Page 64 of There's No Us Without You
When she spots me, her eyes widen, and she practically bounces on the spot, waving both her hands in the air. She’s likea bright ray of sunshine on a stormy day—you can’t help but smile as you gravitate towards it.
“Hey, Edie,” she says, racing over to hug me, her ginger-coloured hair suffocating me when I’m squeezed tighter around the neck. “I’m so glad you’re back.”
“You are?” I say, my voice muffled by the silky strands now in my mouth.
“Duh.” Stella pulls back to rest her hands on my shoulders. “It’s never the same without you.”
“It’s not?”
I mentally facepalm myself. I sound like a broken record.
Sure, we’ve worked together for the last three years, and we’ve always gotten along just fine. Maybe her offers to come out for a drink were genuine. It’s been a while, though, since she asked me. I guess on the hundredth time I declined, she decided to give up.
Wow. It really is my fault I don’t have any friends. There’s one standing right in front of me and I never even noticed, too caught up in trying to be the perfect person for my mother and Kent. I never stopped to look around me.
A frown draws down Stella’s sculpted eyebrows. “Of course it’s not—here.” On the table next to her is a pile of clean linen. She snatches them up one at a time and hands me a stack until both my hands are full. “We better get these tables done before Tony has an aneurysm.”
I snort out a laugh as I cradle the ugly red fabric in my arms. It’s scratchy and so outdated—the place looks like it hasn’t left the eighties.
I shake my head as I glance around the room, with its dated wood panelling lining the walls and the retro halogen lights stuck to the ceiling.
Dad and his inability to let go of thegood old times.
These colours definitely aren’t a good time, that’s for sure.
Stella counts out another five tablecloths for herself and follows me to start our ritual. Outer tables first, then we move to the centre.
As we move around the room, dressing the tables, we discuss all things Tony, including his mood swings while I was away. When I ask Stella if she knew why my mother was here, she just shrugs and says she has no idea and that my mum scares the crap out of her.
She should try being related to the woman.
“Can I ask you something personal?” Stella says, after a long moment of silence. Her focus remains on straightening the tablecloth she’s currently working on.
“I guess so,” I say, mimicking her actions with the table in front of me.
After my mental breakdown in front of Will last night, what have I got to hide?
Stella flashes me a smile, but it doesn’t reach her crystal blue eyes. “You can totally tell me to mind my business.” She rubs her palms up and down her thighs. “But... what happened between you and Kent?”
Where the hell do I start?
Stella must sense my hesitation because she waves a hand dismissively. “I’m sorry. It’s none of my business. If you want to tell me about it, it’s totally up to you. It’s just...” Swallowing, she glances over her shoulder towards the office, then leans in, lowering her voice. “I overheard Tony on the phone—god, and now I’m rambling.” Shaking her head, she covers her mouth. “I shouldn’t have said anything. I’m sorry.”
I sigh, letting my shoulders sag. “It’s fine. I suppose it was bound to come out, eventually. Kent cheated.”
Stella’s jaw drops, her eyes wide. “Oh, my god. Are you okay?”
“I’m fine,” I say, snatching another tablecloth from the pile and throwing it over the next table. “I mean, it sucked at first, but I’m not sure I was really in love with him, you know?”
Stella nods as she chews on her bottom lip. “Well,” she says, moving to the next table. “I’m glad. Not about him cheating... obviously. But you seem happier without him.”
“How can you tell?”
Is it because of Will and Emerson? I mean, I am more content, I guess. And I haven’t had to worry about a single thing I’ve eaten in two weeks. It’s almost as though that part of my life never existed.
Stella winks, a huge grin on her face. “I notice these things. Benefits of being a wallflower: no-one notices you being a creep.”
A slow smile spreads over my lips, making my cheeks hurt.
