I look at each of their faces in turn.
Threes leans against the arm of the couch with his hand on Nate’s shoulder, his voice calm but his eyes full of concern and disbelief. Nora bites her lip and looks as if she’s holding back tears. Antony shakes his head slowly as he takes a swig from the bourbon bottle.
Finally, I look at Nate. The glass shakes in his unsteady hands, and his body rocks slowly as tears continue to stream down his cheeks. I’ve never seen anyone look so…so broken.
“He’s really gone?” Nate whispers.
“Yes, Nataniele. Pops is gone.” She kneels next to him. “How long, Nate? How long have you been seeing him?”
“I…I’m not sure.”
“Are you seeing him now?”
Nate glances over to the corner of the room, and I see his throat bob as he swallows. He shakes his head before looking down at the glass in his hands. He sniffs, wipes his face with the back of his hand, and looks at me with that same, pitiful, shattered expression. With a long huff of breath, he glances at his sister and whispers something to her.
“I think Nate and Cherry need to talk before we go any further,” Nora says as she stands.
Nate’s expression quickly changes back to horror.
“Nora, I—”
“Nat
aniele Carlo Orso, you need to come clean!” Nora snaps. “You need to tell her everything, and try to fix this before it’s too late. You’re lucky she hasn’t walked right out on you already. Is that what you want?”
“No,” he whispers, staring at his hands.
“Then tell her.”
He nods.
I consider moving toward the couch but hesitate. I’m not sure if I want to be left alone with Nate right now.
“Cherry?” He looks at me, his eyes pleading. “Can we…can we talk? Please?”
I cross my arms over my chest, not answering verbally but not leaving either. I do want some answers. I don’t know if it will change anything at this point, but I feel like I should hear him out. While I debate internally, the others exit the room slowly and silently, leaving Nate and me alone.
“What did Nora mean?” I ask. “What is it you need to tell me?”
“Are you still willing to talk to me?” Nate asks quietly.
“At the moment,” I reply, still keeping my distance, “but I have some conditions.”
“Conditions?”
“Yes. Honesty. I want total and complete honesty from you, Nate.”
“There are things I can’t talk about, Cherry.”
“Bullshit.” I glare at him, and Nate raises an eyebrow.
“Don’t you think that I deserve to know it all?”
“Not everything.”
“Then there is no point in talking.” I start to leave, but he jumps up and rushes to the door before I can get there.
“Don’t go!”