Chapter 16
Chapter Sixteen
Ivy
"Do I smell pot?" Romeo's voice shifts to a teasing tone. It's a little over the top. A game, for Cynthia's benefit.
She's more model-like than I expected. Tall, thin, beautiful in a striking way. A California Casual version of Naomi Campbell, with the same dark brown skin and symmetrical features.
She really does fit into the surroundings, in her short-shorts, oversized hoodie, and natural curls. She even speaks with a slight California accent.
She looks like someone who belongs in this beautiful, well-manicured backyard. She glows the way the aqua pool and the soft lanterns do.
"You must be the famous Doctor Made-Up-Girlfriend.
" She nods hello, but her gaze meets Romeo’s.
"I told Daniel you wouldn't bother making up a girlfriend.
I told him you're proud to sleep with a different woman every week—" she takes a drag off her e-cig and turns to the direction of the wind to blow out a cloud of cotton candy and marijuana vapor.
"Sorry, two women a week. I told him, ‘Danny, sweetheart, why do you think your brother lives and dies for your approval?’ And he said, ‘you don't get it Cyn'.
He's so hopped up on this business just because Dad said it was a great idea once before he died. Like Dad would have known a good business idea if it fell on his lawn mower.’" She takes another drag.
"But you know Danny. He's like a dog with a bone. "
I don't know Danny—uh, Daniel, actually—but it's kind of hard to imagine this woman with a guy who everyone describes as uptight.
Not that she seems laid back, exactly. She has the anxious energy a lot of regular pot-smokers do. They insist the herb helps them calm down, but their speed of conversation suggests otherwise.
But, hey, I'm not her therapist. Or an expert on legal drugs. Maybe it works for her. None of my business, really.
"Sorry, I'm being rude." She offers her hand. "I'm Cynthia. You must be Ivy."
I shake.
"Do you want a hit?" She holds up the e-cig. "Rome, same offer goes to you, if you promise to keep this between us."
"I think the stench of state fair is going to give you away, Cyn," he says.
She flips him off.
He smiles. It's a smile I haven't seen on him before. A completely honest one.
How did he describe her? Did he describe her?
She is gorgeous. It's not hard to see how he'd develop a crush. And there's nothing wrong with a crush, in theory. Really, they can be great for people in long term relationships. Give them new relationship energy to bring back to their partner.
And we're not in any sort of relationship.
So, it's none of my business.
But I am curious.
Or maybe I'm too into him, too jealous, seeing signs of interest in other women elsewhere just because my ex didn't have any in me.
"I don't know how you stand that shit, Cyn." Romeo shakes his head. "It's vile. Pot and fake cotton candy shouldn’t be combined."
"I have gummies," she says. "If you want one, Ivy."
"So that's how you put up with Daniel," Romeo teases.
She flips him off again.
"I thought you quit," Romeo says.
"Is that what Danny said?" she asks.
"Not exactly," Romeo says.
She shakes her head. "He knows better. We fight about it. But it could be worse, right? I could be sticking a needle in my arm." She looks to me. "Does it smell that bad?"
"I'm not a big fan of the smell of pot," I admit.
"See, tact, how hard is that?" she asks. "Let me put it away." She blows out her last puff and returns the vape pen to the back pocket of her shorts.
"Was that enough to get you high? You should see her high. She starts asking existential questions," Romeo says.
"When I was fifteen, maybe," she says.
"Was that really the last time we got high together?" he asks.
"No. That Christmas. Remember?" she asks. "Why do you think Daniel and I fight about it?"
"Right." He smiles.
She returns the gesture.
A shared memory. Story. Because they're family.
That's all.
"Are you really Mr. Clean Cut now that you come home at seven a.m. in last night's suit?" she asks.
"What else did Daniel tell you?" Romeo asks. "Did he send pictures too?"
"If only." She looks to me. "What about you, Ivy? Are you one of those doctors who researches psychedelics by trying them out yourself?"
"Not yet, no," I say. There is a lot of new and exciting research on these substances, but most of it isn’t in my field.
"But you've heard of them?" she asks.
"When did you become a druggie?" he asks.
"On the cutting edge of new technology, you mean?" she asks. "Always, that's when. Everyone knows ketamine is the latest cool depression treatment. Right?"
"I'm a PhD, not an M.D.," I say. "But it is a promising new area, yes."
"Take the win, Cyn," he says.
"I like her," she says. "He's jealous because when we tried mushrooms, he spent the entire time throwing up and crying, whereas I felt all the fabric of space and time come apart.
Have you ever thought about how we're all made out of matter?
