Page 18 of Memories of You

She tilts her head to the side. “You? A one-time thing? Thisdoes not sound like the friend I have known and loved since sophomore year.”

I shrug. “I wanted him,” I admit. “And we talked about it.It was all very mature and open. I told him that I don’t do friends withbenefits, and he told me that he wasn’t interested in getting serious, and—”

“And yet you ended up in bed together?”

Once again, I shrug. “He’s my old crush. What can I say? Ibroke my rule. But just for the one time. We talked about it afterwards. It’svery mature,” I repeat. “We’re still friends. We’re just friends.We’re only going to be friends.”

“And you’re okay with that?”

I force myself not to shrug this time. Instead I lift mychin, straighten my back, and very firmly say, “Yes. I respect that he doesn’twant a relationship. He’s not interested in settling down.”

“I’m not surprised. He’s dated like every A-list actress in thecity.”

“He told me,” I say. “All part of the same conversation. Andlike I said, we’re not sleeping together again. We’re just friends. He cansleep with whoever he wants to, celebrity or not.”

At the same time, I have to admit to myself that I’m gladhe’s not working in Hollywood anymore. He seemed so sad when he told me that hewasn’t interested in a relationship because they just don’t work. He had that I’mbeing practical tone, but there was something else beneath it.

“Where did you go?” Lilah asks.

I shake my head. “Just thinking. He told me that he’s not arelationship guy, and I’m thinking it has to do with his parents.”

“Yeah?” She heads to my fridge and pulls out awatermelon-flavored sparkling water. She holds it up. “Want one?”

“No, but thanks so much for offering.”

She makes a face. “Hey. We share the house. What’s mine isyours and what’s yours is mine.”

“This is why I love you. We should just put a door betweenour units.”

She laughs. “From your bedroom to my living room. Think ofall the entertainment value that would bring to me.” She pops the top on herdrink and comes back to sit on the couch next to me. “So what about hisfamily?”

“I think the issues with his parents started when his momlost her hearing, but I’m guessing there were problems before, too. She hadsome sort of autoimmune disorder, and it happened really, really fast.Apparently it’s super rare, and there’s really not anything they can do for itunless they catch it in time, and even then there aren’t a lot of options.”

“I’m guessing they didn’t catch it in time?”

“No. Not at all.”

“This was freshman year?”

“No. Junior high. And not soon after, his parents divorced.Apparently one day Mr. Cooper told her that he couldn’t handle the fact thatshe couldn’t hear anymore, and he didn’t know how to process all the grief andwhatnot that she was feeling, and so he just up and moved to the Northeastsomewhere. I think he went to Boston. I know he ended up in New York, but Idon’t know the exact timing of it.”

“Oh my God. What an asshole.”

I nod. “Yeah. Nobody was very impressed with him. And I knowthat it really messed Renly up. Red, too. His brother,” I add in explanation.

“He sort of went into a shell. All angry and alone. Red kindof acted out against his dad. They were both pissed that he was such a jerk totheir mom. It was tough. And I remember their mom was trying to deal with it,going to doctors trying to get her hearing back, but that didn’t work, so shehad teachers come over to try and help her cope and teach her and the boys howto lip read and learn sign language and all that stuff.”

I get up and go get my own soda. I come back, pop the top,and take a long swallow. “Anyway, I guess they have family in Texas, becausethat summer after freshman year, she ended up packing up the boys and moving toHouston.”

I meet Lilah’s eyes. “That’s really all there is. I don’tknow what happened to them once they got down there, but I do know that it wasa really nasty divorce. It must have been horrible for them.”

My parents are as thick as thieves, and they always havebeen. They were high school sweethearts, and now they’re still just as gooey asthey probably were back then. I would say it’s disgusting if it weren’t soadorable.

“I think it messed him up,” I tell Lilah. “I think hedoesn’t trust relationships. His parents always seemed so close. And thensuddenly this one horrible thing happens, and his dad completely lost his shit.And then their whole world fell apart.”

“So he fucks around because his parents got divorced?”

I pull my feet up onto the couch and sigh. “I don’t know.I’m not a shrink. All I know is that he says he’s not interested in arelationship, and I believe him. And it’s not like it’s even something that ison my mind. I mean, I’m just happy he’s back in my life.”