Page 39 of October
“Yes.” She laughed and handed Finley the bag with the cookie. “Here.”
Finley took the bag as if they had done this a hundred times and said, “Thanks.”
“So, you’re not back together, I take it?”
“No. We just talked about the same things over and over again. She wants to give it another shot but goall-inthis time.”
“All-in?”
“Move in together.”
“Oh,” Molly uttered and took a sip of her drink.
“We’re not,” Finley said, handing her back the cookie. “Doing that, I mean.”
“She thought the right call after you two broke up was to move in?”
“Well, it would’ve beenmemoving intoherplace because she can’t really stand mine. She more or less tolerates it.”
Molly made a sound, which made Finley look over at her.
“Problem, Molly?” she asked with a little laugh.
“What? No. Sorry. Just ignore me.”
She then took a way-too-big bite of the cookie, forcing her to break off the piece that hadn’t made it into her mouth.
Finley took the piece from her and ate it, smiling at her as she chewed. Molly laughed at her antics and thought she was the most beautiful woman in the world when she looked happy. Did she look happynow?Wasshe happy now? Had Finley taking a walk with her turned her mood around? God, Molly hoped so.
“So, you made a sound. You were thinking something, Molls.”
“It’s nothing.”
“Molly, I’m asking. It’s okay.”
“Are you sure?”
“Yes, I’m sure.”
“Well, you said she just tolerates your place. What’s that about? It’syourplace. You were hergirlfriend.You said she knows you better than you know yourself, but she doesn’t,Finley. She can’t. She wouldn’t go to the games with you. You mentioned something yesterday about how she didn’t like your computer stuff being on the floor all the time. You told me you have exactly two hobbies. One is computer and techy stuff. The other is football, and she couldn’t even wear the jersey you bought for her or go to the games with you when you got tickets. I don’t know that India knows youat all. Maybe it’s not that she doesn’t know you, but it’s that she hopes you’ll change, or she thinks that she can change you. She asks you to move in because it’s her place, then, and she won’t have to go to yours anymore. You go to the ballet and opera for her, but she’s not pulling her own weight. It’s fine not to love the same things, but at least make a damn effort when the person you’re in a relationship with is reaching out and asking you to, you know?”
“Wow!” Finley replied, smiling at her. “You’ve really thought about this a lot, huh?”
‘Shit,’Molly thought to herself.
She’d given it all away. She’d just revealed that she had given way too much thought to India and Finley’s on-again, off-again relationship.
“What? No.” She shook her head. “Just right now. You said some stuff that made me think.”
“I’m not getting back together with her, Molly,” Finley told her. “And I think she might have actually gotten it this time; that I’m done.”
“How are you so sure?”
Finley shrugged a shoulder and said, “The look on her face; hard to describe.”
“I just think you deserve to be happy, Finley. If India makes you happy, you should be with her.”
“She doesn’t,” Finley said. “You know whatdoesmake me happy, though?”
