The Remaining Read Free Page A

being honest.”
    “Jack Turner,” Tommy said, joking. “The ultimate blank slate.”
    “Come on,” Dan said. “It’s confession time. Jack just needs a few minutes to wake his brain cells up.”
    “Ha-ha.”
    Skylar went first. No surprise there.
    “I’ve always wanted to ask my parents something. I’ve always wanted them to tell me if they’re just faking it. If they really, truly are that in love with one another.”
    “That’s awful,” Tommy said.
    “What? I’m being honest.”
    “Your parents are crazy for each other.”
    “I know, I know,” Skylar said. “It’s just   —I wish I knew their secret. Or if they’re just really good fakers.”
    We laughed and couldn’t believe she actually thought that. Everybody knew the Chapmans. They weren’t faking it. Granted, I’m sure they had their struggles, though it was hard to imagine.
    Each question seemed to get a little deeper and more personal.
    I brought up the whole having-kids thing with Blake. It was a subject that we hadn’t talked about yet, simply because I didn’t want to be the girl who asked the question about how many kids he’d like. Blake didn’t seem too interested in kids in general and never, ever, ever said something like, “Man, I can’t wait to have a couple of boys or girls one day.” He never went there. So of course I was genuinely curious.
    “So just ask,” Tommy eventually said.
    “I don’t want to even go there. I mean   —we’re barely talking about the future and all that. I don’t want him feeling pressured.”
    Tommy’s question revolved around his father and what he really thought of Tommy’s current career and life direction. It was an obvious choice for Tommy, since he spoke often about his clashes with his parents.
    When Jack finally got serious, he opened up about his hope and desire to play some kind of professional sport and the door that had closed since college. I knew it had been tough for him but didn’t realize how tough.
    For all of us, the vulnerability being expressed was special and rare.
    These were all such great people.
    Allie finally began to speak. But as she started to talk, something happened.
    It’s like she was going to say something and then changed her mind.
    “I guess my question   —my questions   —are just general ones,” she said. “Ones I have that anybody could answer. I would just like to know if all these things I want to do   —things I hope to do in the future   —will ever come true. Will ever actually happen. Sometimes it seems like I have too many lofty goals and plans, and then I think I’m not even anywhere close to doing all of those. It’s overwhelming.”
    “You can do it,” Skylar said. “How’s that for an answer?”
    Allison laughed. But something told me she had wanted to share more. About what, I didn’t know.
    We talked more about the future and things we wanted to do and things we hoped would happen. This lasted for about twenty minutes and even I forgot that Dan hadn’t said anything.
    “Wait a minute,” Skylar said, breaking the conversation. “Dan   —you didn’t even give us your big question.”
    “Oh, that’s okay. I enjoyed all of yours.”
    The fire crackled in front of us and the stars glowed like tiny little embers in the night. Dan had an arm around Skylar and looked comfortable and even almost tired.
    Little did I know Mr. Dan Wilson could be such a good actor.
    “Oh, come on,” Skylar continued. “You have to have some question. Something about the job?”
    Dan acted like he was considering. This was when I began to think, Wait a minute, he might actually propose to her.
    “I guess the biggest question I have is like lots of yours. Where I’ll be. I mean, I wonder if I’ll be able to do this night after night, week after week, year after year.”
    “Do what?” Skylar asked.
    “Be next to you.”
    That’s when I think all of us knew, including Skylar. Her eyes grew wider as she turned to get a good