Page 95 of You Had Me At Thirteen

‘Wow, real smooth.’ Carla shakes her head. ‘Haven’t I taught you anything?’

‘Shut up, it’s complicated.’

‘It’s not complicated, it’s easy. Just man up and tell her how you feel.’

‘I don’t know how,’ I say, admitting I’m totally out of my comfort zone here. Why am I even having this conversation with Carla? She should mind her damn business.

She sighs as she pats my thigh. ‘You’ll figure it out. Just don’t take too long, because a beauty like that won’t stay single for long.’

No shit.

But will I figure it out? I fucking hope so. How much time do I get? Weeks? Months? Years? Learning to ride a bike takes weeks, days if you’re lucky and have the coordination to stay upright while taking both feet off the ground.

Falling in love is kind of like that, moving so fast through the air with your feet off the ground while you try to simultaneously watch the road ahead and steer, so you don’t die a horrific death. One glance down and you risk falling.

I hate to think it, but Carla is right. I need to get it together, because Matilda won’t wait for me to figure out my shit if I keep pushing her away.

When we arrive at the hospital, we head into the meeting room to meet with the head of oncology. After we sort out the details of Mum’s palliative care, I find Mum’s room, while Carla hangs back to go through everything she needs to do.

Mum’s eyes are closed when I enter, but they open the moment I sit down by the bed. ‘Hey, baby,’ she says, her voice hoarse. ‘Where’s Carla?’

I take her hand in mine. ‘Sorting details. How are you feeling?’

‘A little tired, but I’m okay. I feel like a pin cushion these days.’ She pulls her sleeves up, showing me the bruises on her arms from all the needles she’s had stuck in her.

I give her a tight smile. ‘We can leave once Carla finishes up.’

‘Thank God. I hate this place.’ She smiles at me, but it doesn’t last long when she senses my mood. ‘Wren, what’s wrong?’

Besides the obvious, I also can’t get what I did to Matilda this afternoon out of my head.

When I don’t answer, Mum squints at me. ‘What did you do?’ She’s using her serious voice, which packs just as much punch as it always has. Even in her fragile state, she still sends my heart pounding with what she calls her “mum” voice.

There’s no time to open my mouth to answer her before Carla skips in.

‘Can’t man up, Auntie Deb. Our boy here is in love.’ She slaps me on the back as she skips past me.

I scowl at her, but all she does is shrug it off before pulling up a chair next to me. She kisses my mum’s cheek, then sits beside me, her too-sweet perfume almost choking me.

‘Wren,’ Mum says. ‘Don’t you fuck it up.’

Carla snorts as she covers her mouth. ‘You’ve been told. Now grow a pair dude, and tell Matilda how you feel.’

I cross my arms over my chest. ‘Wow, thanks for the support. Aren’t you two supposed to be on my side?’

Mum grins at Carla, then back at me. ‘I’m not taking sides, sweetheart.’

‘I am,’ Carla says. ‘Totally on Matilda’s side.’

‘Yeah, but you’re an arsehole,’ I say to Carla as I push her chair with my foot.

She kicks back at me, hitting me in the shin. ‘That’s what your favourite cousin is for.’

‘You’re my only cousin. And, ouch,’ I say as I rub my bruised shin.

‘See, favourite.’ She grins at me, flashing her straight white teeth.

‘Still an arsehole.’ I scowl at her before sinking into the chair to watch the exchange between my mum and Carla.

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