Page 28 of One True Loves

“What do you mean, you’re not going?” I shake my head and start getting my purse ready. I put in extra film for my camera and sunscreen because I know I’ll need it. “Stop playing, Wally, and get your butt up already.”

He doesn’t move, though. “I’m serious. I’m not going today. I don’t... feel well.” He lies back down and closes his eyes.

I look him over. He has giant bags under his eyes. Who knows how long he stayed out last night?

This isn’t like Wally. He’s always go, go, go. He never sleeps in and always gives me shit when I do it, talking about wasting the day or whatever. This will be the second day of this trip that he’s choosing to lie in bed instead of exploring a brand-new city we’ve never seen before and probably won’t see again. Something’s wrong. It must be Kieran. Theyweretogether forever. Of course he’s sad and wants to wallow in that. But then again, from the little I’ve snooped so far, it seems like he ended things? I don’t know. Maybe he really is just tired after this most recent semester of overachieving.

“Well, what do you want me to tell them?” I ask finally.

“Tell them that. I don’t feel well. Jet lag still, probably.”

“Okay.” I finish getting ready. Check my camera. Put on my black Ultraboosts, so hopefully my feet won’t get destroyed like in Rome. When I’m about to leave, Wally’s looking at his phone, his face illuminated by the bright screen. It makes him look even more dejected.

“Well, bye. You’re welcome for handling things with Mom and Dad.” He just waves, not taking his eyes off his screen. “Have fun talking to Kieran,” I throw out the line, fishing for any information. Maybe he knows something about the Wi-Fi that I don’t?

“I amnottalking to Kieran. I need you to stop bringing him up,” he says. His tone is firm, and I believe him.But then what are you doing on your phone all the time?I want to ask. I know I won’t get any answers from him, though, so I just shrug. “At least brush your teeth before I come back. You smell.”

When I step outside, I immediately notice the change in view. Instead of endless blue water on all sides, there are mountains peppered with buildings, washed gold in the bright sunlight. The main deck is swarming with people, so it takes me a while to find my family among the masses of other families meeting up for a day ashore. Maybe Dad did have a point with the matching T-shirts. They may be mortifying, but at least they would make this process much easier. I finally spot Mom, Dad, and Etta to the right behind a group of seventy-somethings in neon bathing suits and sarongs. Mom’s head is swiveling, and she looks irritated. I know it’s just going to get worse when I deliver the news about Wally.

“Lenore!” she hollers when she sees me, waving her arms around. As I make my way over there, the old ladies going to the beach move out of the way, and I see who’s standing next to my family: Dr. and Mr. Lee and Alex.

I fight my face to keep its expression neutral.

“Finally!” Mom says, and she has a plastic smile stretched across her face that I know wouldn’t be there if the Lees weren’t present. She hates being left waiting, even in normal circumstances. So, I guess I should be grateful that they’re here, but already my pulse is speeding up. Are they coincidentally signed up for the same tour as us? Am I going to have to avoid Alex and his smarmy, annoyingly perfect face all day? Hopefully it’ll be one of those tacky, overcrowded double-decker buses, so at least I can get some space and not have to listen to any more of his fifty-year plan.

“Well, hello, Lenore!” Dr. Lee coos. She gestures up and down with her finger. “I love this look. Very sophisticated.”

“Thank you, Dr. Lee.” How did someone so nice create someone so irritating?

“Call me Ronni! Better yet,AuntieRonni. After last night, your parents and I are old friends,” she laughs, looking at my mom knowingly. “Pinot till we can’t no mo’!” she yells alarmingly. “Am I right, Marla?” Mom wave her arms and does some weird whooping thing that I didn’t know she was capable of, and then they bump hips, giggling some more. Some weird old-people bonding must have gone down last night after I peaced out.

“Better get used to that now that we’re traveling together,” Alex says, shaking his head. His striped button-up is French-tucked into his shorts like he just binge-watched the first season ofQueer Eyeon Netflix.

But wait, I’m confused. Traveling together? We’re eatingmeals together, yes, and I guess I have to suffer through this tour of Sicily in his presence, but that’s a far cry from “traveling together.”

“Oh, you haven’t heard?” he asks, reading my face. He chuckles knowingly, and I hate it.

“The Lees have invited us along to join them on their private tours! For the whole cruise! Isn’t that wonderful?” Mom says, her eyes bright with excitement.

What.

No. Please no.

The horror must be all over my face, because Dr. Lee comes to squeeze my shoulders reassuringly. “Now, honey, don’t worry. These are not going to be those boring tours where we walk around museum after museum with those audio-guide things stuck in our ears, listening to someone drone on about things we don’t care about. It’s private, so we get to choose what we do! And I told them I want it to be fun! To really see the culture of each stop! Etta’s already requested that we got to the—what was it again, sweetie? Norman’s place?”

“Palazzo dei Normanni,” Etta corrects her, not looking up from the massive guidebook her nose is buried in.

“Yes, that! We’re going to palazzo it up!”

I smile, hoping it looks convincing enough. How do I tell this nice lady that I’m not worried about being bored? I just can’t stand her cocky know-it-all son and am horrified that I now have to spend every one of these remaining eleven days in his constant presence.

“It was very generous of them,” Dad says, nudging Mr. Lee with his elbow playfully. “But like I told David here, they’re going to allow us to pay for half.”

“And like I told you, it was already booked ages ago, and we got so many early-bird discounts that there’s nothing for you to pay for!” Mr. Lee laughs, and Dad laughs along with him, but I can already see him calculating how to covertly send some money their way. Dad has been known to claim a restroom break and then sneak into the kitchen of a restaurant, just to make sure he gets the bill before one of my uncles.

“Tell you what, beat me on the golf course when we get back home, and I’ll let you pay for the whole thing!” Mr. Lee says.

“Oh, you’re on!” Dad slaps his back and laughs, all buddy-buddy. How did this happen so quickly? Does the Cupid Shuffle have magical powers?

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