Page 54 of Tumbling Hearts

“If you do, try not to get lost. It’s nothing like Detroit,” Carol says, eyeing Ray.

“We’ll be fine, babe,” Ray reassures. “Well, if you’ll excuse me, I need to run to the restroom real quick, if you don’t mind.”

“You going to bring Gene along with you?” She raises an eyebrow.

Gene wonders the same thing, if Ray is setting up some sort of ploy. But to his dismay, Ray shakes his head. It’s probably for the best anyway. Don’t want to raise more suspicions. “No, just gotta do my business. I’ll be back in a bit.”

“Alright, we’ll still be here,” Gene says, giving him a smile.

Ray smiles back, then stands up from the couch, weaving his way past the crowd to go find wherever the restroom is.

Which leaves Gene alone with Carol.

Well, not technically alone, but the rest of the Brooms and their crew are paying them no mind. They’re all engrossed in their own conversations: Pat hanging out with Dennis, Santi chatting with Maurice (they’re seeming to become closer friends, which makes Gene happy), Nicky is standing with the members of the opening band, and Stefan has a chick by his side, as usual.

Ray will be back soon. But in the meantime, Gene needs to not make a fool of himself acting awkward around his best friend’s girlfriend.

“You know, I guess now that we have a moment… I wanted to ask you something, Gene,” Carol says, fidgeting with the hem of her knee-length skirt.

Oh, I’m bound to make a fool of myself, alright.

“Um, yeah. What were you thinking?” he asks as nonchalantly as he can.

“So, you’re Ray’s best friend, right?” He nods at her question. “So therefore, maybe you can help explain why he’s been acting strange lately.”

“What… exactly do you mean? ‘Acting strange’?” He tries to sound genuinely confused, despite knowing what this may be about…

“Well, you know. He’s been distant toward me. I was wondering if you knew anything about why that might be, since you know him so well. I mean, you were the one that went with him on that Fourth of July trip, just the two of you.”

There it is, that mention of the trip again. She’d brought that up to Ray yesterday, too. And she has every right to. If only she knew what really happened those few days…

“I-I guess so, but y’know, we didn’t really talk about you or girls or anything like that. When we hang out, it’s usually just about music or whatever else we’re busy with that day. I mean, with the band.”

Carol raises her brows, hidden behind her brown bangs. “Music, huh? I suppose that makes sense. But I don’t know, it just feels weird to me. I feel like there’s something he’s still hiding. I can’t really prove it’s another woman—I haven’t seen anyone else around him. But I know he cheated on his old girlfriend before me. I was worried I got myself into this big ol’ mess with some rockstar because he seemed to like me a lot. But you are really close to him. I figured maybe you’d have some insight. Oh Gene, what am I supposed to do with him?”

Gene shakes his head. “How the hell should I know? I don’t fuck him. I don’t know the first thing about actually being in a relationship with Ray like that.”

Carol’s eyes widen. “Well, now. Um… Okay. I was just asking.”

Truthfully, Gene just wants this conversation to be done and over with. Blatant lying seemed to be the only thing that would get her to stop. He can’t answer any of these questions. He can’t just fucking admit that the reason she’s having any of these relationship woes is because of Gene himself. Why yes, I completely understand, you have all the reason to worry because it’s true—I am fucking him. Your boyfriend is cheating on you, but it’s not with another woman.

It’s with me.

Gene feels bad for her. She really did get involved in this big mess, first sleeping with Gene and then Ray, no thought involved from any of them—just going with the flow and riding the waves. That’s all they’ve been doing, and look how they’ve ended up. Carol has been hanging onto Ray for nearly a whole year now. Gene can feel in his heart that something isn’t right, that Ray shouldn’t still be with her, but it’s not Gene’s place to tell her that. He’s already argued with Ray about it, and that went nowhere. If Ray is still going to try to be with her, break up with her, whatever he decides, that should be Ray’s responsibility to deal with his own shit. Not Gene’s.

But didn’t I help get Carol involved in the first place?

“Sorry, I don’t mean to sound harsh.” Gene shrugs, taking a drag of a cigarette to help clear his thoughts. “I just don’t have any answers, really. I know you’re worried, but I don’t have any advice that would help. That’s all.”

Carol sighs, leaning back further into the couch. “Well, alright. Was worth a shot. Thanks anyway.”

Right on cue, Ray makes an appearance, weaving through the crowd and finding his way back to the couch. Thank god, Gene thinks. He can’t stand another minute of this conversation with Carol. Hopefully Ray didn’t overhear anything, but it’s unlikely given the ambient noise of all the chatter surrounding them. Ray plops right back down in his old seat, next to his girlfriend. Gene takes another huff of his cigarette.

“Did I miss anything while I was gone?” Ray asks in a playful manner, looking at Gene.

“You weren’t really gone long enough to miss much,” Gene chuckles. He makes eye contact with Carol briefly before gazing at Ray again.

“That’s good. Now, where were we?”