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I got the stash box and rolling tray andheaded out to join the nonspeaking siblings at the table.
Charlotte’s arms were crossed over herchest, but her surly look dissipated when she turned to me. “Thereare still people in the garden. Is that okay?”
“Who cares? I live here.” I dropped theparaphernalia on the table. “Scott, why don’t you start?”
“Thank you, Matt.” He cleared his throatlike he was presenting at a board meeting. “I hate this.”
Charlotte scoffed.
“Hey, let’s keep an open mind, respect eachother’s feelings here, okay?” I said sternly, looking to both ofthem. “I can’t be a mediator in this because I’m a part of it. Butyou two need to approach this conversation as adults and not assiblings. Scott, you hate this. Why do you hate it?”
“Because you’re my best friend, and she’s mysister. I’ve covered this several times, with both of you. And yetyou still went ahead and… Well, you went to Ascend Red. That alone,a lesser man would break your teeth for, Matt.”
“I wanted to go to Ascend Red,” Charlotteinterjected. “I’m a grown-up. I can go grown-up places and dogrown-up things. You have to stop thinking of me as a child.”
“I don’t think you’re a child,” heprotested. “I think you can be reckless. Not just with yourself,but with other people’s feelings. What happens in a month when youget cold feet about the relationship?”
“Oh, we’re on a week-by-week basis,” Iinterjected, twisting the lid of the grinder a final time anddumping the contents onto the tray.
“Like a month-to-month lease,” Charlotteexplained. “Matt knows about my inability to commit.”
His eyes widened and flicked from me toCharlotte and back. “You’re not serious?”
I can’t tellwasn’t an answer he’daccept.
To my shock, Charlotte answered for us. “No.But it’s something I’m telling myself to keep from panicking abouthaving a serious relationship.”
“So, this is serious?” Scott asked.
Charlotte and I exchanged a glance. Inaccidental unison, we said, “Yes.”
“How, though? When you two were going to theresort, things were casual. You’ve only been back a few days,”Scott reminded us.
“Yeah, but remember, Matt and I have been incontact since your—” Charlotte stopped herself and quicklycorrected, “for months. It was kind of like dating. Now, we’recommitted.”
“I guess that’s fair,” Scott grudginglyconceded.
I sprinkled the crumbled weed onto the paperand pinched the edges to roll it. “What’s your fear here, Scott?Are you worried that I’m going to break her heart?”
“I have numerous fears,” Scott said, then,with a puff of frustration, gestured to the tray. “Give that to me.I can already tell your shitty rolling job is going to give us arunner.”
“You know, I’m the one who works in adispensary,” Charlotte put in.
“Do you? Because you haven’t been home inweeks.” Scott took a fresh paper and started over.
“My boss is being cool about it,’ Charlottesaid.
“And what, she’s going to let you workremotely from New York?” he countered. When Charlotte didn’tanswer, he went on. “See, this is what I’m worried about. You’reboth impulsive. You’re big leap-before-you-lookers.”
“But how does that concern you?” Though thequestion was perhaps a bit more pointed than I would have chosen tophrase it, Charlotte at least used a gentle tone.
“It concerns me because I feel this iseventually going to fall apart, and I’m going to be caught in themiddle of it.” Scott didn’t look up as he spoke. He kept his eyeson the paper he was deftly rolling.
“Thanks for the vote of encouragement,”Charlotte said glumly.
I bristled, as well. “So we’re clear, whichone of us are you expecting will fuck this up, and how? Because youknow my history. I don’t end relationships for no reason.”
“He’s talking about me and how flighty Iam,” Charlotte said before Scott could answer. “He’s worried I’mgoing to hurt you.”