The Bucket List

red light

"He hates his parents?" Natasha asks, as we all sit on my bed, talking and catching up with each other, eating takeaway pizza and sipping diet Coke through a plastic straw out of the can.

"Yeah, I was shocked, but then he explained and I understand why now."

"What are the reasons?"

"I can't. Tell you." I hesitate, knowing he doesn't want people to know. "But just hear me out."

"I don't see how anyone could hate their parents." Rachel says.

"They do a sound pretty terrible." Natasha says, "maybe you don't get it because you had a great childhood." She refers to Rachel's three-story house with a balcony, walk in closet and indoor and outdoor pools, and her being able to play whatever sports she wanted to and eat wherever she wanted to, whenever she wanted to. I can tell that she's comparing it to her own childhood, which as far as I know, consisted of two divorces and her dad losing his job when she was eight, and having to go live with her grandparents because her mother was arrested for domestic violence against her stepdad after he cheated on her, and her dad couldn't provide for both of them anymore. Rachel bites into her second slice of pizza  and mumbles 'maybe.'

None of us had a childhood as good as Rachel did. Even Addison didn't have much money growing up. She could play sports and lived in an okay house, but rarely left Denver unless it was for volleyball or to see her family. Her parents don't get along but are still together and she's still not really sure why. Her dad is an alcoholic but makes enough to support her and her four other siblings, but not enough for rehab. She's never really felt like her parents love her as much as the others, but she's learned to live with it.

And as for me, well everyone already knows my story.

I can tell that Rachel is comparing herself to us as well.

"I get it." Addison says, "I don't hate my parents, but there have been times where I wished I had different ones."

"Me too." Natasha says.

"I haven't had that problem before." I say, "but he seems to get really...sensitive or-upset or... I don't know what word to use but he hates to talk about them or even think about them, and I don't know what to do."

Addison takes a sip of her Coke. "Sex." She says, earning a laugh from the rest of us. I cover my face with my hands.

"I'm serious!"

"Julian really hates talking about school because he's worried about our baby and whether or not he will be able to be there as a father because  he's away, but when he gets like that we usually end up making out."

"But how do you get to that point."

"Reassure him, hold his hand, listen to him and when you think the time is right, you go in for it."

"That's kind of what I thought." I say, "thanks."

"Speaking of the baby, how is everything going?"

"Really great. I had an ultrasound about a week ago actually and I've been meaning to meet up with you guys to tell you... That's it's a girl!"

"A girl! Oh my God! Nat that's so amazing!" Addison says, as Rachel sits there with both hands over her mouth, unable to speak. I look over at Nat with my jaw dropped, and the feeling is indescribable.

It's mostly happiness or joy, some shock and something else-but I don't know what it is. She looks back at me and in sync, we throw our arms around each other.

"Oh, Nat. I am so happy for you."

"Thank you so much, Morgan. I could not have done this without you."