Page 131 of The Jerk in Apartment 1B

Scott

“Mom, do not show her baby pictures,” I say, sitting beside Trina on the couch.

“No, I want to see them,” Trina says, reaching for the photo album.

“He was so adorable,” my mom says to Trina, ignoring me.

We’re at my parents’ house in Wisconsin. We flew back for the holidays. We’re here for a couple of days, then we’ll drive down to Chicago and have Christmas with Trina’s family. While we’re there, Trina wants me to meet Callie, her best friend. Then we’ll come back here and spend New Year’s with my parents. It’ll be a busy week but we’ve been looking forward to it. Spending time with family is important to me and Trina feels the same way. It’s nice that our families only live a few hours apart. We can see everyone on the same trip.

“Scott,” my dad says, motioning me to join him in the kitchen. “You want a beer?”

“Sure,” I say, getting up. “Anything to not have to look at those pictures.”

He laughs as I follow him to the kitchen.

“You two seem good together,” he says, taking the beers from the fridge.

“Yeah, it’s going well. She’s moving in with me when we get back.”

“That’s soon.” He hands me a beer. “You sure you’re ready for that?”

“She’s already at my place all the time. We’re just making it official.”

“This is a big change for you. I wasn’t sure I’d ever see it.”

He means he didn’t think I’d ever have a girlfriend again. I told him I wouldn’t, and he didn’t try to talk me out of it. Neither did my mom. When they saw what Megan’s death did to me, they knew better than to try to push me into being with someone else.

“I didn’t think it’d happen either.”

“She must be pretty special,” my dad says, before taking a drink of his beer.

“She is. I felt it the moment I met her. There was just something there. Something I hadn’t felt with anyone else. Except Megan.”

“You can’t replace her. You know that, right? I hope that’s not what you’re doing.”

“I’m not trying to replace her. Trina’s totally different than Megan.”

“But she makes you feel the same.”

I shrug. “In a way, yeah, but it’s also different. It’s hard to explain.”

He lowers his voice. “You think you love her?”

“Yeah.” I look over at her in the living room. “I do.”

“I’m happy for you,” he says, patting my shoulder. “Your mom and I worried you’d never find anyone after Megan. We understood why you didn’t want to, but we were really hoping you’d open your heart and give someone else a chance.”

“I think Mom’s already planning the wedding,” I say, watching my mom talk to Trina.

My dad laughs. “She’s just excited for you. Let’s go join them before your mom starts telling her stories about your childhood.”

“I think it’s too late for that,” I say, as we go to the living room.

“And then, when he was six,” my mom says.

“Mom, no more stories,” I tell her. “Trina’s heard enough.”

Trina smiles at me. “But I’m learning so much about you. Like how you asked your teacher to marry you back in kindergarten? Who knew you had a thing for older women?”

---