Page 40 of Mastered by Them
Edmund walks next to us, a thoughtful expression on his face.
After Dani is happily eating cotton candy and chatting with a young woman selling vegetables, Edmund takes me aside.
“Who keeps calling you?”
I scan the waterline, trying to hide my discomfort. “Nobody important.”
“Troy. You can talk to me.”
“Can I, though?”
“Fuck, yes, you can. Is this about me and Danica? Is that why you’ve been weird lately?”
I want to laugh. He can’t be serious right now. “It’s no big deal. Amber’s been calling.”
“The fuck? Amber?” His mouth tightens. “Why is she contacting you?”
“Does it matter? She’ll get bored after a while—she always does.”
“It matters a lot. She’s...she’s abusive, Troy. I don’t want you to get sucked back in.” Edmund looks genuinely worried.
Dani’s walking back to us, so I shake my head. “Drop it, okay? I have it under control.”
“Sure.” He nods. “Don’t forget the dirt you have on her. You want me to release it, or have someone else do it? Just hand it to me and say the word.”
Edmund
I watch Troy carefully for the rest of the day. I don’t like that Amber is back in touch with him. That woman has a heart of stone and an emotionally manipulative streak that puts cartoon villains to shame.
He seems just as much in love with Danica as always, but there’s a darker element to it, like he thinks she’ll be ripped away from him at a moment’s notice.
Is it Amber’s fault...or is it mine? I should talk to him again, but I need to figure out my own thoughts, first.
Danica steers us toward a photo booth. “Come on. Memories!”
Her excitement today is a surprise. She’s usually too mad to let herself have a good time, but all day she’s been throwing herself into fun. She’s choosing to enjoy herself, and it looks good on her.
Not that I don’t love a sulky, angry Danica, because I absolutely do. But her happiness is refreshing.
“Come on, guys!” She ducks into the booth.
I climb in after her, pausing when Troy doesn’t move to immediately follow me.
“What are you waiting for?” I ask.
He grunts. “Seems like a couples thing.”
I’m an asshole. I’ve known it my whole life. But never as much as I know it right the fuck now. I don’t want the garbage marriage my parents have, but is that really what things would look like if Troy and I were both with Danica?
What my parents lack—among things like compassion, affection, and love—is loyalty to each other. Theirs is a marriage full of scorn and betrayal, and most of that is because they have no loyalty.
Danica tugs me in close. I keep the curtain open, waiting for Troy.
“Come on, Troy,” Danica says. “It’s about to start taking photos; I already put in the tokens.”
He clambers in, his mouth a tense line.
I’ve never known anyone as loyal as Troy. With the exception of his time with Amber, he’s been at my side since we were kids.
