Page 65 of It's a Date (Again)

A look of confusion comes over me. I didn’t even realize I did that again. Must be muscle memory or something, but I don’t know why I do that. Maybe Debbie knows. “Robbie mentioned the two-bite thing too. Is there a reason I do that?”

She inhales a quiet, deep breath. “You started it when you were recovering in the hospital after the car accident.” Her eyes develop a sheen like she’s about to cry, but she blinks it away. “I think it was a wayfor you to cope with the sudden loss of your parents. Anytime you ate, you always left two bites on your plate, one for each of them.”

A tear rolls down my cheek, and a pain settles in my belly. I breathe through it, letting it subside. It’s a good thing, I remind myself. Not remembering why I always leave two bites behind but still doing it makes me feel like the love I had for them and they had for me is stronger than any stolen memory. But regardless, I still want to remember.

Debbie lends a sympathetic look and places her hand on mine. “Oh, sweetie. I didn’t mean to make you cry.”

“You didn’t. I just ... I just wish I remembered them.” I lower my head and chew my bottom lip to stop it from quivering.

“You will, honey, and deep down, I think you do. It’s why you leave the two bites.” Her hand squeezes mine.

“That’s right. But Robbie keeps eating them.” I let out a laugh mixed with a cry.

“He does that because it became more of a sad reminder for you rather than a sweet remembrance. At some point, seeing the food left on your plate stopped helping you cope, and Robbie noticed how it was affecting you, so he started eating your last two bites, and then it just became a cute thing between you two.”

“That’s sweet,” I say with a sniffle. It’s like he knows what I need without even asking.

“Knock, knock,” Maya calls out. I hear her shoes kick off and the door close behind her. Her feet pound up the stairs.

“Hey,” I say, wiping my eyes before turning around to face her.

“Good morning. Want some breakfast?” Debbie asks.

Maya’s face brightens with delight. “Yes, I’m famished.”

She joins us at the counter, taking a seat beside me. Debbie busies herself at the stove, frying up another egg and dropping a piece of bread in the toaster.

Maya bumps her shoulder against mine. “I heard you had an interesting night.”

“Who told you that?”

“Robbie. I’m supposed to be doing secret recon to figure out what he all said and did and whether or not he should be embarrassed.” The corner of her mouth lifts.

“Doesn’t sound very secret to me,” Debbie says, flipping an egg in the pan.

“Robbie knows I don’t do secrets, so it’s his fault for asking me.” Maya chuckles and regards me with a raised brow. “So, what should I tell him?”

I could say that he and I need to talk about some of the things he said last night. Like when he admitted to remembering the pact. Or at least I think he did. He said it under his breath, but I’m pretty sure that’s what I heard. But then Debbie’s words come back to me. Robbie’s just worried about losing me, and I don’t want to do anything to push him away or make him feel worse than he already does.

“Tell him we had a fun time and there’s nothing to be embarrassed of.”

Maya pulls her phone from her pocket and starts typing out a message. “Is that the truth or just what we’re telling Robbie?”

“Just what we’re telling Robbie.”

“You can tell him I’m mad at him.” Debbie throws a glance over her shoulder. “He told me my porch was uneven.”

“The audacity!” Maya hits “Send” on her phone and sets it down on the counter.

“That’s what I thought. I take great pride in my home,” she says with a nod, not noticing Maya’s sarcasm. Debbie slathers butter on the toast and plates the rest of the food.

Maya and I exchange a smile.

“Orange juice?” she asks.

“Yes, please.”

She sets the plate and a glass of OJ in front of Maya.

---