“So, what, you two are a couple or something now?” Molly asked me while attempting to buckle her sandals. “Help, Austen. I can’t even see down there anymore.”
“Or something,” I said, leaning over to reach her foot as she straightened her leg. “Have you talked to Chris lately?”
“Humph,” she said. “He wants to discuss names. I want to discuss clubbing him over the head.”
“Does he get a vote in naming the kid?”
“It’s his kid, too, I guess,” she said, sighing.
“Honestly, I wish you two would figure your stuff out. You’re having a kid together,” I told her.
“Austen, it’s so complicated and messed up. I wouldn’t know where to begin.”
“Oh, like dating Boss while his only family member is the guy I thought was my One True Love isn’t complicated?”
“You thought Ian was your One True Love?” she said, putting her leg down before I finished buckling. “You never told me that.”
I winced and nodded. “Yeah. And Boss and Ian–I don’t know, Molly. They only have each other. No mom, no dad. Don’t you think it’s tacky of me to be dating Boss?”
“Do you think it’s tacky?”
I nodded again. “Yeah.” Then I sighed and leaned my chin to my palm. “But I still really like him. He’s…”
“Hot?”
“Yeah,” I sighed. “Really hot.”
“But,” she said.
“Yeah, his butt, too. I agree. A good butt.”
“No!” she laughed, swatting me on the arm. “No, he’s really hot, but…”
“Oh. But I don’t think I’ll ever feel about him how I feel about Ian. I don’t know if I’ll feel that way about anyone. Ever.”
“And you’re telling me to work things out with Chris?”
“Isn’t Chris your One True Love?” She puckered her mouth and stared off. “I hate to admit it,” she finally said. “But yes.”
“So?” I asked her.
“So, you contact Ian.”
“That never works, Mol. It always ends in disaster.”
“Maybe you could write him a letter.”
“No.”
“Well, maybe you could write him a letter and not send it. To get the feelings out.”
“I will if you’ll do the same with Chris.”
“Deal,” she said.
So now I’m sitting at my desk, trying to figure out where to start.
I always wondered if a letter like that would HAVE to be handwritten, you know? I’m staying tuned for the next installment.