The only thing she left behind is the futon in the spare room, and I swear it’s as old as I am. It looks like someone tried to fold it up and failed halfway so it’s sitting at a 45-degree angle, like a dying animal that can’t decide whether to get up or lie down forever.
I drop onto it, the joints groaning under my weight, and stare at the ceiling.
Did I seriously leave paradise for this?
Parties nearly every night.
Men and women on tap.
Warmth, and sunshine, and waves—
My phone starts ringing and I almost jump out of my skin.
“Jesus, Eden. What the hell is going on?”
My brother’s voice is low and crackly, and the background noise is pure static. “You make it in?”
“Yeah,” I say. “Such a warm welcome.”
“Did Shawn let you in?”
“Bi-proxy, I guess.”
“Did she get all her shit out?”
“She got everything out… When are you coming back?”
“I’m not.”
I sigh. “Don’t be an idiot.”
“Did she tell you why I’m here?”
“I haven’t seen you in years.Youshould behere.With me. Right now.”
Eden grunts like I’m the problem. “You’ve got the apartment to yourself, rent free, for three months. You should be thanking me.”
“If I wanted to be alone, I’d have gone back to San Diego.”
“You still can.”
“Fuck you.”
“Excuse me?” His voice raises.
“Fuck you!” I say louder. “She said you’ve been gone since Tuesday. Would it have killed you to let me know what was going on? And what if Shawn hadn’t been here? I’d still be stranded outside with no way of getting in.”
“Don’t talk to me like that.”
“Like what? Like you’re a damn child? You are one, cause this isn’t how thirty-four year olds behave. You’ve known this date for months. It was your fucking idea that I come here in the first place, then you just up and leave on a whim without telling me!”
He’s quiet for a second. “I thought you’d be happy to have the place to yourself.”
“Wow,” I say. “You really have no idea, do you?”
“It’s only for a few months. You can survive.”
“Of course I can survive, I’ve been doing it my whole life. But I wanted to seeyou. What the hell happened that could justify you doing this?”
