Page 74 of Rewrite the Rules

“Um…well, I’m going to do the bad-news sandwich, okay?”

Oh god. That means it’s bad. Cami likes to layer bad news between what she thinks is good news. When we were growing up, it was not comforting to know that she broke my laptop, but at least Britney Spears finally had a Vegas residency and the show was supposed to bekiller.

“Let’s hear it, Cami.”

“Well first of all—three of the students I teach had education visas approved for the U.S. and I think my referral letters actually helped. I really feel like I’m making a difference here.”

“That’s great. Again, I’m really prou—”

“Mom and Dad are ending their separation. They are officially getting back together.”

“You have got to be fucking kidding me.” My mouth begins to pool with saliva like I might hurl. Blood begins rushing angrily through the veins of my forearm. I grip the phone so hard I swear I could snap it in half.

“And also, I think they are making a new flavor of Zebra Stripe gum…so that’s pretty exciting.”

“Cami, you should meet my good friend Adler one day. You’ll hit it off because you two are disturbingly similar. But, back to Mom and Dad—who told you this?”

“Mom.”

“And she sounded?”

“Happy. Joel—please. Just let it go. Who are they hurting if they want to get back together?”

No one. They’ve already hurt so many people and destroyed so much with their volatile, toxic forty-year relationship. Who is left to hurt? What’s left to burn?

“Do they plan on telling me?”

“They are making their way down the list.”

“You’re the youngest. Why do you know first?”

“Okay, fine! They are a little nervous to tell you. You practically popped a bottle of champagne right in their faces when they separated.”

“For good reason.”

“Seriously. Please. Let them be happy.”

“I want them to be happy—which is why I don’t want them to stay married.”

She groans on the other line which is the last thing I hear before static consumes the call.

“Cami? Cam?...Hello?...Camilla?”

No use. The line goes silent.

I bury my face in my hands as the childhood memories bubble up. All the yelling and screaming. Glass shattering. Doors slamming. Cars ripping out of the driveway and the headlights disappearing into the night. All the while, promising Cami it was going to be okay, even when I knew it wasn’t.

I can never remember what they were fighting about. I just remember the feeling…and now more than ever, I need a distraction. I need a friend.

I dial Adler, hoping she’s still awake. Hoping she’ll answer.

* * *

Adler

I must’ve finally fallen asleep because the aggressive vibration of my phone against my nightstand startles me awake. I blink a few times and sit up. Before I can see who’s calling, a voice from my living room greets me promptly.

“Hey girl, you up?”

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