“You’re completely missing the point.”
“I thought the point was to get your parents off your back about me being a bad boyfriend.”
“No, it’s more than that.”
“Not really. Caleb’s a warm body that you can take with you to your family party, and he looks exactly like me, and he has no plans. Problem solved.”
“I want more than awarm body.”
“Are you sure? Because it seems like you just don’t want to go alone. That’s kind of been the theme of our entire relationship. You can’t even go to the bathroom alone.”
“I go to the bathroom alone all the time. That would be weird if somebody went with me.”
“You know what I mean.”
“I want to go withyouto my family party,notyour brother.”
Fair. Totally fair.
“Caleb has nothing going on. He doesn’t care.”
“Well, actually I—” I don’t need to finish my thought because Summer does it for me.
“Oh, so I see how it is.” She crosses one leg over her knee. “I’m just an item on your to-do list. It doesn’t matter who’s taking care of my needs as long as it doesn’t interfere with your work schedule. I kiss your brother”—she throws her hand in the air—“no big deal! Just as long as you don’t have to do it yourself.”
Oh, boy. Things just got real.
“Is that what you’re really mad about? That I wasn't jealous that you accidentally kissed my brother?” Justin’s palms raise. “I’m sorry. I’m just not one of those guys who’s insecure in my relationships.”
“I just want you to care.”
“I do care. I gave you a solution with my brother, but you won’t even consider it, so I don’t think you’re really into solving anything.”
“I’m into talking it through until we can come up with a compromise we both feel good about.”
“And by ‘compromise,’ you mean talk about it until I give in, and you get what you want.”
This is getting really awkward.
I should leave.
But I don’t.
I sit and listen to the whole thing.
* * *
Twenty-two minutes later,the front door shuts.
“Sorry about that,” Justin says as he takes a seat on the couch next to me.
“Don’t worry about it. I love domestic disputes.”
“So does Summer,” Justin mutters under his breath.
I grab the remote on the coffee table, pretending like everything is fine. The arguing didn’t bother me. I’m the type of guy who likes to have a knock-down-drag-out fight one minute and then get over it the next. But Justin is not that way. He hates facing conflict straight on and would rather pretend like it doesn’t exist. Summer is good for him in that regard because she wasn’t backing down.
The Monday Night Football theme plays as I get comfortable. A few minutes go by before I decide to continue the conversation. “So what are you going to do about her family turkey thing?” I’m still not entirely sure what this big event is she wants him to attend. Something about stuffing and turkeys. It’s all very confusing.
