Page 61 of Corkscrew You
“Sure,” I say, more confidently than I feel.
“I found out something about you, too,” he starts off. Then he hesitates.
“I once had a crush on Jon Bon Jovi?”
Not a good time for jokes, but I’m nervous. What’s he going to say?
“I had a crush on Penélope Cruz,” he tells me. “Still kind of do.”
“Fair enough. She’s smoking.”
More silence. Up to me to fill it, I guess.
“Nate, what did you find out about me?”
He blows out a breath. “That you had … a bad patch. After your dad died.”
“Oh. That.”
“Shel, what the fuckhappened?” He’s not hesitant now.
“I got pole-axed by grief,” is the best way I can describe it. “Couldn’t get out of bed. Cats thought it was great.”
“Who looked after you? You’re all on your own.”
His voice sounds all high and tight with worry.
“Everyone,” I assure him. “Mom, Chiara, Jordan, Iris, Cam, my doctor. I had a whole team around me.”
Only a slight pause this time. “Cam?”
“You’re an idiot,” I tell him.
“Granted,” he sighs. “So, you had help?”
“I had help, company, medication, chicken soup – everything I needed. Came out of it in a couple of weeks. It’s a pretty normal response to losing someone.”
I reallyamgoing all out to reassure him.
“And I’m fine now. Stayed on the happy pills for three months then eased off them. All good.”
Possibly might be trying to reassure myself as well.
“Can I askyoua question?” I say.
“I can hardly say no,” he replies, sounding like he totally wants to.
“How did you find out?”
“JP had coffee with your mother,” is the bombshell he drops.
“WithMom?”
“It’s OK, he’s married,” Nate says.
“Mom and JP are like polar opposites, anyway. She’swaytoo alternative and untidy for a slick dude like him.”
Definitely trying to reassure myself.
