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“Earth to Wren. Are you there?”
“Who’s Nicky?” I ask.
Lark goes silent.
“Lark? Do you know who Nicky is?”
“Only what Ryan has told me.”
“And what has Ryan told you?”
“Nothing much, really…”
“Lark.” I wait.
“Wren, I can’t. It’s not my story to tell. I’m sorry.”
“Is she an old girlfriend?”
“Wren!” she cries out. “I can’t.”
“Just tell me something. Anything. Please.”
“She’s someone they grew up with. She went to deaf school with Ryan, and Mick met her when they went to the same college.”
“She’s deaf?”
“Yes.”
“And she knew them both.”
“Yes.”
“Which one of them did she date?”
“Well, she didn’t date Ryan, that’s for sure.”
“So, she dated Mick.”
“Stop it!” I imagine her covering her ears and singing la-la-la-la-la to herself. “The one time I met her, she was very nice.”
“You met her?”
“Just the one time. She goes to the same deaf socials Ryan and Mick go to.” She pauses, and then her voice goes soft. “Do you ever ask him about himself, Wren? Do you try to find out what he’s passionate about? Do you ask him what sports teams he likes? What are his favorite foods?”
No, because I’m a selfish bitch. “Sometimes,” I say quietly.
“If you did, you’d know about Nicky.”
“I tried to rush things today,” I blurt out. Then I cover my face in embarrassment, even though no one can see me.
“Well, slow it down. Learn something about him. Ask him questions. Get to know him. Do this thing the right way.”
I bite my lower lip until it hurts, and say nothing.
“You know that night, the night when you lost your baby?” Her voice is quiet and soft, like she’s talking to a baby bird that will fly away if she’s too loud.
“Yes.” I still relive it in my dreams.
