Page 98 of Faithful

Only it’s hard when the next day Kai doesn’t call or text.

* * *

On Saturday evening, I get enough of his silence and call him myself.

He doesn’t pick up.

I shoot him a text.

r u ghosting me now?

Nothing.

* * *

On Sunday when, due to the heightening drama in my love life, Leigh prematurely returns to Seattle and drags me to brunch, Kai finally responds to my message.

K: no sorry i just needed a minute

I’m already in the middle of playingTexas Chainsaw Massacrewith my omelet as I read this and my food just happens to be at the wrong time and in the wrong place, so all my frustration is directed at a couple of innocent eggs and veggies.

I stab at the food with fury.

We are at this cozy place Leigh’s parents sometimes took us to when we were still teenagers and it’s pretty much Christmas here. Management didn’t even wait for Thanksgiving weekend to be over or remove the pumpkins. They are out and about, sporting Santa hats. The decor is basically a mesh of two different holidays and the festive mood in the dining room is like the final nail on the lid of my coffin.

I’ve driven myself mad over the course of the past two days and now even Kai’s pathetic excuse of a text doesn’t make it better.

“That him?” Leigh asks, chewing on a piece of potato. She’s wearing an ugly Christmas sweater and I want to strangle her for it. “Your sexy rock star?”

I nod.

“See.” She makes a voilà gesture. “I told you he’d come around.”

“I don’t know what to say to him anymore without sounding too fucking needy.”

“Ask him if he got all his shopping done yet?”

“Are you serious?”

Leigh cackles into her plate.

I know she means well, trying to elevate my mood and all, but it doesn’t work.

* * *

In the end, I don’t text Kai back because I’m confused.

I take another day to sort through the mess in my head before I finally pick up the phone to call him on Monday night.

He picks up almost right away and instantly I’m slammed with the rattle of instruments in the background.

“Hold on,” he rasps out.

The noise begins to simmer down, then finally is cut off by the bang of a door.

“You still there?” There’s a bit of impatience in Kai’s voice, which is very unlike him.

“Yeah. I’m still here.”

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