“No, Carolyn.”
Carolyn tossed a hand Dutch’s way.“Okay, seems like you’regonnabe here most of the time, I can stay in your space.”
“Carolyn, I cannot imagine how scary it would be to beevicted,” Georgie began.“But if it’s taken them three months to do it, you’vehad plenty of time to sort this out before the final hour.You have to have atleast twenty, maybe it’s even thirty thousand dollars of stuff in your closet.That’s nearly two years’ rent.This is not my problem.It isn’t Mother’sproblem.It isn’t Dad’s.It’s yours.You’re ticked at Dad he wouldn’t give youmoney to overspend and whatnot.But I’d bet he’d give you a room in his housewhile you sorted out your life.”
“Guilt money and he owes me and you too,” Carolyn declared.
“I don’t know how you figure that.”
“He left us withher, that’s how I figurethat.Why do you think I bump?”she asked snidely.“I mean, Jesus, Georgie, we can’tall be you.You never gave a shit about anything anyone thought.You just wentalong, being Georgie.Mom rides your ass to lose weight, you’re like,‘Whatever,’ and off you go to Bonnie Brae Ice Cream with your girl squad.”
“She’s ridiculous, Carolyn.She rode your ass about yourweight too, and you’ve always been thin.”
“Right, because I took diet pills, mainlined Red Bull, andwhen I could get my hands on it, snorted coke.”
Dutch heard Georgie’s hissed-in breath.
This right before she asked, “That’s why you do coke?”
“I don’t do it all the time because I can’t afford it.ButI’m not Mom.I don’t have the will-power to starve myself my whole life so Idon’t commit the unforgivable sin of being over a size six.”
“Yes, but you started hiding you were using,” Georgiepointed out.
“Yeah, because you gave me so much shit about it,” Carolynshot back.
“Okay, but seriously.Nobody gives a crap about weightanymore,” Georgie stated.
“Wrong, girl.Youdon’t give a crap.Doyou think I’d snag half the guys I snag if I let myself look like you?”
Dutch reentered the conversation.
“Yes.”
Carolyn’s body jerked and she looked at him.
“Some guys like thin girls.Some guys like curvy girls.Someguys like girls who don’t give a fuck what anyone thinks, are smart, hilarious,gorgeous and have weird obsessions with their cats.Jagger wasn’t into youbecause you’re skinny.In fact, you’re not his type for that reason.He wasinto you because you knew how to have fun.But the point is, mostly guys likegirls who have it together and aren’t headcases about stupid shit like that.”
Carolyn said not a word, just stared at him.
So Dutch kept at it.
“But the bottom line in any scenario, if you’re with anyone,man or woman, who your body size matters more than who the person you are is,it’s you who should think they’re not worth it and scrape them off,” Dutchadvised, and finished, “Including if that person’s your mother.”
Now Carolyn stared at him, her mouth hanging open.
They had a day, just them, if they could get shot of thiswoman, so Dutch moved to end it.
“Now you’re blaming your mother.You’re a grown-ass woman,Carolyn.Take some fuckin’ responsibility.Call your father.Consign your shit.Stopdoin’ coke, for fuck’s sake, to stay skinny.Andintroduce yourself to yourself.I’ve been around you a lot.All this shitaside, you’re worthknowin’.”
When Carolyn didn’t reply, Georgie came to Dutch’s side,leaned into it, he slid an arm around her shoulders, she slid both hers aroundhis middle, and she said to her sister, “Talk to Dad.He’s going to help.If hedoesn’t, you can’t stay at my place.I won’t give you any money.But I’ll askaround.I’m pretty sure I can find you someplace to crash for a few weeks.Butin that time, you have to unload some of your designer stuff and get yourselfahead.”
“What’ll I do with my furniture?”Carolyn asked.
“I don’t know.I’ll intervene with Dad.Maybe he can put itin his basement or something.”
Carolyn shook her head, looked away.
When she looked back, she said, “I’ll talk to Dad.”
