"He's not working today. What are you planning to do?" Melinda asked.
"I don't know," I muttered. "I wanted to do something without him today. It feels like yesterday we met with his therapist and discussed what needs to be done."
"You haven't done anything with him since you started dating. I think it's time you both started learning things about each other. You guys don't know each other like you think you do. You're not twelve anymore."
"We don't?"
Melinda rolled her eyes and closed her book. The look she was giving me said she'd murder me. I wasn't being ignorant, I just didn't care. Who would want to know anything about Roberto? He was literally the definition of annoying and arrogant. If he wasn't prancing around as Hugo, then he was clinging to me. I feel like we've already spent too much time together.
"You've been dating for a month and you act like his mental health isn't important. When you ignore someone, how do you think it makes them feel? Roberto isn't going to keep being this way for long. We ignored him when he needed us most, and look what happened."
"But--"
"I bet you don't even remember what his favorite thing to do is. I doubt he knows that you hate physical contact."
Why does she always have to be right? She left me alone to think about what she'd said. Of all the days he had to be off from work, it had to be today. I wanted to ignore him for as long as I could until there was a sure change in him that I could see. His sudden change in demeanor isn't enough for me. It'll never be enough.
The front door opened and closed. I sat up and clicked on the TV. At least I can pretend I'm actually enjoying the free time I have here. Roberto came around the corner with the biggest smile on his face. I chose to ignore him and began flipping through the channels. There had to be something interesting to watch. Something that would keep him quiet while I try to figure out how else I can ignore him.
"Bébé, devine quoi?"
"Quelle?"
"Tu te souviens de notre place dans les bois?"
"Yes. What about it?"
Roberto snatched the remote from me and turned off the TV. I sucked my teeth and reluctantly gave him my undivided attention. What did he want now? What is it about the woods we used to hang out in as kids?
"I was out there last week and I realized there's a lot we've been missing out there. Nature is a beautiful thing. Let's go before you talk me out of it and the weather gets cold." Roberto tugged me out of my seat and began dragging me towards the back door. I couldn't get out of this.
"The weather's warm today. I thought we could also share a couple of beers, too."
"...Dude, I'm like 17," I reminded him. "I'm not even legal to drink here. Plus, I don't like beer."
"You are. The legal drinking age is 16 if you ever bothered to look that up or not."
No, I hadn't, because I didn't think I'd be drinking until I was 20. Maybe a little bit older. The sun blinded me as we walked outside. Roberto continued to drag me to the edge of the property. The trees swayed slightly in the small breeze. We stood in silence for a few minutes, memories of our childhood flooding back into my head. I sighed.
"On y va?" Roberto looked at me with excitement in his eyes. I sighed once more and nodded. He began walking into the woods, holding my hand like he was afraid I wouldn't come along. If he hadn't been holding my hand, then, yes, I wouldn't have come along. He's being weird and I don't like it.
Ten minutes later, we found ourselves in the clearing where we'd met each other six years ago. I can remember the question he asked me when he found me staring up at the fallen treehouse.
"You ever wonder why people even build treehouses?" he'd asked.
"...Not really," I'd said. "Do you?"
"No, I just wanted to see if someone ever did."
Silence.
"Ruby."
"Roberto."
I guess that moment will forever be imprinted into my mind, because Roberto started talking about it. His hands were pointing in every direction. I just ignored him and began looking around like there was something more interesting than his talking. I happened upon the giant Beech tree that held the rotting treehouse, which wasn't rotting anymore.
Roberto saddled up beside me. "I thought it needed a little...remodeling. Tante thought it was a great idea. Your tante and oncle were kind enough to convince Melinda to let this happen. It took a little over six months to finish it, but here it is."
"...It looks like a mini apartment," I muttered. "What made you think this was a good idea?"
"Would you had rather come back to planches pourries? I think not. I couldn't stand looking at it when you didn't come back two years ago." Roberto chuckled. "J'avais besoin d'un endroit pour appeler le mien. Until you came back, of course."
He was...very considerate. I guess maybe hanging with him isn't such a bad idea. I could use a home away from home for a while. With everything happening back in the States, it's nice to have another place to think. To keep to myself. Melinda and Renee would assume I'm only here to mess around with Roberto. I doubt that'll be true in a million years.
We managed to get inside without any major injuries. I was beyond awed when he told me there was electricity. There was no way I was going to let this treehouse waste away now. Imagine just being here all the time. It's like my room. Except more private. Roberto offered to make us something to drink before we did anything else.
"You know, you never told me about your family," he said randomly. "You promised you would. I told you about mine."
"Maybe I never intended to tell you about them," I mumbled.
"That would make you a liar and you never lie."
I've lied too much to him to say that I'm not a liar. There really must be something wrong with him besides that disorder.
"Fine." I sighed and tried to get into a comfortable position on the giant beanbag. "First of all, my father and I are the only real Americans in my family. My grandfather is French and my grandmother is Mexican, so I get a little of all three cultures. They married here, where my mom, uncle, and twin aunts were born."
"I didn't know you had twin aunts."
"Me either. Not until they showed up unannounced to one of my birthday parties. Anyway, my grandfather owned a hospital, which he gave to my uncle and his family when he decided he wanted to move to the United States. My aunts, as I have heard, wanted nothing to do with going to America, so they headed to Mexico. Weird, right?"
"No, not really."
I rolled my eyes. "Yeah, well, that left my mother. She wasn't keen on being the forgotten youngest child, so she took her chances. She moved with my grandparents to America and the rest is history. My mom met my dad when she was sixteen. She got pregnant and they were forced to marry. I didn't ask to be here, but it's whatever. You know you never told me about why you live with your aunt."
Roberto chuckled and handed me my drink.
"What's this?" I asked.
"A Summer Shandy. Basically beer and lemonade. It won't make you kill me if it's not to your liking." He smiled and took a seat. "Why do you want to know why I live with my aunt?"
"Because, it's weird how you never mention your parents. It's always about what your aunt wants."
"My parents are dead. Freak accident on a beach in Italy. My tante, being the only relative who loved her brother half to death, took me in. I never liked the arrangement, due to her husband being a douche."
"I know your tante has another brother. What happened to him?"
Roberto scoffed, taking a sip of his drink. His face turned sour, but I don't think it was from the taste.
"He couldn't care less about me. He's barely with his family. He thought it would be nice to leave everything behind to be some doctor in America. I haven't heard from him in a while, so I wouldn't know what he's been up to."
"So...we can both agree we have family who pretend we don't exist until something bad happens?" I asked with a small smile.
"...I guess we can." Roberto returned the smile, but I noticed something different. There was a gleam in his eyes like he was up to no good. I hope he doesn't think he's got me in the palm of his hand. It's me who's got him doing everything I want him to do.