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“Did she tell you?” I try to keep my calm, but the thought of Liv betraying our unsaid agreement is too much for me.
“Youtold me!” she shouts again. “I saw your messages on her phone!”
“And what do you want me to do about it, Bella?” I ask. “End things with her?”
“Well, yeah!” she says as if stating the obvious. “She’s my best friend and is also fifteen years younger than you!”
I lean back on the couch, a hand over my forehead. Sitting on the carpet in front of me, Harlan is playing a video game. He grips the controller tightly as he navigates a blue and yellow car through the cartoonish racetracks.
Bella waits for an answer, but I’m cringing way too much to give it to her.
“Alex?” she yells. “Answer me!”
“Bella!” I unleash my frustration on her. “This is a natural thing; you can’t blame me for it to have happened! We are both adults.”
“Alex…” Bella cries, exasperated. “What if she’s just a gold digger? What if she hurts you?”
I sigh. “How can you be so insecure, Bella?” I tell it to her straight.
I continue, “You chose her to be your best friend, and now you are suspicious of her like this? Don’t you trust your ability to read people?”
I hear Bella’s teeth squeaking on the other side and know she’s on the verge of furious tears.
“I don’t know, Alex! Okay?!” she vents, “All I know is that you suffered way too much to now suffer by the hands of a… a…”
“A what, Bella?” Now I’m the one angry.
“Grr, never mind!” Now she yells.
The intercom rings, and I finally find an excuse to end this torment.
“Bella, I need to go,” I say. “Talk to you later.”
“It’s her, isn’t it?” It’s the last thing I hear her roaring before I hang up.
“Who was it, dad?” Harlan asks as I stand to answer the door.
“Meanie Fo-Feanie, Harlan.” I grab the intercom’s receiver. “Hello?”
“Alex, it’s me.” Bella was right in the end and Liv is here. “I need to talk to you.”
“Sure, I’ll buzz you in,” I say, pressing the button to open the door.
I stand in the elevator lobby as Liv comes inside, ready to receive her with all the warmth I have.
When the elevator’s doors open, she’s carrying a large duffel bag, packed to the brim, which she drops on the floor before embracing me.
“What happened?” I say, looking at the bag.
“Your sister kicked me out of the house!” Liv says in clear distress.
“And you need a place to stay?” I ask, picking up her bag, with my heart wide open to welcome her into my home.
“Yeah…” she fixes her hair, all awkward. “I was wondering if you could help me…”
We enter the house, and she is all smiles once she sees Harlan having fun in front of the TV.
“Hi, Harlan!” She says, sitting on the couch behind him. “What are you playing?”
