Hey, so, I was gonna call but I felt weird about it. I’ll call if you want me to, I’m not trying to take the easy way out, but I thought I’d rather not put you on the spot. I wanted to say I’m really, really sorry. I was so so so in the wrong with Jaz, and I was in the wrong with Ray. I told myself I was telling you because I cared about you and wanted to keep you safe. But actually I wanted to have you back to myself. So I fucked everything up for you. I regret it more than anything, and if there’s anything I can do to make it better, I will. I understand if that’s not good enough for you, and you don’t have to reply if you don’t want to, but please know I am sorry. I won’t ever do anything like this again. Also, I miss you. A lot.

Send.

“Call her, Darc,” Mom said.

“It’s done. I’ve texted her. She’ll let me know if she wants to talk.”

Mom made a big show of rolling her eyes and sighing like I’d just decided to text instead of call the president with news of an impending nuclear attack or something. Yeah, yeah, me and my whole generation were heathens, I got it. “Thank you,” I said.

“For what? You didn’t take any of my advice.”

“Yeah. But you listened.”

Mom held out her hands for a hug, and I went to her. “I’ll make sure to do that better from now on. I also need you to promise to come to me whenever you need help from now on. Deal?”

“Deal.”

“Are you done?” Ainsley called out from the staircase. “I can’t hear weeping or groveling.”

“I texted her instead,” I called back, pulling out of the hug.

“Oh, great call,” Ainsley said, coming back into the living room. “At least that doesn’t put her in an awkward spot.”

Mom threw up her hands in disbelief.

Ainsley was carrying a dress over one arm. “Okay, two things. First, these sleeves have to go.” She unfurled the dress to reveal a cream peasant dress with sleeves that puffed out, then came in to meet a band, several times from the shoulder to the waist. Three puffs per sleeve.

“Um, obviously, they’re hideous,” I said.

“Of course. But I’m wondering whether to go totally sleeveless or to hem it off under one puff so it’s, like, understated poofy.”

Mom narrowed her eyes, deep in thought. I did the same.

“Keep one puff,” we said at the same time.

“Okay, fantastic, you guys are the best. Um, but also, Oriella just posted a new video, Darc.”

“Cool, I’ll check it out later.”

“No, like, a big one. She’s just announced a tour. She’s coming to L.A.”