Page 70 of Talk to Me

“I’m lying,” Theo said, chuckling.

“What?”

“I didn’t think you were serious,” Theo said.

“About what?”

“Asking me what it’s like at my house,” he said. “I thought you were playing dumb.”

“Playing dumb…about what?”

He blew out a guilty breath. “I just always assumed you’ve Google’d me or looked me up online at some point. Most people do. No one really ever asks me much about myself because you can find out the gist of my life on Wikipedia.”

“Ah,” I said. “Another reason you feel lonely. Everyone who meets you thinks they know everything about you because they read an article online. One that can be modified by anyone at any time, too.”

He nodded. “Yeah.”

“I am psychoanalyzing the shit out of you tonight,” I said and nudged him.

“You really are,” he said.

“So,” I asked, “what’s the truth?”

“You’ve really never searched me on the internet?” he asked.

“Have you looked me up online?” I asked.

“Yes,” he said. “You have no digital footprint. Except you’re mentioned on the Midway University website.”

I made jazz hands and Theo laughed.

“So?” I asked.

“Dad’s the CEO of a financial firm. Makes ten-figures a year. Before bonuses. My parents have a townhouse on sixty-ninth in New York. Mom’s always been a stay-at-home mom, but she never really did the stay-at-home mom thing,” Theo said blandly. “If you catch my drift. They’re…busy a lot. I don’t really see them much. I go home every now and then and sometimes they’re there, sometimes they’re not.”

I’d found another reason why Theo was lonely, but I wasn’t going to mention it.

“When my sister left for college, it was just me and our maid and…whatever.”

“Is that the truth?” I asked.

He nodded. “If you don’t believe me, go to Wikipedia.”

I couldn’t help but laugh.

“If we went there for Thanksgiving, the food would be catered, Mom and Dad would probably show up. At least to eat and have a few drinks. And then they’d be off to a party or something. They’d ask if we were dating, but in a disapproving way, and be completely scandalized if we shared a bed. We’d probably watch Christmas movies in the T.V. room while the rest of the house was quiet as a church. Our maid would be putting up the Christmas trees so they’d be ready when Mom and Dad woke up the next day. Even if they weren’t at home.”

“Wow.”

“Yeah,” Theo said with a sigh as he stared out at the horizon.

I stared at the side of his head for a moment.

“And that’s all the truth?”

“The gist of it, yeah.”

Not knowing what to say about the bleak picture Theo had painted of his home life, I stared at him for a few moments. He continued to stare out at the now dark sky and the twinkling stars beyond us. I turned and leaned against him, my side against his. I tipped my head and laid it on his shoulder. He tensed for a moment, then slowly and gently tilted his head until it was against mine.