Page 34 of One More Round

“But then we got in a fight because he has a girlfriend—or so I thought—but he didn’t, so I wasn't the other woman. Then we ended up talking about what happened that put us in this whole funk to start with. We worked it out, though. I think.”

So, unloading that information wasn’t as bad as I thought it would be.

But both of them are just staring at me again. I turn and head back into the kitchen to grab a handful of M&M’s. Best if I just keep my mouth full as I start to replay everything I just divulged. Yikes, I might have shared a little bit too much.

Ruby seems to snap out of it first. Again, with a shake of the head and I hear a couple of wows and okays.

“Umm. So first, I don’t think I’ve ever heard you talk for so long without taking a breath. And two, let's rewind a bit, if you don’t mind.”

“I’d like a rewind, for sure,” Morgan adds.

Sighing, I take a seat at the table, so I can face them, which is better than being stuck between them if I went back to the couch.

I nod for them to go on.

“Please let me know if at any point I’m misunderstanding … You and Simon have been texting, talking on the phone, and lunching. And you went to see a movie, Jack Sparrow to be exact. Then you kissed him.” She pauses, and I take a moment to correct her.

“Ah, no, he kissed me.”

“OK, so he kissed you and you …,” she leads.

“I kissed him back. It was more of a make-out session than a single kiss, really. Someone—from behind us, I’m assuming, that is—told us to get a room,” I add, a little annoyed.

Ruby clears her throat but continues. “So, you made out, then you remembered that he has a girlfriend and you got in a fight, which caused you to talk about your past, and now you are friends … and then maybe more? Am I understanding all this correctly, Gia? Mo, do you understand?” She looks over at Morgan who still looks as stunned at me as she did five minutes ago.

“More or less, yes.” I pop in a few more M&M’s.

“Huh. Interesting,” Ruby replies thoughtfully.

It’s quiet for a beat, then Morgan finally speaks.

“What I don’t understand is how you have yet to really tell us about what happened to make this whole thing—as in, you and Simon being friendly, making out for goodness’ sakes—such a big deal. He has had an uncomfortable dislike for you since we introduced you two.”

“I’d describe it more like hatred,” Ruby adds as Morgan continues talking.

“We haven’t pushed you to tell us because you’ve made it clear that you didn’t want to share, but I can’t help but feel a little foolish that this is all happening, and you have been hiding it for the last week. Well, longer than that, really.”

“Yeah, what she said,” Ruby mutters.

I drop my head and let it hang while I take a deep breath. I’m not ready to tell them about Todd yet. If Morgan is this hurt by not knowing the details about Simon and me, she is going to flip when she finds out that I never told her I had a twin. So, I have to tread carefully.

When I look back up at them, they don’t seem mad. They look concerned and a little hurt.

“Simon and I were best friends for a very long time. We had very strong feelings for each other but never acted on them, until the night before I left. Well, at the time we didn’tknowit was the night before I left. He told me he loved me and kissed me. I yelled at him, because how dare he wait all that time to tell me only when he knew I was moving away. So, we got in a fight and I left him there at the tree house. And then that night, my mom told me we were leaving in the morning. I was so upset by what happened with Simon, and the thought of saying goodbye … I mean, I had initially thought I would have just a little bit more time with him. So, I thought it would be better—easier for me, if I just left things the way they ended. I didn’t say goodbye. I just left. He called a lot. And I had my number changed. And that was that. I didn’t hear or see him again until we went over to their apartment last year.”

I pause a moment to let everything I’ve just said sink in. I don’t see anger anymore though, it’s clearly sadness. I fear it’s going to turn to disappointment any second now.

Ruby lets out a whistle. “Talk about a small world.”

Morgan starts speaking very carefully, like she is trying to figure out exactly what she wants to say.

“I wish you would have just told us, Gia. That was a heavy burden to bear on your shoulders alone. I’ve laid all of my problems and fears out for you and you’ve always been there for me with no judgment. But you didn’t give me the same chance. Why? Did you not trust me?” She looks like she’s about to cry.

“No! I trusted you from the very first day I met you, Mo. Don’t think that.”Ugh. What the hell is she going to think when she finally finds out about Todd? I continue, “I didn’t want you to know what a horrible person I was—am. Iama horrible person for what I did to Simon. And I haven’t completely forgiven myself yet; I’m not sure if I will. I didn’t want to chase you away.”

I start to sniffle. I don’t cry often, but the thought of losing Morgan scares me and this whole conversation is wreaking havoc on my emotions. Let alone everything that has happened with Simon, and the news of my brother. I’m surprised I haven’t broken down yet.

Morgan stands and walks to me. She kneels in front of me and grabs my hands.

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