Page 87 of Roses, Pearls, and Hot Summer Nights
He scrunched up his nose. “If you’re not hungry, wait another hour or two. That way you’re not hungry at the Madison’s house. They won’t have any food, I guarantee it. Alcohol, yes. Food, no. We go to school with them, so I’m ashamed to admit I’ve looked inside their fridge at two in the morning. There was no food.”
I found the news interesting, but I wondered how they could be an empty fridge family. Why? What were the implications? Was it a weight control thing?
“Why don’t they have food?”
He shook his head. “I don’t know. They might not eat at home, if they eat. I actually know a lot of people who don’t eat at home. We almost never do in the City. My parents are upstairs, while we’re in our apartment. None of us can cook, so we go out or order in. I guess that’s eating at home, right? Just bringing food in?”
I never considered it much. “I think if you bring in the food, it still counts as eating at home.”
“Then I guess maybe twice a week, but maybe not that much going forward, because Barrett is leaving for school. He won’t be in the apartment as much, since he’ll be sleeping in his dorm. He tends to be the one who stops and brings home food. The twins have water polo, which keeps them out later. I guess I’m eating by myself in the future.”
That sounded awful. “Well, as long as I’m in the City, you can eat with me.”
“Yeah?” He gave me an easy smile and I got a peek at his dimple again. “Okay. Good.”
We walked together until he used his phone to get a car to come for us. Despite the traffic, one arrived quickly and we climbed in together.
After such a nice day, the sadness that usually haunted me because of the impermanence of my life struck me. I rested my head on his shoulder, hoping it wouldn’t bother him since he’d done it to me a couple of times. He kissed the top of my head before he leaned his own against mine.
“You okay?”
There was no point in trying to explain it. I had so little time with him. Why make it sad when we’d been so happy? “Yes. How about you?”
I took his trembling hand in mine and squeezed it. He squeezed back, warm and so safe next to me. “You sure?”
“Sometimes I just get like this? Normally, no one notices or cares, so I’m not used to having to explain it. I would rather just let it pass than give it any more power, if that’s okay? I know I get quiet, but I’m quiet most of the time anyway. The way I talk with the four of you is anomalous.”
He kissed the top of my head again. “We can be quiet together. It will be a joint quietness. What would we call that? Quiet companionship?”
I liked that. A lot. In fact, it made me smile.
When we finally got back to the cottage—the title still preposterous for their enormous estate—moving trucks seemed to be everywhere. One group of men moved the furniture out of the house into a truck while another group hauled other furniture inside. Another group of people were carrying in decorations and what looked like food preparations.
I smiled at Phoenix, gesturing to it all. “I’ve never seen anything like this.”
“A house party in the Hamptons? Yeah. There is one every weekend, but we need ours to be the best. It is, too, every year.”
He brought my hand to his mouth and kissed it while we walked toward the front door.
“I should go back to your Granny’s. I’m her companion. I actually have stuff to do for her.”
“Okay. I’ll walk you there.” He motioned and I followed him.
“I guess your house isn’t a food-less house at parties?”
He shook his head. “No. My mother even stops whatever fad diet she is on for the occasion. I bet there are no aspects of her current vegan kick at the party.”
“She ate steak last night. She is not vegan all the time.” A thought dawned on me. “You think it’s okay that I go? I haven’t actually been invited.”
“Of course it’s okay. It would be weird if you didn’t, since you’re staying here. If it makes you feel any better, we can say you’re my date.”
I caught sight of Julian, then, on the patio under an umbrella clicking away on a laptop.
Phoenix nudged me. “We’ll grab you sometime after ten tonight for the foodless house with the drinks and the noise. It’s mind numbing, but it’s something to do.”
“Will you let me see your video game sometime?” I felt strange asking, especially since he didn’t know I createdPoor Relation.
He tilted his head, considering it for a moment. “Maybe when I’m sure it’s not crap.”
