Page 92 of All In
With a grin spreading across his face, Ricky slaps the bar with a satisfying thud. “Yes! My man! It’s about time.”
“Whoa, whoa, whoa,” Big C interjects, his head shaking with disbelief. “What about Cara?” His question slices through me.
“What about her?”
“What do you mean, ‘What about her’? Are you still together?” It’s a valid question. My friends’ expectation is building as they wait in silence for my answer.
I finally take a sip of my drink, and I sigh, dejected. “Yes.”
In an instant, Ricky’s excitement evaporates into thin air, his tone laced with seriousness. “Okay, that’s not cool.”
Big C chimes in, “Tell us what happened.”
For the next fifteen minutes, I spill my guts and tell them everything. Starting with seeing her in the parking lot, the lunches, the texts, Cara and I. All of it. “Guys, I have no idea what to do,” I finally confess.
We all sit here quietly, listening to the rumblings of a less-than-packed bar on a Tuesday night.
Ricky eagerly breaks the silence and speaks first. “Well, for starters, ghosting her is not okay. I mean, this is Maria we are talking about.”
“I know.”
Sometimes, in the last year, Maria and I would go a month or longer without talking or texting. But when one of us initiated a text conversation, the other would always respond. So, I’m sure she is wondering what is going on.
Big C hangs his head low. “I’m sorry, but I gotta say it.”
“Go ahead,” I encourage. “Let me have it.”
He looks me in the eye, his brows furrowed, stern and serious. “I have no clue what you see in her.”
Okay. Was not expecting that.
Out of nowhere, a defensive feeling washes over me. “Maria is the love of my life. You know this.”
“Dude, what the heck?” Ricky asks C because he knows. He has been there since day one when it comes to Maria and me. Starting in high school.
Big C leans forward again to address Ricky. “Oh, I don’t know. Maybe because all she’s done is break his heart, string him along, remind him of the past every chance she gets. It’s sick.”I mean, it’s not like I haven’t started our communications in the past.
Ricky looks indignant. “Oh, and as if Cara is that much better. I’m pretty sure her body and looks mean more to her than Sam. She’s actually canceled a date because she had a nail appointment.”Yep. She did that just last week. But I love that she cares how she looks.
Big C claps back. “Cara has never left Sam. Or broke up with him for a dude with a Vette.”Also true.
My head ping-pongs back and forth between these two as they argue about my love life.
Ricky is practically sitting on my lap as he stretches over the bar to argue with C. His voice is raising. “We know her reasons. She’s suffered from those mistakes. Plus, Mikey doesn’t really like Cara.”Fact.Mikey isn’t a fan.“Can’t say I blame him.” My head whips around.Wait, Ricky doesn’t like Cara?
Big C doesn’t back down, his voice booming as he points his finger in Ricky’s direction. “Got that right. Cara would never do to Sam what Maria did. When her and Sam are together, he is her world. Every man wants that.”He’s not wrong.
Ricky rolls his eyes. “Please. Except when she's getting her nails done. We all know Maria is the one. If she wasn’t, they wouldn’t be doing this same old song and dance.”Yep. We can’t seem to stay away.
C lets out an amused chuckle. “That is a lot of romantic talk from the guy who can’t keep a woman.”Okay, that might have been too far.
Ricky’s nostrils flare. “Says the guy who had to settle for Sam’s sloppy seconds.”Oh, crap.Not good.
The tension in this bar just skyrockets as Big C’s shoulders tighten. He rises slowly from his bar stool. Ricky does the same, his eyes dark with anger. This situation went from zero to a hundred fast, and I need to diffuse it quickly because, let’s face it, Ricky doesn’t stand a chance.
As I plant my feet firmly on the floor, I reach out my arms, creating a physical barrier between these two. “Guys, enough!” My voice erupts with frustration as I look back and forth between the two of them. “Stop!”
I see C’s shoulders sag in defeat. With purpose, we all sit down. Both Ricky and C stare straight ahead, their breathing labored from what almost transpired.
