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I breathe a sigh, trying to clear the stab of hostility I suddenly feel towards Emily’s coworkers "Em, I don’t understand how you work at Hot Topic, dress twenty-first century Gothic, and are attracted to guys who look like Reid"

"Opposites attract?"

"Not usually," I say, and she shrugs

"So, the fan pages are speculating that you and Reid are having hot sex all over Austin"

"What? God Well, we’re not" I coverhiain "I still don’t knohat kind of relationship he wants Or, you know, if He’s used to girls throwing the the crap out of him"

"Hmm" He stares at us from the back of her door "Official dile between us on the bed, legs in the air, begging for a tu?"

"Maybe one of Moh--every plant in the house has teethTabasco sauce on the leaves Worked pretty well"

We laugh, i Hector "Your grandenius"

I remember her so much more clearly than I reht before you picked o for a run to there in that revolting yellow room with that flowery duvet and furniture that looks like an ani ‘old times’--like when I hat, five?"

She’s silent for a couple of ht actually tell hiry you are?"

It’s true This is not standard annoyance I’ive a crap?"

"You’ve always given a crap, Erownup What else could you do? Of course you’re angry"

I suddenly burst into tears like one of those geysers in Yellowstone erupts--pop, pop, gush, and she sits up and grabs me, pulls me close and stretches her arms around

She sighs "Maybe it’s not the best tiest movie of your career so far, but e for the perfect time to reveal itself" She hands me the tissue box "You’ll wash your face so you don’t scare e ood DVD, and ure this shit out"

I take a shuddering breath and leanit fro it behind my ear, which makes me ache for my mother I can’t recall her face, exactly, but I rehwounds But the scars are always there, waiting for so to poke them I close my eyes and just let eared up for another hour or so of aard silence on the drive back to LA--even e is out there, undeniable, visible to us both The therapy session was like being cut in a hundred tiny invisible ways, and it’s inexplicable toup is helpful

I pull out et far, Dad says, "I ht is why are you telling me? Then I realize he means reservations for us Oh, hell no

"I’ve already htens "Push them back Our reservations are early Seven"

My jawover with John Probably toht, too"

He nods curtly and I send John the text telling him to pick me up at ten A late party is better than no party

"Have you thought about what’s next, after School Pride wraps?"

What’s this? Interest in e sent a few scripts forfor you, is there? You’ve arrived, as they say"

I shrug

The waiter fills our water glasses froentlemen like to peruse the wine list, or have a cocktail before dinner?"

"I would," I say

Dad shakes his head "No thank you We’ll be ready to order in a few minutes"

"Yes, sir" The waiter snaps the wine list closed and re the about her doesn’t help my already fed up state of mind

"What the hell, Dad?"

He fixes me with one of the stares he’s perfected after years of cross-exa hapless witnesses I wait him out "I’m aware that you drink, despite the fact that you’re considerably underage You’ve been out from under my direct control for a while now, so I know there’s little to no hope ofit in my presence, out in public I have a reputation to maintain So do you, not that you spare any concern for it"

Wow This trip is just one joy-infused moment after another I should have stayed in Austin "Why, exactly, did you decide we needed to have dinner together?"

He exhales through his nose, his patience as close to snapping as ine why He could have saved hi ht have questions about your ain, histhiselse, I know you care about her, and I appreciate the effort"