His phone rang several times before he answered with a breathless hello. I wondered what he’d been doing. Fucking someone after a hearty dinner of kale and quinoa?
“What the hell is going on with you and Carmen?” I asked him.
“Who is this?”
“You know goddamn well who this is. Why are you and Carmen hanging out together and talking about me behind my back?”
He sighed. “We’re just concerned about you, Jason.”
“Well, don’t be. I’m fine.”
“Are you?”
“Yes. Stay out of my fucking life, Jared, and stay away from my cousin.”
He was silent for a few moments before asking, “Have you been drinking?”
I hung up on him.
* * * *
My mother called Wednesday afternoon around three to let me know that she and Paul had made it back to Philadelphia and by eight that night, I was at Paul’s apartment in his bed, welcoming him home.