Page 85 of Stay With Me

It’s ten days after my birthday party and it’s the first time we could nail Trina down to a time for us to talk.

“Don’t you think it’s suspicious that she didn’t want us to go to her condo? Maybe she wanted to be here, so if she murders me, no one will hear me scream.”

“Jesus, are you really that afraid of my sister? She’s been your best friend for ten years, Charlie. She’s not going to kill you. I’ve never seen you like this.” I climb off the couch and start walking around. “Shit. Now you’ve got me pacing.”

He walks over to me and pulls me into a hug. “Sorry. I’m not afraid ofher.I’m afraid of her reaction. I just don’t want to lose either of you.”

“You’re not going to lose either of us.”

The doorbell rings and Charlie jumps. He backs away from me like we’re in third grade and he thinks I have cooties.

“You’re being ridiculous,” I whisper-yell. “Go sit down. And sit on your hands or something so she doesn’t see them shaking.” I can’t help but smirk at him before I turn and go to answer the door.

When I swing the heavy wooden door open, I’m stunned to see that Trina isn’t alone, but I try to play it off. Reaching in for a hug, I squeeze Trina tight and speak over her shoulder. “Hi, Ben. It’s good to see you. Come on in.”

I step back and make room for them to walk past me into the house and I follow behind. The shock at seeing Ben here registers on Charlie’s face when he looks up at me with wide eyes. I shrug behind their backs. I’m just as confused as he is. To his credit, he quickly recovers and transforms his facial expression to a more neutral one.

Charlie stands and shakes Ben’s hand. “Hi, Tri. Hello, Ben.”

“Hey, Fitz,” Ben says. Trina just gives him a half-hearted smile.

“It’s a really pleasant night out. What do you say we go out to the deck?”

Ben smiles. He’s got that Donley twin dimple that gives him and Jack killer smiles.

Trina mutters a quiet, “Sure.”

We all walk out to the deck and Trina and Ben take a seat at the table while Charlie and I go in to get beverages.

“What the heck is Ben here for? I mean, I like him, but I didn’t want him here when we tell Trina all the ways you’ve defiled her innocent little sister these last few weeks,” I tease.

Charlie spins to look at me. “Don’t you dare tell her we’ve had sex,” he whisper-yells at me. “I mean, unless she asks directly. I don’t want to lie to her if she asks. And why is she drinking wine? She rarely drinks wine unless she wants to forget?—”

“Hey, I’m just messing with you. Calm down. Let’s just see how it goes, okay? Maybe it will be good to have a buffer here. And, besides, isn’t the weirder thing how many times we’ve seen them together lately? Like, how many times in the decade you’ve known Trina has she shown upanywherewithBen?”

“Never. Until she showed up at your house that night the realtor came over. It is weird, isn’t it?”

“Very weird.” I pick up the wine for me and Trina and Charlie grabs the beers for him and Ben. When we’re almost to the door leading outside, I pause and glance over my shoulder at him. “So, just remember how weird they’re being and try not to focus on the fact that she’s probably gonna castrate you.” I throw him my sweetest smile and head outside.

For a mid-August evening, it’s actually quite enjoyable outside. Hot, but not sweltering, and Charlie’s outdoor ceiling fan stirs up a comfortable breeze around us.

“So…” Charlie starts, looking across the table at Trina and Ben. “You’re probably wondering why Emily and I asked you to come over tonight. We were hoping to talk to you about?—”

“I need to talk to you first,” Trina blurts out. “It’s important,” she softens her tone. I don’t miss that she glances over at Ben, and he gives her a subtle nod that seems like he’s trying to be supportive and encouraging.

I’m utterly confused, though. This isn’t their usual dynamic.

“Okay. Go ahead,” Charlie tells her. I glance over at him and he’s rubbing his beard, blinking slowly at her. His concern is obvious, and my heart rate kicks up. Charlie knows Trina better than anyone else. Maybe even better than me because she hides things from me, wanting to protect me. If he’s concerned, it’s not a good sign.

Trina nods and takes a deep breath. “So, first I need to say there is no reason for you to worry.”

Out of the corner of my eye, I catch the movement of her hands. She’s repeatedly pinching the skin between her thumb and index finger on her left hand with the thumb and index finger of her right hand. I haven’t seen Trina do that since she was sixteen years old, and I had appendicitis when our parents went out of town and left her in charge of me. Even as a twelve-year-old kid, I could see the worry written all over her face while we waited for the ER staff to try to get a hold of our parents. Only the worst kind of apprehension brings that out in her.

A million worst-case scenarios run through my mind, but the most frightening among them is that she’s sick with something serious. She has looked so tired lately. And I think she’s lost weight. Charlie leans forward, waiting for her to say more.

“Well… Um, there’s been some stuff happening. Like… Uh.” She’s clearly uncomfortable and looking everywhere but at Charlie and me.

“Trina and are I living together,” Ben blurts out.

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