Page 92 of Rewriting the Story

“Do you have pictures?” Ella asks.

“I made a PowerPoint!” Paige says as she hops up to get her computer, I assume.

“I’ve heard the scenery is phenomenal up there,” Leo says as he sips his drink. “Darling, we should plan a trip at some point.”

“As soon as you’re not so busy at work, that sounds like a plan.” Ella tilts her head at him. “You’re a worse workaholic than I was.”

“Am,” Leo and Grant say at the same time.

“Oh, come on,” Ella groans. “I own my own business, which means I can work from anywhere! Vacations are easy for me.”

“No offense, Ells, but when was the last time you actually took a break?” I ask her, and she goes quiet. “Exactly.”

“Oh, don’t even.” She points her drink at me. “You dropped off the face of the Earth.”

“She’s got a point,” Oliver agrees.

“You know what?” I scoff. “I deserved that one, but let's not make that a longer running joke than Oliver almost ending up in jail.”

“Ha!” Oliver says as he stands up. “You said almost!”

I don’t think I’ve ever heard him speak this loud in my entire life.

“You know what I meant.”

“No! You can’t joke about it anymore because you said Ialmostended up in jail, not that I was in jail!” Oliver looks around for support, but nothing happens.

“You were behind bars,” Grant says.

“And you lied to me for months,” Hads says.

“You told me you were over that! Don’t tell me you’re still mad at me?” he asks his sister, and she simply shrugs.

“It was a stressful day, Oliver.”

“Paige almost got killed,” Ella reminds us. “And you were behind bars.”

“Sometimes, I think I’m happy not having known you all well prior to last year, but other times, I feel like I missed all the crazy shit.” Leo shakes his head. “Probably for the best. I would have made it worse, knowing my track record.”

“Okay, everyone sit down,” Paige shouts as she plugs her laptop into the television. “What were you guys just talking about?”

All of us are quiet for a few seconds before Oliver sits down and Ella speaks up.

“We’re just excited to see pictures.”

Paige smiles before she launches into a very thorough slideshow of her honeymoon. I have to admit, some of the pictures of the food they had make me jealous. I desperately need a vacation, but in a way, I was on an extended one for two years.

It feels good to be around these people again. Over these past two weeks, all I’ve done is talk to my therapist, figure out a plan for a newroutine over here, and apply to jobs in case the one with Kacey ends up being a dead end. It’s been a big adjustment, but the girls have been here for me through all of it. They even helped me shop for furniture a few days ago.

An hour later, Paige finishes, and we all clap, not only for the artistry, but because the last photo was a picture of Oliver falling off a paddleboard.

“So, what’s going on with everyone else?” Paige asks as she closes her laptop.

“Same old shit, really,” Ella says. “It was only two weeks, P. All of us mostly went to work and did our usual routines.”

Everyone nods before they all turn to me, as if they’re waiting for me to say something.

“Uh, can I help you?”

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