Page 9 of The Bright Side of Brooding
“Huh. That’s thoughtful.”
“Well—well yeah, it is.” My ire deflated a bit.Iredidn’t accurately reflect the feeling either. Butbotheredsure did. “I just don’t get why he won’t let me feed him.”
Another pause before a light laugh. “Oh, Summer, I like you.”
I smiled despite myself. “What? Why?”
“You’re hell-bent on helping this guy, even when he’s refusing. I’m guessing exactly no one in the history of your feeding people has ever refused your food, so I’m sure that’s driving you insane. But maybe he’s just being polite? Doesn’t want to feel like a burden or something. I get that.”
I sobered, connecting with the sentiment more than she’d realize.
“I do too,” I said quietly.
Like she knew I needed a moment to think, to simmer over her statements. Eventually, she asked gently, “So… are you going to write back?”
“Write back?”
“Yeah. He’s written you letters. Are you going to respond? Or just not feed him?”
I let loose a weird laugh-snort. “That’s a primary difference between us, my friend. You’d write him back or just do what he wants, whereas me? I’ve been over here thinking about what meal I’ll make for him next.”
Ariel’s full, lovely laugh filled my ear, and I smiled again. Our friendship had started fairly recently—only about six months ago—but I liked her so much. She was a bit on the introverted side, kind of private, and even though I was nothing close to an introvert, I got the private thing. I put it all out there for anyone who wanted it… to a point. What I kept to myself was locked up tight.
“Well, maybe include a note and let me know what happens.”
We chatted another minute and then said good night, confirming our plans to get together the next weekend. She was preparing to move out of her brother and sister-in-law’s place because her mom would be moving back to Germany in a month or so. It was convoluted, but we had a lot to catch up on.
And just now? I had a menu to plan.
