Page 85 of Roommating

He stands. “Well, I enjoyed every second of being your roommate.”

“Right. Aside from when—”

“Every second.”

I suck in a breath. “Oh. Thanks.” My knees wobble and I wish I was still sitting down. Is this my opening to say something about “us”? Why is this so hard?

He nods. “Besides my grandma and the Strand.… and Academy Records, you were my favorite part of my short vacation from life.”

Over the lump in my throat, I joke, “I’m so happy to come in fourth place.”

His cheeks split wide open. “Well, bye, Brina. Thanks for being so welcoming.” He holds out his arms.

I fall into them and hug him hard. But he hugs me harder. I inhale his grapefruit scent for the last time… or at least for the last time in a while… and wipe my eyes just in time for him to pull back. Thankfully. I donotwant him to see me cry.

“Take care of my grandma for me, okay?”

“Of course.” I consider asking him to sneak into my room later for a proper goodbye, but ultimately chicken out. It’s better this way. A clean break.

And then he kisses the top of my head, whispers, “I’ll miss you,” and walks past me into the living room. When I wake up the next morning, he’s gone.

Chapter Thirty-Seven

When using highlighter on more mature skin,” Carley says, while applying illuminating serum under Marcia’s eyes, “you want to draw attention to the highest points of your face.”

Standing next to me in Marcia’s en suite, her date Sharon takes a sip of wine. “Where is the highest point onmyface?”

Carley smiles but doesn’t answer because she’s filming a video. Her latest project is a demonstration of how to apply highlighter for all generations. She used me as her model for Gen Z before Marcia took her turn as boomer. Her models for millennial, Gen X, and the silent generation are her cousin, mom, and great aunt, respectively, but thankfully they aren’t here because Marcia’s bathroom is already crowded enough.

I turn to Sharon, who I just met an hour ago but like already. “The highest points are the ones that stick out farthest from your cheeks.” She looks impressed and I feel myself blush. “I only know this because I asked the same question.”

“Hmm.” Sharon stands and peers at her reflection in the mirror over the sink while stretching out the skin on her cheeks with her fingers.

Short and solid with chin-length reddish brown hair, dark eyes the color of acorns, and medium-toned skin, Sharon is adorable. She’s also only sixty-six, which means Marcia’s dating a youngerwoman, something Carley and I enjoyed teasing her about before Sharon got here tonight.

The two went out for the first time the same night Marcia told me and Adam her doctor wasn’t thrilled about both of us living with her and have been seeing each other regularly ever since. I’m happy for her. I think Adam would like Sharon too—after an intense interrogation as to her intentions toward his grams, that is. I picture his round of twenty questions as a scene in my head and laugh to myself.

Adam’s been gone almost two weeks now, and the transition has been fine. The apartment is noticeably quieter without him roughhousing with Rocket or watching television in the living room. It makes it much easier to focus on my homework. I can watchLove Is Blindwithout him interrupting me with unwanted commentary on the contestants’ true motives. The bathroom is also much tidier now that he’s gone, and I never noticed how spacious the vanity was until he took his shaving supplies and deodorant back to Philadelphia with him. If I have to pee in the middle of the night, I can turn on the lights instead of tiptoeing in the dark to avoid waking him up, and I don’t have to worry about going number two while he’s right outside! So yeah, it’s been fine… good, in fact.

Marcia moped around at first. I’d catch her peering out her bedroom door into the living room as if expecting to see Adam on the couch, but then her face would fall when she remembered he doesn’t live here anymore. I suggested some of the activities we did alone together before he moved in as a distraction, like yoga classes and walks around the park, but I think Sharon is the one who ultimately pulled her out of her funk. I know she still misses him, but she’s not overtly sad about it anymore.

I haven’t spoken to him, but Marcia said he’s doing well at his new job. Though an online learning platform does seem more up his alleythan a bank—and he did enjoy the library events focused on tweens and teens—I have trouble picturing him working in customer service or tech supportanywhere. But all that matters is that he’s happy.

“All finished,” Carley says, standing back and surveying her work.

I straighten my back and focus on Marcia. “Looking good!”

She’s glowing, although it’s unclear whether it’s the makeup or Sharon that’s causing it. “Where are you two off to tonight?” I ask.

Marcia glances at her diamond-studded vintage Timex watch. “Nonna Dora’s, and we’d better hurry or we’ll lose our reservation.”

“I wish you’d have warned me you’d be all glammed up,” Sharon says, placing her empty wineglass on the vanity. Then she raises her palms in the air and bends down then back up again while chanting, “I’m not worthy! I’m not worthy!”

Marcia pushes her gently. “Oh, stop it, Garth!”

Sharon juts a hip. “I’m Wayne,you’reGarth.”

“Why amIGarth?”

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