Nothing Less

Chapter Twenty- Seven

Songs for this chapter are: 

Pushing Away- Kevin Garrett

Unhinged- Nick Jonas

Trouble- Halsey 

....

"Can we stay out here a while?" Nora asks, her lips against my neck. "I'm not ready to go inside and face either of them."

"Yeah, we can. Let's play a game." I tell her, less spirited than the last time we played this game. "I'll ask my questions first."

I don't give her a chance to opt out of participating. I lead her to the couch and look around again, to make sure we are still alone. We are. The wind has picked up on the roof and her hair is blowing in front of her face. I sit on the opposite side of the couch and prepare my questions. I don't need much time this time.

"Why did you and your sister get in a fight? What are the papers they all want you to sign, and why did you bring me hear knowing that I was clueless? And how long did you know I was dating Dakota?"

Nora lets out a dramatic sigh and she lifts her legs and props her feet up on the table in front of us. "That's four. But I'll let it pass, given the circumstance." She eyes me. "I was fighting with my sister because she hasn't had my back for the last three years and I needed to pull away from my family for a while. I'm skipping this one, and I brought you here because I wanted to make you happy. I was hoping that for one night my sister wouldn't be a cunt, and that they would love you as much as I do. I knew for a little while." Nora shrugs her shoulders and leans up to take her shoes off.

Just how long is a little while? And does this bother me? I can't decide if it does.

Nora drops the sandals on the dark stained wood and I watch her fingers brush over the neckline of her shirt. We are still the only people up here and for a moment, I can imagine the two of us, on a rooftop patio drinking sparkling red wine. We are older and without so much weight on our shoulders.

That moment ends with the blaring horn of an obnoxious taxi. I will never understand why exactly they honk as if it's going to get them anywhere. I miss the luxury of having a car and the freedom that comes with it. Will I ever drive again? Or will I live in this concrete jungle for the rest of my days?

"My turn." Nora says, laying her feet back onto the table. I wish I would have asked for another glass of wine. Not for me, but for her.

"Why did you come here tonight? What did you and Dakota do that binds you so tightly to her? And..." she taps her almond shaped fingernails against her chin. "And if I met your family," another pause, "and they didn't already know me, what would you introduce me as?"

Nora stares out into the skyline. It really is beautiful up here. Did I mention I can see the freaking Empire State building from here? Maybe I do like Manhattan after all.

"I came here to get to know you a little more. I had planned to do that by meeting your sister and her husband. That didn't go as planned," I hesitate, but keep answering the questions Nora listed for me. If we are going to move toward any sort of relationship, I shouldn't be skipping questions. We are past that, right?

Dakota... Dakota, Dakota. Where should I start?

"Well, for starters, she is all alone in the world. Except me. I'm it. So regardless of what happens between us or how irrational she's being, I'm always going to look out for her. I know it probably doesn't make a lot of sense to you," I move closer to her and stretch my legs out onto the table a foot or so away from hers. "But she's like my family. I can't just completely quit her."