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I hurl the phone onto the couch.

What if he keeps going with Esther and marries her?

“Maybe you should hear him out.” Lil accepts another bouquet at the door. I watch as she places it beside the others.

“This can’t be fixed with throwing flowers at me.”

“Is he texting you?”

I nod. “Yes, he wants to talk. Apologizes.” But there’s no mention of ‘I broke up with Esther’.

“Then shouldn’t you at least consider talking to him?”

“No. He made his choice, and it wasn’t me.”

Lil sighs, understanding the depth of my feelings, and takes one of the bouquets to the kitchen counter. “Alright, do you want me to get rid of them?”

“No. It’s fine.”

“Okay.” With that, she leaves me be, retreating to her room.

The apartment falls quiet as I stare at the bouquets that now decorate our whole apartment. Way to go, Elijah.

As the sun goes down, Lil and I sit in the living room, me sketching and her reading a book. I glance up as the door opens, Mary returning from work. Her gaze lands on the flowers lining the windowsill.

“Wow. Did you guys open a flower shop while I was gone?”

“Very funny.” I roll my eyes.

“Who are they from?” Mary fumbles with her keys.

“Elijah,” Lil says.

“They’re beautiful.” Mary gets closer to the flowers, letting her fingertips glide over the petals.

“These flowers are from the asshole who strung me along while engaged to another woman.” I sit up, putting my sketchbook down.

Mary turns to me, eyebrows raised. “I know you’re upset, but you should talk to him first before writing Elijah off completely.”

I scoff. “Absolutely not. He made it very clear I’m not his priority. I’m done being his side piece.”

“It seems like he cares about you a lot and is trying to make amends.”

“Well, it’s too little too late for grand gestures.” I gesture at the bouquets surrounding us. “He can shove his flowers up his ass for all I care.”

Lil nods in agreement. “She’s right. He hasn’t actually said he broke up with Esther or showed that he has any intention to.”

“I don’t know…” Mary still fixates on the bouquets. “But talking could provide the clarity you need.”

“Elijah and I are done.”

Lil glances between us. “How about we all take a breather? It’s been a long day.”

My phone starts buzzing again on the couch. I don’t even need to check to know who it is.

“Oh, for God’s sake.” I grab my phone and decline the call before switching it to silent mode.

Mary takes off her coat and shoes. “Why don’t we order some takeout, open a bottle of wine, and watch crappy reality TV to get our minds off things? We can figure out the flowers’ situation later with cooler heads.”

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