“Cujo.We aren’t… you don’t—”
“My mom’s in the hospital,” he said, changing the subject.“And of all the fucking irony, she has amnesia.Doesn’t remember everything she did to us.”
Drea wrapped her arms around his waist, grabbing the soft fabric of his shirt.“I’m sorry, Cujo.Can I help at all?”
“Just tell him no.Please.”
***
“Okay, I gotta ask,” Trent started, and Cujo looked up from the series of bouncing love heart candies he was drawing onto transfer paper for a cute blonde from Toronto.“You say nothing’s going on, then I see the two of you wrapped up tighter than a pretzel after the cop left.What’s up, man?”
Drea had left as soon as he’d let her go.He’d watched her leave with Harper.The distance was supposed to feel good, a relief.Instead, he felt like a piece of him was missing.
Cujo let out a tight laugh.“Sometimes I think we’re like Mentos and Diet Coke.We irritate each other half the time.”
“And the other half?”
Cujo paused, uncertain of the answer.He respected her, even admired her.The double shifts, caring for her mom, looking out for others.And without a doubt, he wanted to strip her naked and see what else she could do with all that fire pent up inside her.
Trent coughed.“I seem to recall you ripping on me when I was like this with Harper.”
Cujo frowned.“There is nome and Drea.Nothing happened.Like seriously nothing.No bases were touched.”
Trent raised an eyebrow.
“Okay, fuck.I kissed her.Once.”
“Well, you guys have some pretty crazy energy.”
Cujo slammed his pen down on the table and clasped his hands on the top of his head.
“Fuck.I don’t know.She deserves a better relationship than I can give her.And she’s Harper’s best friend.And she has all this shit going on in her life.And I get why she’s pissed off half the time because I would be too if I had been dealt such a shitty hand.”He sighed and leaned forward, placing both hands on the edge of the table.His head drooped and he rolled his neck from side to side to let the tension out.“She needs someone solid.Someone who will be there for her, and I can’t be that guy.That shit isn’t for me.”
“I thought that, too, before Harper.When Yasmin left, I thought I was done,” Trent said, referring to his first and only serious relationship prior to Harper.
“But that’s different, man.Getting married and having kids is something you’ve always wanted.I’ve adjusted to the idea that it isn’t going to happen for me, not when I can’t guarantee I’ll be there for them.”
“You’ve passed all the big milestones, Cuj.Your chances of being around as long as the rest of us are pretty good.”
Yeah, to watch them walk down the aisle and worry about saving for college educations.It wasn’t fair to ask someone to commit to what could ultimately end up being half of a forever.
“My mom… I… she’s back…” Silence filled the room.
“Cuj?”
“She’s in the hospital.”He explained the situation.“And she can’t remember a fucking thing.”
“Shit.”
“Hit on the head so hard, her brain bled.”Cujo frowned.“Shesaysshe doesn’t remember us.”He walked over to the window.Dark thunderclouds rolled across the sky, a fucking poetic accompaniment to his mood.
“Fuck, man.I’m sorry.You don’t believe her?”
“I don’t know.She’s beat up real bad.It’s a shit show.Dad’s beside himself.Devon wants to get to know her, Connor can’t decide, and I’d rather be anywhere than another fucking hospital.”Cujo turned and punched straight through the plasterboard wall with his left hand.Pain radiated through his knuckles as dust drifted down to the floor.“Fuck!”
He pulled the office door open and marched to the kitchen.The fridge wobbled as he yanked open the freezer door and grabbed an ice tray.Turning it upside down, he slammed it hard against the counter and cursed as cubes spilled on the floor.
Pixie walked in and patted him on the back.Without a word, she popped the ice-cubes into a clean dishcloth and wrapped them around his hand.
