Page 73 of Without You

“I did. I was certain this weekend was going to be this huge blowup, but she surprised me. It was nice to actually not want to say goodbye.” I hear him yawn before asking. “Is that normal?”

“I have no point of reference on what’s normal or not, but I do know what you mean, and I’m glad you got that. I know how much it means to you.”

“I’ll be back for Thanksgiving,” he slips in casually. I mentally count how many days till Thanksgiving, and then berate myself for acting like a teenage girl with a high school crush. “I don’t know if I’ll be able to stay more than two days because of work,” he adds. “But I’ll try.”

The sentiment buries itself in the dark, dusty corners of my bruised up heart, because I hear what he doesn’t say.I’m not cutting it short for you. If I could stay, I would.

“You should get to bed,” I suggest. “I didn’t mean to text you so late, and wake you. I was actually certain I had the wrong number.”

“One would have to sleep to be woken up,” he informs me.

“Why aren’t you sleeping?”

“It might have something to do with that existential crisis.”

“Aren’t we a pair,” I snicker.

“You get to sleep all day though, right?” he clarifies.

“Yeah,” I muster. “No complaints here.”

“What about you?” I find myself asking. “Tell me about your shop.”

“What do you want to know?”

“Whatever you want to tell me,” I quip.

“Umm,” he muses. “How much do you know?”

“About cars?”

“No.” He laughs. “About my business.”

“Is this like a quiz on how much I paid attention over the years?”

“I never thought of that,” he says, his voice full of excitement. “Would you win or lose?”

“You’re serious, aren’t you? Are you going to answer questions about me?”

“You want me to tell you how much I know about you?”

“Definitely,” I enthuse. “What’s good for me is good for you. Albeit I don’t think there’s much—”

He cuts me off. “You were going to apply to college after school to become a high school teacher.”

Startled, I sit up, the blanket falling to my waist, shock making it impossible for me to sit still. “How did you know that?”

“It’s your turn,” he challenges, ignoring my question. When there’s nothing but silence coming out of my mouth, he adds. “I’m feeling a little heartbroken at your shock.”

I choke out a laugh. “I’m sorry, I just really am shocked. I didn’t think anyone but Rhett knew that.”

“What can I say? I pay attention,” he boasts. “Now let’s see what you know.”

“Ummm. Let me think,” I deliberate. “Oh, I know,” I say more to myself. “When you were sixteen, you came home absolutely totaled from a seniors’ party you were invited to.”

“How did you know that?” I can’t help the smile that dances across my face, knowing it’s my turn to shock him.

“I also know that you vomited all over your date that night,” I tease. “What was her name? Yasmin was it?”

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