4

MARGOT’S OFF SHOPPING FOR NEW boots with her friend Casey, Daddy’s at work, and Kitty
and I are lazing about watching TV when my phone buzzes next to me. It’s a text from Peter. Movie
tonight? I text back yes, exclamation point. Then I delete the exclamation point for sounding too eager.
Though without the exclamation point, the yes seems completely unenthused. I settle on a smiley face
and press send before I can obsess over it further.
“Who are you texting with?” Kitty is sprawled out on the living room floor, spooning pudding into
her mouth. Jamie tries to steal a lick, but she shakes her head and scolds, “You know you can’t have
chocolate!”
“I was texting with Peter. You know, that might not even be real chocolate. It might be imitation.
Check the label.”
Of all of us, Kitty is firmest with Jamie. She doesn’t immediately pick him up when he’s crying to
be held; she sprays him in the face with a water bottle when he’s naughty. All tricks she’s learning
from our across-the-street neighbor Ms. Rothschild, who it turns out is kind of a dog whisperer. She
used to have three dogs, but when she and her husband got divorced, she got to keep Simone the
golden retriever, and he got custody of the other two.
“Is Peter your boyfriend again?” Kitty asks me.
“Um. I’m not sure.” After what Margot said last night about taking things slow and being careful
with my heart and not going to a point of no return, maybe it’s good to exist in a place of unsureness
for a while. Also, it’s hard to redefine something that never had a clear definition in the first place.
We were two people pretending to like each other, pretending to be a couple, so now what are we?
And how might it have unfolded if we’d started liking each other without the pretense? Would we
ever have been a couple? I guess we’ll never know.
“What do you mean, you’re not sure?” Kitty presses. “Shouldn’t you know if you’re somebody’s
girlfriend or not?”
“We haven’t discussed it yet. I mean, not explicitly.”
Kitty switches the channel. “You should look into that.”
I roll on my side and prop myself up on my elbow. “But would that change anything? I mean, we
like each other. What’s the difference between that and the label? What would change?” Kitty doesn’t
answer. “Hello?”
“Sorry, can you say that again at the commercial break? I’m trying to watch my show.”
I throw a pillow at her head. “I would be better off discussing these things with Jamie.” I clap my
hands. “C’mere, Jamie!”
Jamie lifts his head to look at me and then lies back down again, nestled against Kitty’s side, still
hoping for pudding, I’m sure.
In the car last night Peter didn’t seem troubled by the status of our relationship. He seemed happy
and carefree as always. I’m definitely a person who worries too much over every little thing. I could
do with a bit more of Peter’s roll-with-it philosophy in my life.
“Wanna help me pick out what to wear to the movies with Peter tonight?” I ask Kitty.
“Can I come too?”