“Wow. I really don’t know what to say right now.Scarfaceand theGodfathermovies are classics.”
She snorts. “Casablancais a classic.Cool Hand Lukeis a classic.Scarfaceand theGodfathermovies are snuff films.”
“I admit they’re bloody, but you have to watch them. At least once to know for sure whether or not you’ll like them,” I tell her. There is no way she can go through life not watching these movies. I can’t imagine it. I won’t allow it. No. It’s a travesty.
“All right, all right. I’ll watch them with you. I didn’t know you’d get so riled up over Pacino,” she mocks.
I shake my head. “It’s not just Pacino. But, that’s not what we were talking about.”
“Kinda lost track there.”
I sit back against the headboard of her bed, and she snuggles close.
“Okay. So, Ellen was going with a guy from Waverly. There was no way she could let her parents know. She’d be locked away until they felt she came to her senses—at least that’s what she told me.”
“I can see super rich and prominent people being like that,” Jillie agrees.
“Some, yeah. Anyway, she asked if I’d go along with her plan and say I was going out with her and stuff to cover for her.”
Jillie sucks in a breath. “I can see this going all kinds of wrong.”
“I figured, no biggie, right? Well, huge mistake. Ellen ended up getting knocked up by the guy, and then he ditched her. He didn’t have any money but told her to get rid of it.”
“Classy.”
“Yeah.” My fists clench involuntarily. “I beat his ass, but that solved nothing. She was pregnant. She asked me to cover.”
“Whoa,” Jillie gasps, leaning back and away from me. “And you did?”
I nod. She looks dumbstruck and confused.
“Why? Why would you do that? I mean, that’s a kid that isn’t yours you’re taking responsibility for,” she tells me, as if I didn’t know.
“Trust me, I know. It wasn’t a good time. As for why… our parents had been close since we were little. I grew up with her and she wasn’t always like she is now.”
Jillie stiffens. “Oh, I know all about that.”
I cringe, knowing she’s talking about Audrey. “Yeah. So, her parents and my parents talked, then they all talked to us, and everyone agreed an abortion would be the best move.”
“Oh no.”
“Ellen was sick about it. She didn’t want to do it. Thankfully she didn’t have to. She ended up either getting her period or miscarrying.”
“Didn’t she take a test?”
I nod. “Sure. She took five. All positive.”
“So, she lost the baby. That’s awful. I actually feel badly for her,” Jillie admits.
“Don’t. She didn’t want it. He bailed. Having an abortion or even having the baby would have ruined her life, either way,” I tell her.
“But, after all of this, you fucked her? Like, fuck buddies?” she asks, and I flinch.
“I know what it seems like.”
She gets up and starts pacing. “Do you? Do you really?”
“Yeah, I do,” I tell her, sitting on the edge of the bed. “She asked me, after about six months or so if I’d fuck her. She said she wanted to make sure she wasn’t defective or whatever.”
