Page 17 (1/2)

He waits forit behind us

“I’,” he says abruptly, and I stare at hireat i to Long Island, starting up ave ”

“Okay…” I say, drawing the word out about five seconds longer than it norure out if there’s any way forlike a whiny, needy bitch, when he says, “You’re not co with me”

I collapse down onto the pink silk coverlet on Harlan’s bed and just stare up at him

“Why?” I ask, my voice raw and hurt

“Because this is what I do I don’t settle down, I don’t fuck just one girl; I don’t fall in love I don’t knohat that da, but that isn’t it Those authors can lie to you all day long, but I won’t I’ve always told you the truth”

“But I could cout and I can’t believe I even said those words, but I can’t help myself He can’t move without me I don’t want to be without—

“No, you couldn’t,” he says flatly, and begins throwing his stuff into his bag “I go alone”

“Such bullshit I know you care about me You just won’t admit it—not even to yourself”

“Whatever you want to think, sister, you just go right ahead” He doesn’t even look at

“Fine, then I’laring at hio do whatever the fuck you want to do, but I’ here Some people around here actually like ue, but he doesn’t seem to care or notice

“You do that,” he says, brushing past ot better shit to do”

The bedroom and then the front door sla lot and I lie back onto ht specially for this room and I cry

16

Harlan