Page 70 of The Plus One Pact

"Was that enough to get you high? You should see her high. She starts asking existential questions," Romeo says.

"When I was fifteen, maybe," she says.

"Was that really the last time we got high together?" he asks.

"No. That Christmas. Remember?" she asks. "Why do you think Daniel and I fight about it?"

"Right." He smiles.

She returns the gesture.

A shared memory. Story. Because they're family.

That's all.

"Are you really Mr. Clean Cut now that you come home at seven a.m. in last night's suit?" she asks.

"What else did Daniel tell you?" Romeo asks. "Did he send pictures too?"

"If only." She looks to me. "What about you, Ivy? Are you one of those doctors who researches psychedelics by trying them out yourself?"

"Not yet, no," I say. There is a lot of new and exciting research on these substances, but most of it isn’t in my field.

"But you've heard of them?" she asks.

"When did you become a druggie?" he asks.

"On the cutting edge of new technology, you mean?" she asks. "Always, that's when. Everyone knows ketamine is the latest cool depression treatment. Right?"

"I'm a PhD, not an M.D.," I say. "But it is a promising new area, yes."

"Take the win, Cyn," he says.

"I like her," she says. "He's jealous because when we tried mushrooms, he spent the entire time throwing up and crying, whereas I felt all the fabric of space and time come apart. Have you ever thought about how we're all made out of matter? And how arbitrary it is that it's in the form of a body? And that this is my body?"

"So, you did just vape enough to get high," he says.

"I'm being serious, Rome. No surprise you can't tolerate that for a minute." She shakes her head. "But I'm being rude too. What do you think, Ivy? What's your PhD in?"

"I'm a sex therapist," I say. I don’t want to lie about that part. Or talk around it. I’m not sure if his family knows or not, but I’m going to go forward sharing all the details.

"Daniel left that out," she says. "Interesting."

"I can't prescribe medicine, but I'm not against alternative therapies," I say. "MDMA was initially used for couples counseling."

"Maybe that's what we need to liven up this weekend." She laughs. "You think your mom would go for it?"

"Oh? You haven't heard her stories about clubbing in Ibiza?" he asks.

"What about you, Ivy?" she asks. "Do you dabble in anything fun?"

"Mostly alcohol," I say.

"Have you ever wanted to try something?" she asks.

"Don't peer pressure my girlfriend," Romeo says.

"I didn't bring any drugs with me, don't worry. Danny would have a cow," she says.