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“Lucky for us, the technology in this field is growing by leaps and bounds,” she said sitting back beside him. “A couple years ago we may never have had answers.”
It was a sell piece, featuring pictures of people smiling around dinner tables, or holding hands, cradling babies, or beaming at older people on sunny paths, for a company called Origins. Theson the end was comprised of a DNA helix.
Every family has a story, it read in bold letters.Let us help you tell yours.
25
Cricket
June 2018
“So thereissomeone else on the property,” said Hannah, voice a little shrill. She reached for her phone.
Mako put a hand on her arm. “It’s probably just on a timer. Weed hasalwaysmade you paranoid, Han. This is a known thing.”
Itwastrue, though Cricket wasn’t going to side against Hannah with Mako. That violated the sister code. Hannah was Captain Safety—she was the don’t run by the pool, come in from the rain, don’t take a shower in a lightning storm type. She was the one you called when you needed advice, a rescue, or a recipe to make sourdough bread. But, yeah, when she was high—totally paranoid.
“If it comes on again, we’ll call the host,” said Cricket. Both Hannah and Mako nodded; Cricket was very pleased with her mediation of this crisis, rewarded herself with a deep swallow of beer. The world tilted.
They all kept looking in the direction of the light but it stayed dark—the bubbles bubbled, the THC coursed through her bloodstream. Even if there was someone out there, she was way too relaxed to do anything about it. From the looks of him, it would take someone running up the deck wielding a knife to get Mako to move. She knew that lidded stare, that half smile.
Why did she still want himso badly?
The pull to Mako was almost magnetic, physically drawing her closer.
He started talking about some trip to India to meet with his programmers, and how he got sick in the airport, and was stopped by security, his bags searched only to find a stash of turmeric he was hauling home for Liza. There was something too big about the story, something that rang false. And he sounded like a total dick telling it, the classic humble brag—like this shitty thing happened, but only because I am this internationally traveling, super successful businessman.I was still dry heaving when I got to the first-class cabin. The stewardess looked at me like I had leprosy, leaning back as she handed me my complimentary champagne.
Still there was something enthralling about him, always had been. From the minute she first saw him in the hallways of the private school they all attended, his arm draped over another girl, his smile broad, confidence radiant, she was hooked.
He had been a junior; she a freshman, like Hannah. Cricket didn’t like to think that she’d sought out Hannah’s friendship just to get close to Mickey, as everyone knew him then. But that was partially the truth, even though the friendship that blossomed was real. Did it make their friendship less wonderful, less important because Cricket had essentiallyusedHannah to find her way to Mako? She didn’t think so. Hannah had forgiven her long ago. Hadn’t she?
Mickey hadn’t been the jock football hero. He was the charming brainiac, the homecoming king, the student council president. He was the guy with the near perfect SAT scores. He was the charismatic genius. His appeal was less physical than it was cerebral, energetic. Cricket lost her virginity to him on his senior prom night. He dumped her before he left for college. They’d fucked about a dozen times since then—midnight booty calls, and “catch-up” dinners that ended predictably back at her place, after breakups, after Liza’s first miscarriage.
Hannah was not aware of these assignations—unless Mickey had told her. Cricket was fairly sure he would not have. Hannah wouldn’t be happy to hear he was cheating on Liza. She wouldn’t be happy that Cricket kept sleeping with a man who was obviously using her and had been since high school—even if that man was Hannah’s own brother. Especially.
“So tell us more about Joshua,” said Hannah from the other side of the tub.
Cricket realized that she was leaning into Mako ridiculously, chin on fist, like a schoolgirl with a crush. And that Hannah did not approve. Hannah had that look, that look that said,I know you two. I know you better than anyone, better than you know yourselves.And yet it still managed to be nonjudgmental. Like she was the beloved babysitter, and Mako and Cricket were the mischievous toddlers. Even if they were bad, Hannah would still make the grilled cheese sandwiches and read the bedtime story. Even the question was just a gentle nudge back toward Cricket’s better nature.
Joshua. Yes. Cricket wasin lovewith Joshua. Mako—well, he was like the habit you’d had to quit for your own good. Cigarettes. Or too much pot on the weekends. Carbs. You never stopped wanting it, even when you knew it was bad for you in twelve different ways. It was always something you forced yourself to push away.
She edged back from Mako, pushed herself up onto the side of the tub to cool down. Her skin steamed in the cold night air and somewhere an owl hooted, spooky and low. She took a swig from the beer he’d handed her. What she really needed was water, to sober up. To grow up. Yes, they both needed to grow up. And tonight was the night to start.
Hannah, she noticed, kept glancing over in the direction where they’d seen the light go on, then off. Must be on some kind of timer, they’d concluded. They were in the middle of nowhere. Who else would be out here? They’d have heard anyone approach.
“Yes,” said Mako, his eyes raking her body. “Tell us about your mystery man. The one who seems to havedisappeared.”
He made an explosive motion with his fingers to punctuate the word.
“Well, we can start with him beinghella hot,” said Cricket. She and Hannah clinked beer bottles, while Mako blew out a mocking breath.
“And also so considerate, romantic—flowers, candlelight dinners, calling to talk before bed when we’re not together.”
“Love that,” said Hannah, with a smile.
“He’s smart,” Cricket went on.
“Where does he work again?” asked Mako, looking bored.
