beer in the fridge.â
I looked over Derekâs shoulder as he pushed aside cartons of orange juice and milk. He found four beers. âIs this the fridge you were talking about?â he asked.
âDude, you left your car unlocked, right?â I whispered.
Three minutes later everyone was holding a glass of four-dollar red, but only Derek and I looked really happy about it. Kimâs smile was nervous. âCâmon, Theresa, cheer up! Itâs a glass of wine!â
âItâs three bottles of wine.â
Derek offered a toast, âTo the Boy Scouts, who exhort us to always be prepared.â I laughed loud enough that Theresa winced, and I apologized, but she told us to get out of her way, to go hang out in the living room. When I came back into the kitchen twenty minutes later to uncork another bottle, she looked tense. âCan we save that one for dinner?â she asked.
I pointed to the third bottle on the counter. âWe got plenty. You seen the corkscrew?â
She stepped in front of me, fixed my collar and tie, and kissed me. âHi,â I responded. She was waiting for me to kissher back. So I did. âThe corkscrew? Where does it live? This drawer?â
She turned back to fixing a salad. âYou know,â she said, âitâd be nice if you were somewhat sober at the end of the night.â
âHey! This bottleâs a twist-off anywayâI donât even need the corkscrew!â I started to leave and then stopped. âDo you want me to help?â
She shook her head. Silently.
Looking back on the night, I donât think I even drank that much, but I hadnât eaten anything all day. I remember coming back into the kitchen, taking over the job of sautéing Brussels sprouts, and feeling like I was doing an awesome job. While I cooked, I told Kim a long story about how Derek once rescued dozens of puppies from a burning skyscraperââheâs that good of a guy.â Derek kept telling me to shut up, but he was laughing, and at one point Kim giggled with her forehead on his shoulder, and he put his arm around her. I remember shouting that Iâd discovered my passion, that I was going to apply to culinary school, which made even Theresa crack up.
I donât remember everything I said at dinner but I do remember talking about the semiformal dance Theresa and I were going to the next weekend at Kimâs school. The dance was to raise money for a kid who got hurt in a snowmobile accident. I really didnât want to go. âAre you sure kids fromother schools are allowed in?â I asked.
âThey just want your money, James. Wear that tie, and youâre good.â
âHey,â I yelled, pointing at Kim and Derek. Theresa hushed me. âYou guys should go! Do you have a date, Kim?â
She drank from her glass and shook her head at the same time.
âThat wouldâve been good, but I canât go,â Derek said quietly. âIâm going to see my aunt in Boston with my parents. Sheâs not doing well.â
âAh, crap,â I cried. âWell, next time then. Maybe Hawken should go.â
Derek dropped his fork, and Theresa glared at me.
âNot with Kim.â I laughed. âI just mean itâd be fun if he came along, too. You know. For the hell of it.â No one seemed to think it was a good idea. âIâm sure that messed up snowmobiler kid would appreciate Hawken coming along,â I muttered.
Later, after telling a story about one of Hawkenâs amazing goals in soccer, I remember closing my eyes and telling myself, Donât bring him up anymore . And I remember Derek saying, âLiddell, put down your glass, take out your phone, and call home to say youâre staying at my place. Right now.â I remember Rex answering, shouting the news to my parents, and then shouting into the phone, âThey said okay.â
Not long after, Theresa whispered,