CALLIE: It’s not a tumor. I’m fine. One hundred percent fine.
THEO: Yes!
AUNT ROSIE: Oh thank God!
DAD: Expected nothing less from the toughest woman I know.
TATE: Fuckin’ best news ever!
There are a million other responses from every Garrison family member, including Tenley who responded with a bunch of hearts. She turns to me now as I hand her back her phone and she looks terrified. "I don't care what the odds are, lightning will strike twice. You'll get the same diagnosis."
“I will,” I agree even though I feel a lot less confident than I sound. I know the doctor was sure it was benign but I can’t help but worry until it’s official. I don’t want to share that worry with Tenley because it’s clear she’s already feeling it.
I use the pads of my thumbs to wipe her eyes as I hold her face in my hands. “I’m happy for you guys. And Callie.”
She nods. “Me too.”
She gets off the bed and walks to her closet. "All my good clothes are a wrinkled mess because I just shoved them into bags to get the hell out of your house last night. Guess I have to wear something I didn't move."
She pulls a flowery sundress out of the closet.
“You have somewhere to be?”
“Yep.” She smiles. “So do you, so get that perfect ass of yours in the shower.”
"I don't have practice today. It's optional and I'm opting out," I reply and lean back on the bed, stretching. I'm also rock-hard and was hoping for a morning orgasm.
“We’re going to Crew’s and you’re telling him about this.”
“Tenley. No.” I sit up again. “He will freak the fuck out and he might try and tell me to stop playing.”
“He might, but you won’t listen to him,” she replies as she shrugs out of her robe and pulls the dress over her head. “You’re a stubborn idiot and he knows that. But he is also your best friend and your only sibling. He is going to take it personally that you kept this from him. Like you didn’t trust him enough to tell him or you didn’t want to lean on him. I know because I haven’t been in your life half as long and I felt that. And look at how well it ended up when you tried to keep it from me. We almost crashed and burned.”
And then it hits me. Tenley is right. I think back to how I found out Crew was bi. He never told me himself and I felt like it was because he didn’t trust me. That had me pull away from him and that made him think I was homophobic. We ended up throwing punches before we worked it out. I heave a heavy breath. “Fine.”
“Good husband.”
“Bossy wife.”
“For now,” she says. “Eventually I’ll just be a bossy girlfriend.”
That has my steps falter on my way to the bathroom. I look back at her, wondering what to say. Her eyes find mine and she speaks for me. “I mean we can’t stay married. It would be weird, right?”
“And ass backwards. Who marries before they even date?” I add.
“Right?” Tenley nods. “It’s too absurd, even for us. Plus my mom would want a real wedding that they could attend, and I don’t blame them.”
I walk over to my suit jacket, in a heap by the foot of the bed, and fish around in the pocket. When I find the ring she left on Gabby’s desk I walk over, take her hand, and slip it on. “But for now, we’re married and I want this on your finger. Okay?”
“Now look who’s the bossy one,” she gripes but I don’t miss the smile as she walks away. “Shower. I’ll make road coffees.”
Telling Crew is easier than I thought it would be. But seeing his reaction is so much harder than I expected. My tough, lighthearted, resilient twin who never takes anything seriously and always acts like nothing is a big deal, cries. He gets tears in his eyes and has the audacity to let them fall down his cheeks.
“Fucking hell, Crew!” I say and jump off the couch on his patio that overlooks Laurel Canyon.
“You drop the C word and expect me to what? Laugh?” Crew stands up and runs his hands through his hair, then wipes at his face moving so quickly that the tattoos that cover his arms blur. “This is fucking serious.”
“Which is why I’m telling you,” I reply. “Please don’t. I just need to file it away and concentrate on winning games.”
