as fast as I want. The quicker we get you home, the quicker you can warm up.”
“Why don’t you just take me back to Dana’s? Turn left up here.”
“Is that where you’ve been staying?” He was really pissed off now. If her father blew her off, why would she stay at Dana’s and not with them? Had she even left Boston at all? And if she thought for two seconds that he would drop her off at an empty apartment, then she had surely frozen most of her brain cells in the Atlantic. Her lack of responsibility was appalling. “No. I am not taking you back to Dana’s. Who knows what other trouble you’ll get yourself into?”
“Matt! I can stay wherever I want to. I’m an adult.”
“You’re not acting like it.”
“Why do you care where I stay?”
“Ah, a lovers’ quarrel,” Celeste said dreamily from the back seat.
“Shut up!” Matt and Julie yelled together.
No one spoke for the rest of the ride home.
Later, when Julie had taken a long, hot shower, and Celeste was in her room, Matt was starting to relax. He really snapped at Julie on the car ride home, but now that she was safe at home, curled up in front of a blazing fire on the living room floor with her head on a pillow, he felt better.
What a morning. He still couldn’t believe that he and Celeste left the house without Flat Finn. It was quite an accomplishment, intentional or not. For Celeste, of course, but maybe for him too. He felt guilty for forgetting his sister’s flat obsession, but it was also a good thing. His neurosis about that ridiculous cardboard thing was probably as pathological as hers. Today he and Celeste were reminded that there was a world outside of Flat Finn in which other things—other people—took precedence. Matt poked at the fire, sending flames shooting up. Good. He wanted the hottest fire possible.
He listened while Julie explained about her father canceling their trip and how she was too embarrassed to tell him. As much as Matt wanted to rip off her father’s head for what he’d done to his daughter, he contained his anger for her sake. Julie nudged him about Roger and Erin leaving him and Celeste alone, but this time he didn’t mind talking about his family or his feelings. Well, not as much as he usually minded. Maybe the heat from the fire was getting to him.
“I’m sorry your parents left you here alone. That’s not very nice.”
Matt jabbed the fire with an iron poker. “No, it’s not very nice, is it? And I’m sorry your dad left you alone. That’s also not very nice.”
“Thanks.” Julie closed her eyes. Between last night’s alcohol and this morning’s chaos, she must be wiped out.
“Tired, huh? Why don’t you sleep for a while?”
Matt got up and pulled the curtains shut in the living room, and then he covered her with the wool blanket. Julie yawned and turned onto her side so that she was facing the fireplace. “Did you call Dana?”
“Not yet. I will.” He didn’t want to, but Julie would be relentless about this.
“Thanks for getting me, Matty. I’m sorry,” she mumbled.
“Of course. It’s not a problem.” He sat down next to her, watching her breathing begin to slow as her drowsiness took over and her eyes closed.
Even now, in front of the fire, she shivered in her sleep. Without thinking, Matt lay on his side next to her and propped himself up on one arm. For a few minutes, he just took her in. Then he scooted forward slightly, wanting to warm her with his body, wanting to be as close to her as possible, and wanting to protect her even though the danger had passed. She rolled back against him, touching her back to his chest. Slowly and gently, he ran the back of his hand over her cheek. The color had returned. She was all right.
What had today been about for her? Was she trying to prove something to Finn? To herself? That she could… what? Do something brave? Independent? Matt shook his head. Julie didn’t have to do a Polar Plunge for him to know she was brave
“Why don’t you just take me back to Dana’s? Turn left up here.”
“Is that where you’ve been staying?” He was really pissed off now. If her father blew her off, why would she stay at Dana’s and not with them? Had she even left Boston at all? And if she thought for two seconds that he would drop her off at an empty apartment, then she had surely frozen most of her brain cells in the Atlantic. Her lack of responsibility was appalling. “No. I am not taking you back to Dana’s. Who knows what other trouble you’ll get yourself into?”
“Matt! I can stay wherever I want to. I’m an adult.”
“You’re not acting like it.”
“Why do you care where I stay?”
“Ah, a lovers’ quarrel,” Celeste said dreamily from the back seat.
“Shut up!” Matt and Julie yelled together.
No one spoke for the rest of the ride home.
Later, when Julie had taken a long, hot shower, and Celeste was in her room, Matt was starting to relax. He really snapped at Julie on the car ride home, but now that she was safe at home, curled up in front of a blazing fire on the living room floor with her head on a pillow, he felt better.
What a morning. He still couldn’t believe that he and Celeste left the house without Flat Finn. It was quite an accomplishment, intentional or not. For Celeste, of course, but maybe for him too. He felt guilty for forgetting his sister’s flat obsession, but it was also a good thing. His neurosis about that ridiculous cardboard thing was probably as pathological as hers. Today he and Celeste were reminded that there was a world outside of Flat Finn in which other things—other people—took precedence. Matt poked at the fire, sending flames shooting up. Good. He wanted the hottest fire possible.
He listened while Julie explained about her father canceling their trip and how she was too embarrassed to tell him. As much as Matt wanted to rip off her father’s head for what he’d done to his daughter, he contained his anger for her sake. Julie nudged him about Roger and Erin leaving him and Celeste alone, but this time he didn’t mind talking about his family or his feelings. Well, not as much as he usually minded. Maybe the heat from the fire was getting to him.
“I’m sorry your parents left you here alone. That’s not very nice.”
Matt jabbed the fire with an iron poker. “No, it’s not very nice, is it? And I’m sorry your dad left you alone. That’s also not very nice.”
“Thanks.” Julie closed her eyes. Between last night’s alcohol and this morning’s chaos, she must be wiped out.
“Tired, huh? Why don’t you sleep for a while?”
Matt got up and pulled the curtains shut in the living room, and then he covered her with the wool blanket. Julie yawned and turned onto her side so that she was facing the fireplace. “Did you call Dana?”
“Not yet. I will.” He didn’t want to, but Julie would be relentless about this.
“Thanks for getting me, Matty. I’m sorry,” she mumbled.
“Of course. It’s not a problem.” He sat down next to her, watching her breathing begin to slow as her drowsiness took over and her eyes closed.
Even now, in front of the fire, she shivered in her sleep. Without thinking, Matt lay on his side next to her and propped himself up on one arm. For a few minutes, he just took her in. Then he scooted forward slightly, wanting to warm her with his body, wanting to be as close to her as possible, and wanting to protect her even though the danger had passed. She rolled back against him, touching her back to his chest. Slowly and gently, he ran the back of his hand over her cheek. The color had returned. She was all right.
What had today been about for her? Was she trying to prove something to Finn? To herself? That she could… what? Do something brave? Independent? Matt shook his head. Julie didn’t have to do a Polar Plunge for him to know she was brave
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