Chapter 31

thirty-one

ENCHANTED LETTERS

the next morning

I’ll keep you updated on the safety net situation. Speaking of which—what’s the most wild thing you’ve ever done?

- L.

The wildest thing I’ve ever done? I once planted a small field of wildflowers for this girl I knew. You?

- Patch

How am I supposed to follow that? A whole field? Did she find out? What did she say? What did she do? I’m going to grab a snack for this story time.

-L

I’m sorry to disappoint your story time, but there’s not a long story. She never found out. But they still grow year after year.

So what about your wild thing?

- Patch

That’s honestly a little heartbreaking. You should tell her, if you have a way to. I can’t imagine someone doing that for me. It’s so romantic. It’s really none of my business though, is it?

Anyway. Wild thing. Um…

I travel a lot for work. So I snuck into a gala once.

-L

That’s all you’re going to give me?

You snuck into a gala? Was it a regatta gala?

-Patch

If you just quoted Friends to me, you’re my new best friend. If not, I’m ashamed to call you a friend and you need to start watching immediately.

And no. It was a real gala. I actually stole a name tag and pretended to be someone else all night.

-L

Was it Barbados? And when you say gala do you really mean paleontologist convention?

It’s okay. Your secret is safe with me.

I hope no pharmacists were harmed by your thievery.

-Patch

Barbados can be lovely, but no. No paleontologist or pharmacists in sight. The only thing that was harmed was my shoe. I broke the heel doing the limbo.

Do you have a favorite comfort show? I feel like I might know this answer already. :)

-L.

I have to address the limbo first. What kind of gala has a limbo? I’ve got questions.

My sisters love Friends. It’s just part of my DNA now. I guess you could say it’s a comfort show.

-Patch

You guess?

Galas don’t have to be fancy. I think it was a rescue of some sort. It’s been a while, so I don’t remember all that well.

Before we can continue this relationship any further, I need to ask a very important question: Team Joey or Team Ross?

-L.

This feels like a trap.

Like a sidewalk lined with giant fire ant piles.

Are you sure there’s not another question of equal importance that’s less dangerous?

-Patch

If I wanted to ask a dangerous question, I’d ask if Ross and Rachel were on a break. Which one would you rather answer?

-L.

You frighten me a little bit.

Fine.

Team Ross. And because I clearly don’t value my life — yes, they were.

- Patch

I’ll give you a chance to explain your answer. Think wisely.

- L.

Which one? I’ll just answer both.

They were on a break, but that didn’t give him permission to go wild.

Team Ross because as much as I love Joey, they weren’t endgame. Maybe if the writer’s put a little more effort into the plot, they could’ve been. There was real potential and if they’d tried harder, my answer might be different .

But based on what we got, here we are.

I do think Ross should’ve gone to Paris with Rachel, but that’s beside the point.

- Patch

That’s… not the answer I expected.

That would’ve changed things, wouldn’t it? If he gave up his career to follow her dreams. I guess, though, when you know, you know.

I was a little disappointed to learn that lobsters don’t actually mate for life. It kind of ruins the moment.

Penguins do, though. Some of them anyway.

-L.