two of you are never reminded of each other. It’s exhausting, Ell. Enough time has passed that the two of you need to be normal. I promise this week will be just like it was before. He promised, too.”

My versionbeforeis different than Johnny’s recollection. He sees Tucker and I throwing food at each other, betting each other to make inappropriate comments on a grocery store microphone or fighting about what movie we should go see. He chooses to remember fifteen-year-old Tucker and Ella. Mybeforeincluded mouths, hands, tongues - all things only Tucker and I know about.

I ask, “He knew I was coming?”

“Yes. He said he wanted to see you.”

“To apologize?”

“I don’t know about that…”

“To explain himself at least?”

Johnny’s expression says he doesn’t think there will be an explanation. “He promised he wouldn’t be a jerk and that everything would be fine.”

I cross my arms. “Well, it’snotfine. And a little head’s up would have been great.”

Johnny sways his head, trying to decide how at fault he feels. Before he has the chance to explain, he says. “Ah, here he is.”

Tucker comes toward us, tugging his suitcase behind him, breaking into his annoying grin. He and Johnny hug. “What’s up, man?”

“Good to see you!”

“Long time.”

I hop into my seat and announce, “Don’t act like you haven’t seen each other in years, I know you guys hang out without me.”

They freeze. Tucker says, “He lives on the other side of the country now. We aren’t meeting for a beer on Thursdays at Mulligans. Cut me some slack.” He reaches into the open door and pinches my nose.

I’m annoyed that he can act so casual about this. I hate that he doesn’t care.

Tucker goes to open the back seat, and my frustrations ramps up, so I hurriedly reach back and hit the lock. He tugs on the door handle. I shut my car door and Johnny gets back behind the wheel, hitting the unlock button. I lock it again. Tucker flips me a middle finger through the window, and I throw him a satisfied smirk. Johnny unlocks the car again, but this time Tucker opens my door.

“What are you -”

Tucker pulls my right hand arm behind his neck, ducks his head, and wraps his bicep around under my legs. He hoists me out of the car, upside down on his shoulder.

I grip the shirt on his strong, lean waist and demand through grit teeth, “Put me down.”

“You gonna keep acting like a brat?”

“Elijah!”

He opens the back door with his free hand and relaxes the hold on the back of my knees. I push off him and he slides me almost to the ground. We meet face to face. He pauses, his arm hooked under my butt, one hand on my rib cage.

Johnny hits the car horn. “Guys, wearein public. And people are waiting on us.”

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