Page 85 of Old Acquaintances

“I’m afraid of Willy Wonka-ing!”

“She had to wear layered shirts and pants under all of her clothes growing up because she’d have panic attacks about the stupidest things and start stripping her clothes off.”

I ball up my napkin and throw it at his face. “I’m not good with my emotion words.”

His eyes rest on mine. Soft. “And she doesn’t like to fly. So, she needs the armrest pulled up.”

I dart my eyes between his.

I peel back histories - this flight and the one to Yellowstone - considering that he sat beside me yesterday on purpose. Did he tell Johnny specifically to order that seat? He knew I was mad at him, but he also knew I needed a body to ground into.

Serena sips her Pina colada and says, “I think that should be a love language. Knowing things about someone. Surely that gets people going. Having a partner who intimately knows what they’re going to say or do and who pays attention. I’m adding that to the list.”

Tucker looks out at the water.

I think about armrests.

Ritchie puts his beer down. “My marriage counselor brought this up. Explain it again.”

“I’dloveto.” Serena loves to instruct. She holds up her fingers. “There are five love languages: acts of service, physicaltouch, words of affirmation, quality time, and gifts. This is how you give and receive love. Jen, you and Johnny should know each other’s.”

Callie says, “Mine is quality time.”

“That’s why she wouldn’t stay home,” Serena teases. “Personally, I like to receive love through words of affirmation. I want to hear that Callie loves me, all the time.”

“Gifts, too,” Callie grumbles.

“Yes - Ilovegifts!”

Jen squishes up her face. She won’t look at Johnny for some reason. “I don’t think I know mine.”

Serena points at Tucker. “Well, this one is a classic case. Tucker’s love languages are easy to call.”

“How so?” he challenges.

She points at me. “Physical touch. You express love through that. You can’t keep your hands off of her.Andacts of service. You love doing stuff for Ella.”

“All of his friends,” I add quickly.

“Ella needs a lot of attention.”

“Hey! I don’t need a lot of attention.”

“Fine. Ellalikesattention.” She pins me down with her eyes, amusement in the corner of her mouth. “She shows love through quality time. Like how you were always coming to Tucker’s baseball games or going with him to the store so he could be around you. There was one time in college when she had a date, do you remember that, Ell? You canceled a date because you said,I haven’t seen Tucker in a few weeks, I had to come down to Clemson.”

I shift in my seat. Tucker’s very still. She’s onto something with her analysis.

We haven’t even had our food yet, but Serena catches our waitress and asks for another cocktail. “Let’s go around the table and share the stories of ourfirst time.”

Ritchie laughs and Wyatt goes, “Damn, Serena! I didn’t know we signed up for a therapy session.”

“We are in public.” Callie flashes her eyes. “These people do not want to be assaulted by the story of Wyatt’s threesome.”

“It’s fun!” Serena defends. “It’s like a bonding conversation. I’ll go first: My first time was with a man on a beach.” She points to the ocean and grimaces. “Not a fun experience. Sand is not fun in dark places.”

Johnny says, “Y’all have heard mine. Sarah Reilly, prom night.”

“Gross,” I mutter, staring at my beer.

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