"—Things fell apart too fast. I thought we were okay... that everything was fine. But when he came back from a trip he took with his brother... something was already wrong," I said thoughtfully.
"—Do you think something happened while they were away?"
"—I don't know... but if something did, I don't see why they'd hide it from me, Bruno. Chace changed, a lot. There were times when he wouldn't even let me touch him. What makes a man not even want a single touch from his own girlfriend?"
"—Honestly... I can't even imagine."
"—I tried to talk, to give him space, I was always there for everything, for him. But he can't even tell me what's bothering him," I said sadly.
"—Some people just need more time. Maybe he's one of those people."
"—Maybe. No one really knows," I said, head down.
"—Theo, you don't need to—and shouldn't—be sad about this. All relationships have these scenes. I, for example, was in a two-year relationship and I thought everything was perfect until she got tired of pretending she still wanted to be with me. I got to her house and she told me everything, and we broke up."
"—I honestly thought everything was fine, that I was happy, she was happy, we were happy... but no. We weren't happy, and I... I'm just sad I didn't notice. I can say I loved that woman, but I didn't know how to value her. I'm not saying we didn't have our ups and downs—we did—but I didn't pay attention, I didn't care. And today, she's with someone who does care. If I had a second chance, damn Theo, I'd do everything right. Everything possible."
"—Do you still love her?"
"—I never stopped. We broke up two years ago; it would have been four years now. I never stopped, and I wouldn't stop loving, Theo. People don't just 'un-love'... never. And if they do, it's because they never truly loved in the first place."
"—Do you miss her?" I asked.
"—Immensely... you know that phrase, 'People only value what they have when they lose it'? It's crap... because it actually makes sense. I feel like it's not quite that—people, all of them, know exactly what they have around them. They know perfectly well the value it has, but they think they'll never lose it, so they don't feel the position or obligation to show that what surrounds us has value."
"—Life is ironic," I said.
"—It is... but I can't—I mean, we can't—be crying over spilled milk that we spilled ourselves. Life is too short for that."
"—You know, it's strange that I'm talking about this with you, because I don't even talk to my sister about it. I was supposed to consider you a stranger, but I can't, somehow. You must be something to me."
"—I can be whatever you want, babe," he said, leaning back in his seat with a smug smile on his face.
"—That's not the first time I say something and you respond with an insinuation—a very sexual one, actually," I said, smiling.
"—I have no idea what you're talking about, Theo."
"—You don't?"
"—Not at all," he said, grinning.
"—Ha!" I replied sarcastically, and more random topics followed after that.
...
"—Good morning!" I said as I reached the bottom of the stairs, looking at a lazy Chris on the sofa and Lia preparing coffee in the kitchen.
"—Good morning, little bee."
I don't think I've ever really described Chris. He's tall, not too thin, with short but wavy dark brown hair, black eyes, and a devastating smile. He works at a gym as an instructor, but his body isn't that over-muscled, exaggerated look like those men who look like they were padded for TV. Chris has a "chic" body... does that expression even exist? I don't know, but whatever it is, he has it.
"—Good morning, Theo. I didn't see you come in, or leave for that matter. How was the date?" Lia asked as she finished preparing breakfast and sat down.
"—Very pleasant, to be honest," I said as I reached the table and sat down, followed shortly by Chris.
"—So pleasant that you have that huge grin? I think next time I'll go too—" Lia started.
"—Oh, then I'm going too. I'm really interested in meeting this guy and having a 'one-on-one' with him, you know... man stuff."
"—'Man stuff'? Since when? I always thought you loved Chace," I said sarcastically.
And let me tell you, "love" is a very weak term for whatever Chace feels for Chris and Chris for him. It's like they're... I don't know... I wouldn't say brothers, because it's much more than that.
"—Chace is one of my Ts, he's one of my men, he's my man and always will be," he said proudly, and I smiled.
"—Your man? Lia, Chris is gay," I said, bursting into laughter. "Sis, you have competition!" I added as Lia joined in the laughter.
"—Laugh all you want, laugh away. He's my man," he said, even more proud than before.
"—Oh my God." My laughter was interrupted by Lia's phone, which she quickly answered.
"—Mom... everything's fine, yeah. And with Dad?... Yes, at home... of course not... We didn't forget, Mom... Don't worry... Yes, we'll be there." Lia hung up and Chris and I looked at her. She was... how to explain it... petrified?
"—What is it?"
"—Nana turned eighty-five today. It's her 85th birthday and we completely forgot," she said.
"—Crap!" I cursed out loud.
"—We have to go, and right now."
"—Now? Lia, it's ten o'clock. Isn't it too early?" Chris asked.
"—Early?" she asked ironically. "It's a four-hour drive, and I haven't prepared anything! We still have to stop at some supermarket and buy something, the car is out of gas and filthy, and we haven't even bought a gift. My God, why didn't I remember sooner?" She was talking more to herself than to Chris.
"—It's okay, it's simple, sis. We still have plenty of time. It's only four hours. Yes, we forgot, but there's time to prepare. Let's do this: I'll prepare something for us to take, you go buy something for Nana, and Chris goes to gas up and take the car to a car wash," I said helpfully, because only I know how Lia gets when things are out of her control.
"—Okay... all right then. Let's go."