And how arbitrary it is that it's in the form of a body? And that this is my body?"
"So, you did just vape enough to get high," he says.
"I'm being serious, Rome. No surprise you can't tolerate that for a minute." She shakes her head. "But I'm being rude too. What do you think, Ivy? What's your PhD in?"
"I'm a sex therapist," I say. I don’t want to lie about that part. Or talk around it. I’m not sure if his family knows or not, but I’m going to go forward sharing all the details.
"Daniel left that out," she says. "Interesting."
"I can't prescribe medicine, but I'm not against alternative therapies," I say. "MDMA was initially used for couples counseling."
"Maybe that's what we need to liven up this weekend." She laughs. "You think your mom would go for it?"
"Oh? You haven't heard her stories about clubbing in Ibiza?" he asks.
"What about you, Ivy?" she asks. "Do you dabble in anything fun?"
"Mostly alcohol," I say.
"Have you ever wanted to try something?" she asks.
"Don't peer pressure my girlfriend," Romeo says.
"I didn't bring any drugs with me, don't worry. Danny would have a cow," she says.
"How does he put up with you?" Romeo asks.
"You don't know everything about your brother, Rome," she says.
He raises a brow.
She shrugs, refusing to elaborate. "Have you ever been curious to try anything? When you were younger?"
"I liked the thought of MDMA," I say. "The idea of feeling all that love. A sense of connection to the universe. There is something beautiful about that sort of awe. It doesn't come naturally to me."
"Is there any place where you do feel connection?" she asks.
"The beach, sometimes," I say. "Or in the pool, when I get into the zone, become one with the water."
She nods. "I used to run. It was the same." She looks to Romeo. "See? I can talk about more than drugs. Although, I could tell you so many stories about Romeo on drugs. If he thinks I'm a fool high, he should see the pictures from high school."
So they didn’t just get high together the one time when they were fifteen? They did it a lot?
She notices the confusion on my face and looks to Romeo. "You asshole. You didn't tell her we're old friends?"
"It didn't come up," he says.
"He's embarrassed by me," she says. "Daniel too. They both ask me to pretend I'm a lady around Mama Galante. Not that she gives a fuck. The woman is a poet. Do you really think she hasn't dropped acid?"
"That's my mother," Romeo says.
"I swear, I'm not obsessed. It just comes with the territory. Here." She digs through her purse and pulls out something. A small metal tin. " As an apology for your boyfriend forgetting to explain our relationship dynamics."
"Are you giving my girlfriend drugs?" Romeo asks.
"It's called manners, yes. Besides, I have plenty," she says.
"She works in the legal marijuana industry," he says.
"And Daniel is okay with that?" I ask.
"Have you met my fiancé?" she asks.
I shake my head.
"So, you've only head what your boyfriend thinks of him?" She shakes her head of course. "Sure, he's not Mr. Laid Back, but he's got a rebellious side."
"Where?" Romeo asks.
She waves him away and motions to the tin. "Those are prescription strength. Start with half."
"I do appreciate it." I slip the tin into my pocket. "And Rome will too. I, uh…" My cheeks flush. I don't even have to try. "I get really horny when I'm high."
Romeo raises a brow. He shares a look with Cynthia. A knowing look.
One that hints at a sexual past. My stomach flares with envy. Not fake envy. Real envy.
She notices. "Don't worry. I've never slept with your boyfriend. We were friends when we were kids. Then I meet Danny and…" She lets out a long sigh… "He thought I was the most annoying girl in the world, I'm pretty sure. But I thought he was the most handsome, smart guy I'd ever seen."
"How did you get together?" I ask.
"I'd given up on him noticing me at that point, but I still wanted to make him realize he'd messed up, if he did suddenly notice me.
When Rome and I were hanging out, I'd wear the sluttiest outfits.
All through middle school and my first three years of high school, I walked around here with my tits out.
Well, what I have." She motions to her shapeless sweatshirt.
"You can't tell, but they're not the biggest."
"Me neither," I say.
"No, honey, those are nice," she says. "And grapefruits compared to mine."
"Cynthia!" Romeo exclaims. He says something to her in Spanish.
She replies back with a perfect accent.
"Fuck. Don't go straight to SAT words. You know my Spanish isn't that good," he says.
"Then don't play that game, honey. You know Danny is as fluent as a native speaker." She smiles. "Sorry if I offended you, Ivy. I don't mean anything by it. You have a nice figure. But I'm sure you also have many other traits Romeo appreciates. Like what, for example, Romeo?"
"She's smart," he says.
"No shit, Sherlock. She's a doctor," Cynthia says. "Can we go a little deeper?”