“It’s okay,” I tell Waylynn, and then I address her mom. “Our parents are both deceased.” Again, I filter my words. Usually, I would have just said they both OD’d, but it doesn’t feel right at the moment.
“I’m sorry to hear that.” Cordelia makes a face that might be a frown, but it’s stiff. She moves onto a new topic though. “Waylynn says you play football?”
“Yes, we won the game yesterday.” I’m a little proud, but I should be. I work hard as hell.
“That must keep you very busy, along with your school schedule.”
“Some, but I’m used to it,” I reply.
Memphis and Bates return to their seats. I don’t think her mother misses the way my brother looks at Waylynn. Anyone with eyes can see he’s always watching her if she’s in the same room as him, and it’s even more obvious now. It makes me wonder what she told him upstairs.
“Memphis, you’re a teaching assistant, and you all met Waylynn in class?” It’s like she’s grilling us to see if we have the same story as her daughter.
“Actually, we ran into each other at orientation,” Memphis says, which makes Waylynn choke on air. I rub my hand over her back and grin.
“If you call me slamming my face into your back running into each other, then sure,” she says when she stops coughing.
Memphis smiles at Waylynn, and I watch her mother’s eyes widen. He’s usually pretty reserved, and this is probably the first time she’s seen him not so serious in the short time she’s been here. “The only stranger I’ve ever recognized,” he tells Waylynn, sounding all poetic and shit. Neither of them is doing a good job of hiding their attraction. Memphis might be doing it on purpose, but Waylynn isn’t.
“How do you like Michigan?” I turn the tables on her mom, hoping to distract her from my suddenly loquacious brother. Hell, it’s his fault I even know that word.
“The lakes are beautiful, but I have to admit the West Coast stole my heart a long time ago. I was truly surprised Waylynn decided to come here for school.”
“I’m glad she went with her gut.” I gaze over at our girl, probably looking a lot like my lovesick brother.
“Her gut?” her mom questions. Her facial expressions are hard to read. I can’t tell if she’s confused or curious since she looks a little plastic. “I thought it was the medical program.”
Waylynn’s fingers tighten on mine. “It was.” She shrugs as if she has no idea what I’m talking about. I remember her telling me how I would think her reason for coming here was weird, and her denial makes a little sense. Her mom must not think intuition and instincts are good enough reasons to pick a college.
The small talk lasts another ten minutes before we head back into the living room at Waylynn’s invitation to get more comfortable. She’s more formal with her mom around, more like when we first started talking.
“When do you see the doctor again, honey?” Cordelia asks as Waylynn lowers herself to the couch. Her face goes white for a second, but then she snaps out of it.
“For my foot? On Wednesday.”
“You really must have taken quite the spill.”
“It’s feeling much better now.” Waylynn doesn’t agree or disagree with her mom about the fall. “You can turn on the game you wanted to watch,” she tells me, and I reach for the remote without any more prompting. It’s shitty, but I’m glad her mom lives on the other side of the country.
Memphis
I lookover at Waylynn and Bates, wondering what is taking Oz so long to get back. He left to use the bathroom a few minutes after Waylynn’s mom excused herself to make a phone call. That was about fifteen minutes ago. He didn’t say he needed to shit, so I’m starting to get a little concerned.
“I’m going to find Oz,” I finally say, suspecting Cordelia has him cornered and is questioning him again.
“I’ll come.” Waylynn stands, joining me.
“Don’t leave me here.” Bates follows us.
I can hear murmurs before we reach the kitchen, but it takes me a few more steps to hear the words. “I’m sure you understand why I ask. Waylynn is fragile. She’s not like other girls you might have…dated.”
Waylynn stops, and her face goes ashen. I’m not even sure if she’s breathing.
“What are you talking about?” Oswald hisses in disbelief.
“You mean she hasn’t told you about the voices? About being in and out of treatment centers for the past several years? Oh dear.” She feigns dismay. “As I said, she’s fragile and not stable. She’s even missed her therapy appointments. That’s why I came. I was worried she was having episodes.” The night we left the hospital fills my thoughts. Waylynn was medicated and saying things that didn’t make sense, but some of it lines up with what her mom just said.
“What the hell is going on?” Bates shoves himself into the kitchen. “What are you doing?”
