on his jealous high horse for a while, so don’t expect to be double dating anytime soon.”
That sums up Lex, all right. I don’t expect them to be best friends, but surely, both of them can be civil enough if in the same room with each other.
What planet is my brain on? Pigs have a better chance of flying.
“Charlie, is this awkward for you?”
She shuffles closer to me, resting her head on my shoulder. “To be honest, a little, but I don’t blame you, Adriana. Julian is… well, Julian.”
“Intelligent, sexy, caring, funny…” I realize I’m saying the words out loud.
“Adriana, you’re smitten.”
“I’ve got a lot to be smitten about.” I raise my eyebrows at her.
“Oh, can I ask?”
“What would you like to ask, Charlie?” I grin at her mischievously.
“Never mind. You’ve got the grin of a woman who looks very satisfied.”
“Gee. I have no idea what you’re talking about.”
Charlie looks disappointed but is smart enough to know that the sexual part of Julian’s and my relationship is best not to be shared with her. “It’s okay. I guess this is one part of your relationship that you get to share all the juicy details with Eric.”
I give her a sympathetic glance. She changes the subject asking me about Sydney. I tell her about all the amazing places Julian took me to and a little bit about his book release party. I’m about to mention my meltdown that night when a loud bang startles us. Within seconds, a much-disheveled Lex is standing in my living room. In the two hours since I last saw him, he looks like roadkill. Armed with a bottle of whisky, his bloodshot eyes tell me he hasn’t stopped drinking.
“I hope you weren’t stupid enough to drive here,” I say out loud.
“I’m not as stupid as you, Adriana. I’ve got common sense.”
Annoyed by his abuse, I’m quick to open my mouth before Charlie interrupts me. “I told you I was here. What do you want?”
“What do I want?” The sinister laugh returns. “For my life to continue on as is and not have to worry that my wife is hanging out with her ex at my sister’s place. I mean fuck, lucky guy bags two chicks, yes?”
“You’re such a jerk!” Charlie yells.
I place my hand on Charlie’s shoulder. “Charlie, don’t bother. I’m going to make myself something to eat and head to bed. Will you be okay?”
She nods, and I head toward the kitchen. My walls are not soundproof, and eavesdropping is impossible to avoid as I make myself a quick sandwich.
Lex’s voice comes through first. “What the fuck is wrong you? Why are you defending them?”
“Because she’s happy, Lex. Unless you’re blind, even you have seen how much she has changed.”
The noise stops, only silence lingering.
“I don’t want him near you. You understand me?”
“You need to sober up and go.”
“Do you understand me?”
“Tomorrow we’ll talk about this, but for tonight, don’t expect me home. Don’t expect anything from me after how you’ve treated me tonight.”
“Charlotte…” I hear his voice soften, “… I need you to come home.”
“Lex, please just go. I’ll be home in a few hours. Sleep this off, and we’ll talk about it then,” Charlie responds, defeated.
The sound of the door slamming shut echoes down the hallway. Charlie walks into the kitchen, taking a seat beside me. She doesn’t make a sandwich, instead lazily grabs a slice of bread and shoves it in her mouth whole. I pour her some juice, and she drinks it in one gulp. Just like me, she looks wrecked.
We finish and turn off the lights, heading upstairs. Climbing into my bed, it brings back memories of our childhood and the countless sleepovers we had. It’s as if she can read my mind, and she brings up the old days.
“I remember sleeping over at your house when we were like eight, and we had just watched Nightmare on Elm Street. Lex tried to spook us by wearing his Freddy Krueger mask.”
I laugh in response. “I think I shit my pants, God honest truth.”
“Gross, and I thought you had just farted in fear of your life.”
We both fall into a fit of laughter, bodies shaking as we try to compose ourselves.
“Sometimes, I’ll have these weird flashbacks and be like, wow, I had a crush on Lex way before we actually hooked up. I remember how every time I came over, your mom would make me a peanut butter and jelly sandwich and sneak in extra jelly. One day she wasn’t there