Among Friends

Emerson had kissed his woman erstwhile he came in, which was nan correct point to do. Even though she’d been sitting astatine nan room table, quiet vessel earlier her, pinch nan spaceless look successful her eyes that made him deliberation he could slap her and she mightiness not moreover notice. She started astatine nan sound of his voice. His lips grazed her hair.

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“Making headway connected nan quality condition?”

Retsy gave him a look—the benignant he respected and, successful a way, loved. One of idle disdain. He didn’t deliberation she held him wholly successful contempt, but that she could definitive nan mo‑ ments she did pinch specified a deficiency of restraint appealed to him connected a primitive, intersexual level. So he kissed her again, this clip pinch feeling, and told her astir nan crash.

Upstairs, he stripped disconnected his sweater and pants, nan loop buckle sounding faintly against nan floor. There was nary request for nan alteration of clothes: though he had travel from nan city, he’d not worn a suit to nan agency and what he was astir to put connected would hardly beryllium different from what he’d removed. Still, aft an ordeal for illustration that, he wanted thing new.

Emerson preferred to person visitors having spent astatine slightest a time aliases 2 successful nan house. Being location beforehand ensured that erstwhile he opened nan door, clapped them connected nan shoulder, and lifted their children, it was clear that he belonged successful immoderate basal way, that they were his guests, that agelong aft they’d gone he would stay. Perhaps, then, nan unnecessary alteration successful attire was an effort to execute immoderate type of this effect.

He dressed arsenic 1 would expect. He entered apparel for illustration opinions, pinch nan graceful assurance of personification who has not questioned their choices. Legs, arms. The mini leaping of muscles, nan proposal of strength. Any broader and his rima mightiness person been excessively large. Instead, his grin held for illustration an embrace. Dazzling teeth, lips for illustration folds of rich | fabric, a grin successful which 1 wants to believe. It was nan benignant that tin only beryllium to a man: it had nary consciousness of history; it seemed unaware of nan world.

He was not smiling now, however. He was pulling connected his slacks and wishing Amos were already location truthful he could fig‑ ure retired really he felt astir what had happened. Which was that he’d deed a female pinch his car. True, she hadn’t died, and nan statement was that she’d beryllium fine—but still, it was something, wasn’t it? Plus, nan specifications which emerged aft had raised big‑feeling questions, questions he didn’t want to deliberation done connected his own.

Retsy had said nan correct things, nan ones to beryllium expected, but location was a limit to really acold she could go. When it came to thinking, she was for illustration personification who tidied but ne'er cleaned. He laughed to himself. That was a clever measurement to put it. A small mean, yes, but truthful nan truth tended to go. He could moreover ideate it slipping retired 1 time arsenic thing he really said.

Anyway, Amos. The thought of his friend made Emerson region and look toward nan barn. His temper brightened. His thorax lifted pinch a pleasant, deliberate breath. Something astir his friend seemed to committedness a purging. Time spent pinch Amos was for illustration taking a damp cloth to dusty windows: successful its wake, nan world of nuance sprang forth. He should show him, Emerson thought. Why not opportunity it precisely for illustration that?

Oh, but Amos already knew. Decades now, their friend‑ ship. Since college, since nan first time of college. They con‑ fided successful 1 another, they hugged. Not for illustration men, but for illustration friends. Real, loving hugs, clutches without irony. People en‑ vied them; they measured their ain lives against what they had. He’s my Amos, 1 mightiness say. It wasn’t true, of course. But Emerson allowed them their hope.

Through nan wall he heard Sophie telephone to Retsy. He smiled astatine nan tone. They weren’t fighting, but it had an edge. Sophie was recently sixteen, and nan connection itself—Mom—had go a soiled rag, 1 she uttered arsenic if holding astatine arm’s length.

She’s atrocious to me, Retsy had complained recently. Oh, stop, he said, patting her knee. Amos says Anna’s nan aforesaid pinch Claire. Then he kept reading—a history of awesome battles. Turning nan page, Emerson wondered whether, had condition demanded, he might’ve been shown to person a akin genius.

Sophie was going downstairs. A quick, sock‑footed patter described her descent. He could image nan measurement she’d trace nan railing pinch nan tips of her fingers. He pulled astatine his cuffs and inspected his palms, brushing them cleanable of nothing. He had not erstwhile looked successful nan mirror. He was vain, of course, but it was a powerful kind. He did not extremity to wonder. He did not request to beryllium reminded.

He would spell down and make judge they weren’t astatine each other’s throats. Or, if they were, he’d break it up and lighten nan mood. He was still beardown capable to heave Sophie complete his shoulder. She claimed to dislike it, but he wasn’t sure. Be‑ sides, it was his birthday, he loved her and it was fun.

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From Among Friends by Hal Ebbott. Used pinch support of nan publisher, Riverhead Books. Copyright © 2025 by Hal Ebbott.