See you,
Elliot
PS I didn’t mean that to sound condescending. Dad told me I can be like that and so I’m not sure if that was. I’m sure Nicholas Sparks is really good, just different than Sir Walter Scott.
* * *
From: Macy Lea Sorensen <[email protected]>
Date: January 2, 8:32 PM
To: Elliot P. <[email protected]>
Subject: re: book
Hi Elliot,
Nicholas Sparks is really really good. My friend Elena’s mom met him at a book conference and said he was super nice and way smart, too. I bet he’s read Ivanhoe (no d).
What do you mean you and Brandon role-played? Like the dork guys at the park with swords and flags?
xo
Macy
* * *
From: Elliot P. <[email protected]>
Date: January 2, 08:54 PM
To: Macy Lea Sorensen <[email protected]>
Subject: re: book
Hi Macy,
Yes. Exactly like that. And also helmets and cardboard horses.
Elliot
* * *
From: Macy Lea Sorensen <[email protected]>
Date: January 2, 9:06 PM
To: Elliot P. <[email protected]>
Subject: re: book
I swear you make me laugh so hard. I know you’re kidding but I can totally picture you on a cardboard horse all “On guard!” and “Ivanhoe!”
Macy
* * *
From: Elliot P. <[email protected]>
Date: January 2, 09:15 PM
To: Macy Lea Sorensen <[email protected]>
Subject: re: book
I was serious. We really did role-play like that. It’s actually a very well organized community called The Nobles and there are battles and royalty and it’s really fun. But I’m sure you wouldn’t like it because there’s no soft focus kiss at the end.
Elliot
* * *
From: Macy Lea Sorensen <[email protected]>
Date: January 3, 6:53 PM
To: Elliot P. [email protected]>
Subject: Crazy!
Hi Elliot,
I’m pretty sure that was you being condescending last night, so here is me being mature and ignoring it.
Want to hear something crazy? My friend Nikki got suspended for making out with a guy in the cafeteria today! I was all oh my god what is happening? I told Dad and he asked if I had kissed any boys and I was all no way! Who would I kiss at school they’re all losers!
Anyway that was crazy!
Macy
* * *
From: Elliot P. <[email protected]>
Date: January 3, 08:27 PM
To: Macy Lea Sorensen <[email protected]>
Subject: re: Crazy!
My friend Christian got suspended last year for building a rocket in shop. I’m not even sure where he got the fuel but it totally flew through the window and hit a car in the parking lot. It was awesome.
So you don’t hang out with guys at your school?
Elliot
* * *
From: Macy Lea Sorensen <[email protected]>
Date: January 4, 7:32 AM
To: Elliot P. <[email protected]>
Subject: re: Crazy!
I do Doug and Cody have been in school with me since first grade so we are sorta close but kissing close? Uh no they’re nice but I think I’ll probably meet a college guy at some point because the guys at my school are all into video games and skateboards and Danny (another friend) totally tried to touch my butt once at a dance but I was all I don’t think so.
Macy
* * *
From: Elliot P. <[email protected]>
Date: January 4, 07:34 AM
To: Macy Lea Sorensen <[email protected]>
Subject: re: Crazy!
Macy,
Punctuation is your friend.
Elliot
now
thursday, october 5
Liz Petropoulos, what a trip.
She’s medium height, curvy, and has the most amazing skin. Also, no fewer than four times have I told her how much I covet her cheekbones. She’s a smiler, saying hello to everyone who walks in the doors to the Mission Bay building and stopping anyone without a badge, beckoning them to sign in.
I raise my badge as I do every morning. Thankfully she was on break yesterday when I burst in, frazzled after my non-breakfast with Elliot, but today she smiles with a little glimmer in her eyes, like she knows more now than she did the last time I saw her.
“Well, hello, Liz Petropoulos,” I say, approaching her, dropping any pretense.
She hesitates only a beat before saying, “Hi, Macy Sorensen,” without having to check my badge. As I get closer, she smiles again. “Boy, have I heard a lot about this Macy person over the past seven years. And to think she’s been the nice, new Dr. Sorensen complimenting my cheekbones.”
“Guess Elliot and George should give up and let us get married,” I say, and she laughs. It’s a round, delighted sound.
Her expression straightens pretty quickly. “I’m sorry I told him when you’d be in.” She holds up a hand when I start to speak, and adds in a quieter voice, “He told me about running into you, and we put two and two together. You can’t know what it means to him that he’s seen you. I know it’s not my business, but—”
“About that.” I lean my elbows on the broad marble reception desk and smile down at her so she knows I’m not about to get her fired. “What do you say you do me one favor, and then we halt all nonapproved information sharing?”
“No question,” Liz says, eyes wide. “What can I do for you?”
“His cell number would be fantastic.”
Friends call friends, I tell myself. The first step to fixing things is to talk, to clear the air once and for all, and then we can move on with life.
Liz pulls out her phone, opens her Favorites list, and bends, scribbling his phone number.
Elliot’s on her speed-dial.
But I get it: Attentive, considerate, emotionally mature Elliot would be the dream brother-in-law. Of course she’s in regular contact with him.
“But don’t tell him I have it,” I tell her as she tears it off and hands it to me. “I’m not sure how long it will be before I figure out what to say.”
Who am I kidding; this is such a bad idea. Elliot has a story to tell. I have a story to tell, too. We both have so many secrets, I’m not even sure we can backtrack that far.