I really adored her.
“And your mama will come around someday, you’ll see. Your sister is still so young. She needs to concentrate on her little one right now.”
I nodded because it was true. I was twelve when Gina had been born, and she was only six when I graduated from high school and left for college. I was hurt that no one showed for the ceremony, not my mother, not Gary, but I had a few friends and the Cookseys to make up for it. I didn’t think it was necessary to tell my parents where I was going to college, and as far as I knew, they had no idea I lived outside of Lubbock now. The Cookseys knew, of course, and even though Matt and I were on the outs, I would be there again for Christmas. Mrs. Cooksey was expecting me. Matt was the one in the doghouse; I was the good one. I liked being the—
“Vincent Wade!”
“Sorry,” I groaned, Barbara’s shrill tone dragging me from my memories. “But he’s not here, as you can see, so you should go.”
“I’m checking the other bedroom!” she announced.
Normally I would have fought and told her no, but it so didn’t matter when I just woke up. I gestured for her to go ahead, and she charged across the room. I waited, rubbing my now watering eyes, yawning, vaguely wondering where Matt was, until she got back seconds later. It was a really small apartment.
“Vince!”
Oh God, more yelling. “Yes?”
“Where is he?”
“I promise I don’t know,” I assured her, pointing at the door. “Just go already.”
“You never liked me!” she snapped angrily.
“You hated me from the second we met,” I volleyed back.
“Because being gay is an abomination before—”
“Oh fuck no, not in my apartment,” I growled, waving her toward the door. “Get the hell out, Barb.”
“You wanted to turn Matt into a sodomite!”
I hadn’t even had coffee yet. Grabbing her arm, I tugged her after me to the front door.
“Let me go!”
“Then get the fuck out!”
She yanked free of my grip and faced me. “Do you know where he is or not?”
“I already told you no, so—”
“You’re lying!”
“Oh for fuck’s sake, Barb, just get out!” I yelled, irritated and hungry, I realized, and without the smooth veneer of politeness that caffeine gave me. I threw the door open, prepared to shove her through it if she didn’t go peacefully.
There was a man filling the doorway, which startled us both.
“’S’up.” Greg Polly, one of Matt’s friends, yawned, tipping his head at me, his hands full of clothes on hangers. “He’s right behind me.”
“What?”
“Here, take this shit.”
I did it, and I had no idea why.
He draped clothes over my outstretched arms, stacking them high under my chin. “Be right back.” He yawned again, trying to open his eyes wider and then turning to leave and realizing Barbara was there. “What the fuck are you doing here, man?”
“I’m not a man! I’m—”
“Your TA dude, really?” He cut her off, squinting, his lip curling up in disdain. “That’s gross.”
“I—”
“Save it,” he choked, walking out of my apartment as Matt Cooksey, her boyfriend, my ex-best friend, walked in.
“Asshole,” was all I could think to say.
“Yeah, sorry,” he said, pushing by me with a backpack over his right shoulder, carrying a laundry basket full of clothes. “I—what the fuck are you doing here?”
“I came to bring you home!” Barbara almost screamed at him.
“Yeah, no,” he said snidely. “I can’t sleep in a bed that you’ve been fucking the TA from your biology lab in. Sorry.”
“But, Matt, it’s over!”
“It’s over because I caught you and he doesn’t want me to report his ass to the professor! It’s not over for any other fuckin’ reason!”
“You’re breaking up with me three days before Christmas?” She was melting down.
“At least now you don’t have to buy me a gift,” he reminded her.
As fun as it was….
“Both of you get the fuck out of my apartment,” I yelled, even though I was still holding his clothes, not having dropped any of them.
They both turned, having, I was fairly certain, forgotten I was there.
“Vinnie,” Matt cajoled, smiling at me.
“No,” I said as he crossed to the couch and dumped both the basket and his backpack down onto it.
“Vin.” His voice softened as he moved back in front of me, taking my face in his hands.
“Don’t—” I tried to pull back, but he had me.
“I’m sorry already.” He made his eyes big like shit, get over it. “Whaddya want, my firstborn or something?”
“I haven’t seen you in a year and three months!” I was indignant, pulling out of his grip but still, for some unfathomable reason, not throwing his clothes either down or at him.
“Yeah, but who’s counting?” He grinned at me, waggling his eyebrows, his emerald eyes dancing.
“I went home for Christmas last year to your house and you weren’t even there!”