Page 15 of June: Jess' Story

Amy

What’s wrong?

My mom, Julia, passed away today.

I’m sorry.

Can I do anything?

No, nothing. I just…needed to tell someone who would understand.

Okay. If you want to talk, you could always call me.

On your late wife’s phone?

571.300.6820

Anytime, Jess.

June 6, 2017

Jess

I’m thinking about moving

Also, this is Jess.

Alex

Where to?

And I knew who it was, Jess.

DC?

Why DC?

It’s still a city, but it’s not New York. Boston is too cold for me, and I don’t really love the idea of living in Pennsylvania.

Do you live in NYC now?

Yes.

Why would you want to leave the greatest city on Earth?

One: right?! It is the greatest city. But two, if I’m honest, it’s a couple reasons. I don’t want to walk through my city and only think about the absence of someone from it. At the same time, I don’t want to walk around the corner and not have a single person know my name or face. I used to live for the anonymity, but now…I want something different. I want to start over. Be someone else.

Whoa whoa, I think you just broke my phone with all those words you’re throwing out there.

Too much?

No, I got excited. It’s the most you’ve shared with me before.

You don’t share much with me.

I share the most with you.

That can’t be right. And those are not butterflies I just felt right now.No.It’s just that I’ve never had a guy friend before. That’sjusta friend. But I think that’s what Alexander has become to me. A friend. I push the butterflies down, those misdirected pests.