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“Can I take you upstairs and show you how much I’m going to miss you? I can’t believe you’ve been in my space for two weeks, and I’m not sick of you at all.”

“Same.”

He places his hand on my cheek, and I sink into it. Then he scoops me up to take me upstairs. I love it when he carries me. It’s so stupid, but I feel taken care of in a sweeping fictional way.

46

Alex

I’ve never truly hated my sister before. Now I do.

ALEX: The fucking turkey’s dry.

TESS: Is that a euphemism for something?

ALEX: I love turkey. LOVE as in it’s my favorite food, but it has to be a roasted holiday turkey with all the trimmings. Can I call you?

TESS: My nieces are currently singing a medley from Frozen that somehow includes, “How Do You Solve A Problem Like Maria?”

ALEX: My turkey problem is worse. I’ve perfected T-giving dinner, so this wouldn’t happen. Then my mother let my sister cook. She dried it up, shriveled.

TESS: Will you cook me a makeup meal?

ALEX: I’m going to make you so happy.

TESS: You already do.

ALEX: Come to me.

TESS: How I wish I could, but my turkey’s not dry, and there’s mac and cheese to eat until I can’t stand.

ALEX: We’ve got it bad.

TESS: Yes. I would actually cut this entire exchange from a book for being way too cute and mushy, way too soon in their relationship.

ALEX: LOL.

TESS: I have to go. Alan’s yelling at me for texting.

ALEX: Tell him it’s my fault.

TESS: I did. He hates you.

ALEX: Isn’t he a fan of the podcast?

TESS: He’s a Will/Mikey guy. Not so much you.

ALEX: Enjoy your mac. I’m going to go swallow a bucket of lumpy gravy. It’s like she’s never cooked before. When?

TESS: I have a thing and then a surprise for you in a couple days.

ALEX: Yeah. Ok. Couple of days. Someday.

TESS: Someday.

I look around the room, and I feel like a prop. My sister created new traditions. Why haven’t I thought of that? I don’t have to do this for the rest of my life. Or board a plane with my family to camp in a cramped outdated London living room with my cousins who force me to eat blood pudding and call it Christmas.

ALEX: HEY!