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“But the townhouse burned down—”
“It burned down?” I gape, shocked, then sad. I fantasized about living there with my brother and Jane so much. “How?”
“Electrical problems.” He unlocks the door, then meets my gaze. “But we needed more space. I had Ripley, and you were my roommate.”
“We lived together? In the townhouse?”
“Yeah,” he begins smiling off my rising smile. I’m ignoring the grief that tries to tank my stomach—grief over the memories I’ve lost at the townhouse.I’ll find them. I have to.They haven’t been gone for that long.
Living with Moffy is something Ireallywanted to happen, but I also knew that I could’ve chosen Tom and Eliot. I also figured the townhouse was small. Would Moffy have even wanted me there?
“I lived with you right after high school?” I ask.
“Right after,” he says, still smiling. “Pretty much immediately.”
“And we still live together,” I say, looking at the door that hasn’t opened yet.
“We do. Only we have a ton more roommates.”
I’ve been told that already. The penthouse upgrade seems logical, and Moffy wouldn’t only consider himself in that decision. He’d put it up to a vote, and I must’ve voted for this too.
As the door opens, I walk behind my brother and round the wide hall into a spacious living room. Warm earth tones, brick walls, and industrial lighting—I can feel remnants of the townhouse here. But Jane’s explosion of grannie furniture is gone. Instead, I see a mod pastel blue couch and masculine leather chairs. The floor-length window showcases a beautiful view of Philadelphia.
“Wow,” I breathe, just as furry felines bound over to us. Squatting, I pet Jane’s black beauty at my side, remembering her well. “Hi there, Lady Macbeth.” She brushes up against me and purrs.
Good news, I haven’t become cat repellent.
“None of the roomies are around?” I ask Moffy.
He’s checking the mail on the coffee table. “They’ll be here tomorrow. They wanted to give you a chance to acclimate.”
My dad asked if I wanted to go back home with him. Stay at my childhood house since it’s where I remember living, but I want to jog my memories. The best bet I have is going about my life where it is today and not where it was three years ago.
So I have roommates now.
Moffy and Farrow, plus their son.
Jane and Thatcher.Weird.Plus their newborn daughter.Still weird but cute.
Sulli and Akara and Banks.Weirder. And I sayweirdwith the utmost love. I adore weird things, but it’s also really hard to grasp. Like trying to piece together a puzzle made of clay.
Farrow suggested I let Jane and Sulli answer my questions about their lives, so I keep those to myself.
Oh, I do have one more roomie.
Donnelly.
He shares a bathroom with me apparently, which makes living here easier. At least, I know he’ll be nearby.
Suddenly, a giant dog ambushes me. The excited ball of fluff nearly knocks me out of my squat and onto my butt.
“Oh shit,” I curse as the dog licks my face. “Nice to see you too…” I pause. What’s its name? I laugh when the fluffy black dog nuzzles into my cheek, tail wagging haphazardly. I pet under its scruff. “Did Sulli get a dog?” I ask Moffy.
He’s watching me from the middle of the room, mail tucked under his armpit. His face stays a little unreadable, but his eyes glass in a sadness.
“He’s yours,” Moffy says.
My stomach knots.I have a dog. When? How? There are too many questions. Too much time to fill. I try to figure things out on my own and reach for his collar, looking for a name.
