A Long Thaw Read Free Page B

her face. ‘What’s wrong?’
    Jasmine runs her hand through her hair – it’s blue, these days. ‘Ryan invited us.’
    ‘Oh,’ Abby says, and then she nods, trying to act as if it doesn’t catch her off guard at all, as if it happens all the time that her old college roommate and her boyfriend would stop by not to see her. ‘He didn’t tell me.’ She shrugs, and since it sounds sad somehow, she adds, ‘I was out all morning and he’s been busy back there.’ She waves towards the bedroom. ‘It’s fine. I’ll go get him.’
    Jasmine catches her arm and keeps her from leaving, as much by her physical hold as by her stare. ‘Eric, why don’t you go tell him we’re here? Abby and I can catch up.’
    Eric seems grateful to have permission to leave.
    Jasmine pulls Abby to the couch. ‘Is this uncomfortable?’
    ‘I guess it will just be weird for a while, us having nearly all the same friends.’
    Jasmine nods, wriggling out of a red velvet coat that lost its luxuriousness several owners ago. In its first incarnation, it was probably quite formal and she would never have worn it.
    ‘It isn’t like we’re on bad terms or anything,’ Abby says.
    ‘Well, that’s good.’
    ‘Eric hardly spoke to me. Does he hate me now?’
    ‘Oh, no, not at all. He’s just terrible with conflict. Child of divorce.’ She rolls her eyes. ‘He’s so sensitive. It can be really annoying.’
    ‘The first woman to complain that her boyfriend is too sensitive.’
    Jasmine laughs drily. ‘It leaves me to be the tough one. I have to be the guy.’
    Abby makes a face. ‘That does sound terrible.’
    Jasmine smiles. ‘How are you doing?’
    ‘I’m okay. I’m sad. It’s all very strange.’
    ‘I’m sad about it too,’ Jasmine admits. Her real name is Sally. She changed it when she went away to college. Her mother used to call their room and ask for Sally. Abby hasn’t ever told anyone, isn’t even sure Eric knows.
    ‘I’m sure things will be less tense soon.’ Abby hears herself reassuring Jasmine and it makes her feel suddenly restless. ‘Want a drink?’ She stands up and walks to the kitchen. Jasmine follows, saying she’ll have water.
    ‘Did you drive in?’ Abby asks, pouring two glasses from the Brita. She remembers growing up in New Hampshire, drinking from the tap.
    Jasmine hoists herself up to sit on the counter. ‘Oh, no, we parked in Lowell. Took the train in.’
    ‘How’s work?’ Abby passes one glass to Jasmine and gulps her own.
    ‘Challenging,’ Jasmine muses.
    Abby had always thought Jasmine would have to find a more natural hair colour once she entered the workplace, but she had found a job in a residential facility for troubled girls. She has stopped wearing her nose rings, though, since they could be dangerous in a restraint situation. She has three empty holes in her left nostril. Abby wonders if they might remain there for the rest of her life. It’s nearly impossible to picture Jasmine as an old woman, as someone who might some day return to using her given name.
    The guys come down the hallway, chuckling at the tail end of a conversation. Jasmine hops down from the counter and hugs Ryan.
    ‘Good to see you,’ he tells Jasmine, and then he nods a hello to Abby.
    ‘So where are you guys off to?’ Abby asks, not sure if she’s supposed to. She doesn’t know the etiquette for situations like this.
    ‘We’re going to hang out in Harvard Square,’ Jasmine says. ‘Drink coffee. People-watch.’
    It amuses Abby to think of Jasmine people-watching. Jasmine is exactly the kind of person other people watch.
    ‘Well, have fun. I have a lot of work to do myself.’ Abby knows she’s responding to an invitation that was never given.
    The four of them stand awkwardly in the kitchen for a moment.
    ‘Well, let’s hit it,’ Jasmine suggests at last, getting her coat from the couch. ‘Call me later in the week. We’ll go shopping,’ she says to Abby, over her shoulder.
    ‘Sure,’