Page 74 of Three Not-So-Little Words
“Hey, Ronnie. What’s going on?”
“I need to talk to your girlfriend. Put her on the phone.”
“Well, hello to you too. You know, Leah has her own phone.”
“Dylan!”
“Okay, okay. Hold on just a minute.”
I hear him in the background. “Ronnie is on the phone. I have no idea what she wants, but she’s being crazy.”
Leah comes on the line. “Hey, Ronnie. What’s up?”
“Hey, can you go somewhere that my brotherisn’t?”
“Uh, sure, hold on.” A moment later, she says, “Okay, I’m alone.”
“I need your advice.”
“Okay, shoot.”
“Dylan was telling me that when you and him got together, you weren’t exactly looking for anything serious.”
She laughs. “That’s putting it mildly. I said we were friends and nothing more.”
“Even when you were pregnant with his baby?” I ask.
“I’m not saying that it was a flawless theory.”
“What made you get over that and decide you wanted to be with him?”
“Well, the whole baby thing didn’t hurt,” she jokes. “I’m kidding. Really, what made me decide to give the whole thing a chance?”
“Yeah.”
She thinks for a moment. “I finally realized that my life was way better with him in it than without. He had become my bestfriend when I wasn’t paying attention. He was the number one person I wanted to be around. I finally got it through my head that I better get over my bullshit, or I was going to lose him.”
“But how did you get over all your commitment issues?” I ask.
“I just had to trust my gut. And my gut told me your brother wouldn’t hurt me.”
“I guess,” I mumble.
“What’s going on, Ronnie? Why are you asking me all of this?”
“Ask Dylan. He’ll fill you in on everything,” I say. With a final “Thank you,” I hang up the phone.
I think about everything Leah just said. I think she’s right. The way she describes my brother is the same way I’m beginning to feel about Drew.
How crazy is that?
I’m not saying I’m ready for any type of relationship, but maybe I can keep hanging out with Drew and see where we end up.
I just need to get out of my own head. To do that, I’m going to need a shit ton more booze.
twenty-seven
Surprises
