Michelle Kassner

Honestly I don't know how we got friends. I mean, I know. I remember a certain high school party at the Hamptons when Michelle and Theo first talked - a real conversation, I mean. We were all in the same class, but Michelle was one of those annoying rich girls. She is still a little annoying. She is one of those people that just don't care if she's hurting you or not, but she'll say whatever she has to say, reason why we were not very close back then. But after this party at Lynn’s house at the Hamptons about 8 years ago, if I remember correctly, Michelle and Theo got close - an unlikely friendship was born and she became part of the group. At that time, I merely accepted her. We would only consolidate our friendship on the following year, after 9/11. No, I don’t talk about it.

I was leaving class when I got a text message from Michelle in my cell. "Emergency at the Bossa", meaning she needed a beer.

I got there first. Tony was changing the CD - soundtrack there was always bossa nova or something alike (to honor the name of the bar, of course).
- Hey, Kyle! New CD, tell me what you think about later. A beer?
- Maybe a six pack, but I don't know who else is coming... Michelle summoned me.
Theo and Lynn arrived almost at the same time, and Michelle was the last. She burst at the bar, already ordering:
- Hey, Tony, a six pack please!
- There’s only 4 of us. – I pointed.
- Where’s Andie?
- Still out of town. – Theo answered.
- And what about your stupid boyfriend? – Michelle asked Lynn.
- Junior is working.
- Fine, I don’t need him… Tony, a six pack please!
- Freak, there’s only 4 of us. – I said.
- I’ll have 3 beers. – she explained. – At once!

We just stared at her. Tony brought the pack and she drank the first one without even toasting, which meant breaking a tradition.
- Cheers. – Lynn, Theo and I said at the same time.
She finished the first beer without breathing. Then she looked at our wide-opened eyes and said:
- I think my parents are getting a divorce.

Michelle lives in a breathtaking apartment at the Upper East Side, with her parents and her young sister. She never really wanted to get out of her parents’ house. It was just easier to stay there, with no responsibilities, no obligations, at least until she could finish the Law School and get a real job that probably her dad would find for her.

- You think? Did you hear something? Were they fighting? – Lynn asked.
- They were fighting like never before. I’ve seen them arguing before, couples fight all the time, I know all that. But there was something in her tone of voice, like she was actually sad and he sounded really… guilty. I don’t know. And the last thing that he said was that maybe they needed a break. I got so astonished that I just entered the room and said “good morning” as if nothing was happening. They pretended nothing was happening, which is pretty much the way my family works, you know that.

- Oh honey, I’m sorry. – Lynn said. – How are you feeling?
- Well, I never worked with the idea of my parents splitting up. It’s weird.
- I can imagine what you’re going through. My parents have such a solid marriage that I don’t know what would happen if they were not together anymore… It’s crazy, it’s impossible.

Lynn looked at me. She was sensitive like no one else. Michelle, on the other hand…
- How is it, Kyle?
I put my glass back at the table and cleaned my throat before answering the bitter answer:
- I don’t know, Michelle. The process was a bit different in my case. My father just left.
- So they are not divorced?
- No.
- But still… You…
I had to interrupt her.
- Michelle, my father left when I was 9. I was a kid. And it’s not like I could play the fun game of having two houses. I haven’t seen my father in 14 years, I don’t know where he is, I don’t know if he’s alive. You are a grown woman for Christ sake. Stop behaving like a kid and just deal with the fact that your family is not as stable as you thought it was.
Awkward silence. I have problems with awkward silences, especially when I cause them, so I just have to break them.
- And you won’t have 3 beers. I’ll have 2. – I said, while opening a second bottle.
- You know, Michelle – Theo interfered. – You should be worried, not really because of you. As Kyle said, you’re a grown woman, you’ll find a way to deal with this. It will suck, it will disrupt your family, everything will be different, but you’ll handle it. I think you should worry about Emily. Your sister is barely a teenager, it will be a big deal for her. You will have to be there for her.
- Michelle, honey, - Lynn held her hand. – They talked about taking a break, it doesn’t mean that they will actually take a break, it doesn’t mean that they will get a divorce. Why don’t you talk to them? Try to figure out what’s really going on before you start suffering based on assumptions.

Lynn was wise. Michelle gave a sad smile and said:
- Yeah, you’re right, I think I’ll return this last beer.
- Hey, sorry. – I said. – I lost it.
- No, I shouldn’t have asked. Your situation is different. Plus you still refuse therapy, so I keep forgetting we shouldn’t talk about some issues with you: daddy and 9/11.
- Yeah, you shouldn’t.
- Kyle? – Lynn called. – Is there something going on?
- He is a pedophile now.
- Oh, Theo, shut the hell up! Kelly is 18. I saw her ID.
- You saw much more.
- Who’s this girl? – Lynn asked
- Just a new student I’ve met. She’s from Kansas, just arrived in Manhattan
- And she is on fire! – Theo added. – She dragged Kyle into bed on the very first date.
- Oh and I’m sure he hated it. – Lynn joked.
- But Kyle – Michelle asked. – What about Andie?
- What about her?
- You and Andie!
- There’s no… What the hell are you saying? Andie is my friend. Andie is in Cancun with her beloved boyfriend and I’m living my life, meeting interesting people and… what’s your point?
- Fine. Daddy, 9/11 and relationship with Andie.

Yeah, I forgot to mention this. All the gang thinks that Andie and I love each other and will be together eventually. But we’re just best friends with a special connection. Nothing ever happened and nothing can ever happen.

- It’s not that. – Lynn said. – Sorry, dude, I know you since I was taller than you and I’m a shrink, so I know you twice.
I cleaned my throat again.
- Well, hum… I don’t know for sure. My mother had an appointment with a doctor yesterday and… she seemed scared when she returned. She told me that she had some exams done, but she hasn’t received all the results yet, so she’s not sure if she has something or not. She’s been tired and the other day she had a short of breath and… she won’t tell me, but she was worried.

I looked at my friends and I said out loud what I had been avoiding all morning:
- I think my mom is sick.