Page 4 of Old Acquaintances

At that moment we decided to be at war. I hated Tucker every day, except for the moments I didn’t, and he relished every opportunity possible to humiliate me and fight over Johnny’s attention.

We were enemies with a shared best friend. A shared birthday. A shared family.

We even shared secrets.

Chapter Three

Today

What about Tucker?

Something strange happens. My stomach clenches, for an inexplicable reason, and my throat goes dry, and it’s been that same reaction for seven years. Every time his name is mentioned - stomach pain, dry mouth - and I haven’t yet decided what emotion to label it.

Anger? Pain? Sadness?

Frustration.

I think it’s mostly frustration. Frustration that I can’t decide how to feel about the seven years of silence between me and my best friend’s best friend. The pain rises to my chest.

“You’re not supposed to mention him in front of me,” I tell Hattie, hoping my voice sounds normal.

She scoffs, “Come on, Ella. Give it a rest.”

“Even Steven and Lori can respect my wishes,” I grumble, sinking into my seat, trying not to picture Tucker’s face. It’s almost impossible to do when she says:

“The guy’s our brother-in-law’s stepbrother. He’s our mother’s best friend’s son. He’sfamily.” She pauses on the other end. “And frankly…he has no problem asking about you.”

My jaw drops. “You’ve been speaking to him?”

“I saw him for Easter, when you stayed in Atlanta.”

The questions are on the tip of my tongue.

How is he? How does he look? Has he grown horns and a tail? Did he stare at pictures of me all day and weep?

Hattie’s question supersedes mine. She repeats, “So, are you going to see him for your joint thirtieth birthday?”

“We are not twins,” I growl. “We don’t need to do everything together. So,no. Tucker’s not coming to Florida.”

“Why not?”

“He’s not a part of the group.”

“Stop it, Ella.”

“He’s not!” I think about the beach trip this summer and the week in Spain three years ago and the annual Saint Patrick’s Day weekend in Boston. I think of the letterTon our group text and how he’s never responded to anything in years.

I know he still keeps in touch with them. Johnny mentions it. Serena sees him often when she goes to Savannah for work. They all must have their own Ella-freeThe Gangtext group.

He even shows up to family functions when I can’t make it. The people in my life have no goddamn loyalty.

Hattie sighs. “I don’t know how you can just shut him out of your life like that.”

“Easily,” I snap, hopeful that she can hear the threat in my voice. There’s a message overhead about a ten-minute delay on our flight. Listening to the rumbles of conversation around me, I continue, “I was in a coma for a week, Hattie.”

“Trust me, I know.”

“It was on the fucking news!”

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