“I can be kind of a dick. I know that. I just… I…”
…kind of thought you were hot and got weird.
I’m such an idiot. Even by the expression on his face, wide-eyed and with his mouth hanging slightly open, I can tell that he’s as surprised as I am that I’m saying this.
“Anyway, sorry.”
“It’s all good. You weren’t bad. And I’ve been the dick, so we’re cool.”
I head back into my room and get to work on another project I have a deadline for: the cover for a gay romantic comedy indie flick featuring two hot actors. The high-res images in the studio were done of them separately, so I’ve had to work hard to find shots that will gel together just right. The ones I found make it look like they’re looking at each other, but I’ve had to do some color-correcting on top of shifting their heads ever-so-slightly to make it more convincing.
This is the kind of work I can get lost in for days. But my father’s always there in the back of my mind, silently judging me for wasting my time on what he considers a hobby.
5
I sit in a booth at the Cheesecake Factory.
Finally, I get to visit with my little sis.
I haven’t seen her new baby since right after he was born. It was also one of the few times I was willing to tolerate being around Mom or Dad since I left for college.
Kate enters the restaurant. Her dark hair, even darker than mine or Jordan’s, hangs just past her shoulders, a lot shorter than when I last saw her. She glances around uneasily. She’s the kind of person who’s always felt out of place wherever she goes, which kind of reminds me of the way Scott is.
He’s a nice guy, once he lets loose and doesn’t take things so goddamned seriously.
It was nice to see that side of him today—that he can be something other than a d-bag—and after today, I feel like he’s a pretty cool guy, someone I wouldn’t mind hitting up a bar with. Although, there was a moment when the way he looked at me kind of made me feel like he was checking me out, and I hoped he was. What the fuck was that about?
I wave my hands until Kate sees me, and she heads over. She smiles, radiating this glow like an angel as she approaches. In a blue blouse and gray skirt, she looks so grown-up and put together—a far cry from the girl who always had pigtails and sported leggings like they were going out of style. Despite her groomed appearance, I can tell by some stray strands of hair and a patch of her face where she missed putting on foundation that she was in a little bit of a rush to get here.
I get up and slide out of the booth to give her a hug.
“Sorry I’m a little late,” she says. “Roger had an accident when I was taking him to the sitter.”
“Why didn’t you bring him? I wanted to see the little guy.” I detect apprehension in her gaze. “Oh my God, Kate, what happened?”
She hugs me again and bursts into tears.
I check around and notice a few restaurant patrons glancing our way, so I guide her into one side of the booth with me and keep her close, not saying anything. I just hold her because I know that’s what she needs right now.
When she’s settled down some, I remind her, “Don’t worry. I’m here for you. Everything’s going to be okay.”
I’m relieved she mentioned Roger earlier because it assures me that he’s alright. But is something wrong with Lyle? Or did he do something wrong? Because if he hurt her… Oh, even the thought of him doing something to her pisses me off.
When she stops crying, I slide the glass of water closer to her.
“Come on, Kay-bae. What’s wrong? I figured there was something with the way you asked me to come out here. But I didn’t know it was this bad, otherwise I would have come home sooner. I thought you and Lyle needed money or something.”
“No, no,” she says, sniffling. “Not that exactly… well, at all, really.” She starts to say something, stops herself, and then starts again: “We’re getting a d—”
She starts crying again.
I know what she’s reaching for.
Divorce.
I grip her arm. “You don’t have to say it, Kate. It’s okay.”
When she looks back at me, her face is bright red like she’s embarrassed to talk to me about this, which I can understand.
