Part 3 (2/2)
”Yes, that's a sociopath. They don't feel any remorse after their actions.”
”I wish that Brigitta would stop seeing Larry.” Angelina made a sad face. ”We barely talk anymore.”
”I know, and I'm sorry.” I stood up and held her to me. ”I guess I didn't think about the repercussions of us dating.”
”I don't think either of us did.” Angelina rubbed my head. ”I feel like I'm in some sort of Russian novel.”
”You're not in a novel.” I laughed. ”We're just in college. There are no spies and no hidden agendas.” I kissed her gently on the lips. ”When we graduate, none of us will remember any of this.” I kissed her again for emphasis and pulled away as I heard the doorbell ringing. ”Who's that?” I asked, confused. It was late, and Angelina hadn't told me of any study plans.
”I invited everyone over for dinner.” She smiled guiltily at me.
”You what?” I stepped back and frowned. ”Why would you do that?”
”I want to clear the air. I want us all to go back to how we were before it all got awkward.”
”Who did you invite?” My stomach churned as I thought about how the night was going to make things even more tense.
”Jeremiah, of course. Larry.” She made a face. ”Brigitta, Macy, and Oliver.”
”Oh.” I closed my eyes for a few seconds as the doorbell rang again. ”You know this is going to be incredibly awkward, right?”
”I know.” She grabbed my hands. ”Sorry.” She sighed. ”I just want you to have your friends back.”
”You didn't invite Joanie?”
”No.” She looked away from me, and I could see her face flus.h.i.+ng. ”I didn't.”
”Okay.” I didn't say anything else, though I was upset. I liked Joanie. I considered her a friend. She was like me, in a way. Her parents were poor, yet she didn't let that stop her from doing what she wanted to do. I knew that Angelina was jealous of my friends.h.i.+p with Joanie and didn't understand that I just felt her to be a kindred spirit. I didn't think about her romantically. I didn't want her in my bed, but I knew that Angelina didn't understand. Jealousy was such a base emotion. It was hard to control, even when rationally you knew there was nothing to be worried about.
”I can call her now if you want,” she said softly, her hazel eyes looking into mine with an expression of love and worry. My heart melted as I gazed into her beautiful face. I didn't understand how she could think, for even one minute, that my heart could ever belong to another.
”No.” I shook my head. ”Tonight will be crazy enough as it is. Besides, Macy doesn't like Joanie.”
”Yeah.” Angelina rolled her eyes. ”Though I don't know who she is to be so high and mighty. He cheated on me with both of them.”
”Yeah, well . . .” My voice trailed off. I didn't want to tell Angelina what a bad idea I thought this was. I didn't want to upset her, as I knew she was only trying. But now that Jeremiah was dating Macy, she had gotten even sn.o.bbier, and I knew that she, like Larry, didn't understand why Jeremiah still kept me around. And I wasn't sure what was going on with Oliver. He barely spoke to me anymore. ”I'll get the door.” I made a face. ”I guess I know why you got the Brie now.”
”Am I that transparent?” She giggled. ”We can't eat it all though. I promised my roommate that I'd save her some. It was the only way I could convince her to leave the apartment for the entire evening.”
”Well, aren't we lucky that Sue is easily bribed with food. Just imagine how much more colorful tonight could have been.” I laughed. ”Especially if Sue tried to do a seance.”
”She only does that with people she's met at least twice.” Angelina giggled, and we both sighed as the doorbell rang again.
”Here goes,” I said as I walked to the door with a heavy heart. I really, really didn't want to deal with the drama that I knew was going to ensue this evening, but I'd do it for Angelina. I'd do absolutely anything for Angelina; such was my love for her.
”Very good meal. Thank you, Angelina.” Jeremiah sat back at the table and rubbed his stomach. ”Your cooking reminds me of my aunty Mabel's cooking. Reminiscent of the food I used to get in the South.”
”Aunty Mabel?” Macy looked confused. ”Who is she? What side of the family?” She interrogated Jeremiah. ”I don't remember seeing her in your family tree.”
”Aunty Mabel was his nanny,” Larry answered for Jeremiah. ”She was also his father's nanny, so he called her Aunty. I know this because I asked him why he was calling her Aunty when I came to stay with his family in the summers.”
”Larry was wondering why I had an older black lady for an aunt.” Jeremiah burst out laughing. ”I told him that we were related by blood as well, but he never believed me.”
”I thought you were joking. . . .” Larry looked at Jeremiah in confusion.
”No.” Jeremiah shook his head. ”Not really. Mabel's mother and my grandfather used to knock boots, so to speak.”
”What?” Larry leaned forward. ”So you have-”
”Guess the apple doesn't fall far from the tree,” Angelina cut Larry off, and gave Jeremiah a pertinent look. ”Weren't your grandparents married for sixty years?”
”Yes, so?” Jeremiah looked cool as a cuc.u.mber as he raised one eyebrow and looked at her with a small smile.
”So he was cheating on his wife.”
”Cheating is such a cra.s.s term.” Jeremiah shrugged. ”Women should know their place.”
”Like Joanie Rosenberg?” Angelina said, and I could see that she was getting angry.
”Angelina,” Brigitta spoke up, and I looked at her in surprise. She'd been silent most of the evening, and she and Larry weren't in each other's laps as they usually were.
”What? I'm just asking a question.”
”We're not dating anymore, Angelina,” Jeremiah said softly. ”I don't have to answer all of your questions. You left me for my best friend, remember?”
”Jeremiah,” I said, and stared at him. ”If you want to talk to me, we can, but don't make out like this is Angelina's fault.”
”I don't think it's Angelina's fault.” He shook his head, and his eyes narrowed as he looked at me. ”I think that life sorts things out as they are supposed to be.”
”What does that mean?” I frowned. I hated it when Jeremiah spoke theoretically and philosophically. I was a science guy. I wanted to deal with tangible facts.
”Just that everything works out how it is supposed to.” Jeremiah smiled. ”We are all expendable, and that is life.”
”What they did was wrong,” Oliver said. Jeremiah shook his head and turned away from him. ”I would never do that to you. I would never-”
”Go and get me another beer, Oliver.” Jeremiah finally spoke as he dismissed the thin young boy.
”Okay.” Oliver stood up, his face sullen as he glared at me.
”I'll come with you.” Angelina stood up, and I watched as Brigitta jumped up as well and they all walked into the kitchen.
”Are you really going to keep being a d.i.c.k, Jeremiah?” I said finally, and I heard Larry gasp.
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