Page 43 of Let's Talk About Love

“You’re drunk, friend.” Alice tapped the top of Feenie’s head.

“Newsflash. Everybody is. Even this one.” She kissed Ryan’s temple. His cheeks were redder than normal and his eyes were glassy.

“We pregamed,” he admitted.

“You didn’t drive, right?”

“Carpool,” he said, downing his drink. “I should do this more often. Why don’t I do this more often?”

“I’m sure you’ll remember why tomorrow.”

Ghostbustersplayed on the TV in front of them on mute. Alice knew why they had chosen to sit there instead of mingling. It was Ryan’s favorite movie—he knew all the words, and as a kid, he used to act out the scenes in front of the TV. He had even made his own proton pack out of his school backpack and his sister’s curling iron.

(There was a video of one of hisperformancesfloating around in Feenie’s hard drive. After Ryan had showed it to them some years ago, Alice had secretly stolen the tape and transferred it to digital.)

No sound didn’t bother them. Ryan recited each line like a one-man show while Feenie cackled and Alice giggled. When the credits rolled, Feenie yelled, “Play the sequel! ‘Everything you are doing is bad. I want you to know this,’” she quoted, laughing. “I love that line. I’m going to start saying it to people.”

Ryan grimaced, eyes half-lidded.Lightweightwasn’t the word, and he’d probably drunk enough to intoxicate an elephant. “Sweetie, please don’t,” he slurred. “I just really need you to not get into any more fights.”

“No one is going to fight me if I say that.” She chewed on the rim of her cup.

“I think he’s worried about them saying something back and you fighting them,” Alice offered.

“Don’t start none, won’t be none.” Feenie smiled.

“We can’t keep bailing you out of jail. Our wedding-and-house fund is for ourwedding and house. We can’t keep using it for bail money,” Ryan said.

“Oh my God, will you let that go?” Feenie rolled her eyes.

Earlier in the year, Feenie had gotten into a public fight and was arrested (again). Fortunately, the charges were dropped, but they still had to pay the bail money. Alice had never seen Ryan so mad and he clearly wasn’t over it.

A pang of sorrow hit Alice in her heart. One day, Ryan and Feenie would get married.

(At the wedding, she’d be on double duty as the Best Lady of Honor.)

(She’d already picked out her tuxedo-inspired dress.)

They could joke all day when it came to marrying Alice, too, but it wasn’t like she had access (or contributed) to that bank account. It wasn’t like Ryan had given her an engagement ring, too. She never thought the day would come when their trio would genuinely become a duo, but lately all signs pointed to that future as inevitable.

Soon they’d have a life without her.

Soon she would be left behind.

(Growing up sucks balls.)

“Guys,” Alice whined. “We’re supposed to be having a good time. Family Night, remember? I’ll get you both another drink and when I come back, I expect you two to be in family mode.”

“Love you, Buttons,” Ryan said.

She took their cups, and wandered back out the way she had come toward the kitchen.

“Where is he?” Feenie called behind her. “Tell him to hurry up.”

But when Alice returned to the couch, they were gone. She tapped Fred Flintstone on the shoulder. “Excuse me, did you see where the couple that was sitting here went?”

He was stone-cold sober, too. “Upstairs.”

“Oh, thanks.” She turned to leave, but he gently took her elbow.