Remember Us

I roll over at the sound of Adams’ voice. It slightly felt like déjà vu when I hear him say my brother’s name.

“yeah, she’s started to snore so-” I grab the phone out of his hand, “hey!”

“what do you want Blake?” I ask, climbing out of bed and over to my closet.

“So I guess this means you guys have forgiven and all that.”

I pause for a moment, “uh yes, a long time ago. Why do you ask?”

“there’s a difference between forgiving and moving on Julie.”

“yes, I know. And we’ve done both. It’s all in the past now. Was there a reason for you calling?”

“oh yes. And trust me, this is the last thing I want to do but I don’t really have a choice.”

This made me worried, “Blake, what’s wrong?”

“well, there was a fire in the kitchen and since none of it was like new, insurance didn’t cover enough to remodel the kitchen. And we don’t have enough saved up right now to just redo everything. Mostly because we don’t want to spend our whole savings on a new kitchen.”

“you want some money?”

“could you?”

I laugh, “of course Blake. What kind of sister would I be if I didn’t spoil my brother?”

“it’s going to be a lot of money Julie.”

“It’s going to be a lot more than you’re thinking cause you two are going to get the ultimate dream kitchen of yours. Just give me a total when you figure it out and I’ll send you a check.”

“You don’t have to.”

“yeah, well, call it a thank you for taking care of Katie and I for all those years.”

“you sure?”

“I’m sure. Do whatever you want and I’ll pay for it. Trust me Blake, I’m to that point where I can spend money and not worry about not having any.”

I can tell he’s hesitating, “okay fine. But only because I really want a new kitchen.”

“good. Now, anything else?”

“hmm, not with you. put Adam back on.” I walk into the kitchen and find Adam there, making breakfast.

“he wants to talk to you.” I say, handing him the phone.

While he goes into the other room talking to my brother, I finish up breakfast.

Adam comes back into the room and doesn’t look to happy. “you okay?” I ask, setting the two plates of food down on the table.

“you told Blake that I forgive you.”

I look at him strangely. Did I miss something here? “Yeah. I don’t even know why he asked but I just said we forgave each other a long time ago…”

“how can you speak for the both of us?!”

“are you saying that you don’t forgive me?”

“I’m saying that I neither did nor didn’t tell you that I forgive you.”

“and what does that mean Adam? That you’ve been dating me for two months now but have yet to forgive me?”

“You cannot just assume things Juliana!” It was the first time in awhile that he used my full name, something I’m not used to.

a laugh escapes my lips, “assuming that my boyfriend has long forgotten about my passed actions, yes, that I cannot do.”

“forgetting and forgiving are two different things.”

“it isn’t possible to forget when you have yet to forgive. Now please, tell me, have you forgiven me for what I did two years ago?”

Adam pauses, not looking at me but out the window. “it does not matter one way or another. As you have said, it’s all in the past.”

“no it is not all in the past unless you have forgiven me! damn it Adam, I thought this was taken care of a long time ago.”

“then obviously you thought wrong.”

“and what did you think? That we’d get married and live happily ever after with this lie above our heads?” He was silent, giving me the answer I needed. “I don’t know what to say Adam except for this; if you have yet to forgive me for not telling you who I was or informing you about Katie then please, get out of my apartment and don’t come back until you can talk about this in an adult manner.”

Without another word Adam storms out the door and slams it behind him.