“I was eighteen,” I corrected her.

“Who the fuck cares? Those nosy assholes just loved to put their noses in everyone else’s business. I loved getting them all riled up.”

“You really did.”

Savannah laughs again. The goosebumps get worse.

Hazel looks at me with a warm smile. “You always were my favorite, Murphy baby.” Her hand reaches up and cups my cheek with motherly affection. It fucking unravels me.

“Naturally.”

“You should have seen him back then, Savannah. What a fucking mess he was. He drank too much. Loved to get into fights. If he hadn’t gone into the service, he would have been destined for prison, this one.”

“Ha ha,” I stutter flatly.

“But I could see the light inside. Murph was better than that, but life had been a real bitch to him.”

Savannah’s eyes are on me now, but I can’t look at her. There is too much emotion hiding beneath the surface, and I’m afraid if I look at Savannah, she’ll see it.

“Oh and the girls,” Hazel laughed. “I knew teenage boys were bad, but this kid would nail anything that walked by.”

“Jesus, Hazel,” I groan, hiding my face again. She’s not wrong, but her candid manner when discussing my teenage sex life is still alarming. Savannah laughs again, but this time it’s tense and forced. Her eyes are still on me.

“If you had known him then, Savannah, you two certainly wouldn’t be wasting as much time as you are now, that’s for sure.”

“Okay, change of subject,” I call out, noticing Savannah’s cheeks burning pink.

“I’m being serious,” Hazel continues. “I’ve lived long enough to know when two people need to get over their shit and do it already.”

“Who says we haven’t?” Savannah answers her with a sly smile.

Hazel’s face lights up like a Christmas tree.

“She’s kidding, Hazel.” I shoot Savannah a warning glance, but she only laughs at me in response.

“Well, if you haven’t, you should.” Hazel puts her hand on Savannah’s leg and passes her the nearly burnt out cigarette. Savannah turns and puts it out in the ashtray. She doesn’t seem to expect the next words that come out of Hazel’s mouth because I watch her tense and freeze. “Savannah just got out of a bad relationship, and she needs someone like you, Murph. Someone to help her move on.”

I watch Savannah as she gulps down whatever sentiment that’s running through her.

And when her eyes meet mine, she squirms under my stare. A bad relationship. I’m desperate to know more. A bad relationship like abusive? Or someone cheated? Was she hurt or did she hurt him?

“I’m fine,” Savannah murmurs but it’s not convincing.

“She puts on a brave face,” Hazel says, then yawns. Her focus fades on a spot across the room, and the space grows quiet as we wait for her to say something. I notice a slight shake to her arms as she relaxes against the headboard, looking suddenly very quiet.