Page 2 of Wrong Number, Right Soldier
He had a business card. For…business? Consulting, sales? I can’t really tell just based off the card. It’s times like this when I realize it would be super helpful if I knew more about real-world stuff, but instead I live and breathe books, always have. Give me poetry and prose any day of the week. Profits and patents and pay-per-lead? Thank you, next.
Unless it’s all a cover—this whole business-card thing. For what, though? For picking up average-looking women and…trying to date them?Notdating them?
Is it weird that he didn’t ask formynumber? Or maybe it’s better he didn’t.
What am I supposed to do next?
“What am I supposed to do next?” I’m asking my friends over brunch the next day.
“What do youwantto do?” Kim asks me. “I mean, did you think he was cute, was he friendly, like was he authentic or—”
“Or was it Red Flag City?” Cleo fills in.
“Do youwantto date?” Kim continues.
“You guys,” I mumble. “My head hurts…”
“Or, you can just not think about any of that,” Stasia says sagely. “You can just be like, hey, that was nice of you to give me your number, hope you and your friends had a fun night.”
“That sounds like a phone call that could have been a text,” Cleo offers.
“I think what Stasia is saying is: talk to him like a friend to a friend. Don’t think of it as more than just that.”
“Or do youwantmore than that?” Cleo checks in.
“Ahhhhh! Y’all! These questions are harder than the teaching reading state exam study guide!”
The girls fall silent then, and then Kim gingerly ferries a glass of water toward me, and I take a long drink.
Eventually, Stasia speaks up. Her tone is the just-right blend of gentle, yet firm. “Just call him.”
“And be like what, hey it’s Saylis? He’s not even going to know who that is. He got my name so wrong.”
Stasia half shrugs, saying, “Sometimes that happens.”
“Literally never,” Kim says, and Cleo, Stasia—and this time, even me—all throw her a look, and Kim breaks out in a grin. “Sorry, y’all with your beautiful, ethereal names.”
“Kimberly is a stunning name!” Cleo insists.
“Do notcall me that. My mother calls me that.”
“So I should just call him?” I turn the subject back.
“YES!” they all shout as one.
I wait a beat, then ask again, coy, “I should call him then?”
Cleo grumbles and leans over to smack a baguette against the top of my head. We all bust out laughing.
“I’ll do it tonight,” I vow.
“Why not now?” Stasia ‘suggests’.
“I vote now,” Cleo chimes, beaming with mischief. I flick my eyes to Kim, but she’s of zero percent help this time.
“I’m also Team Now,” Kim murmurs sheepishly.
I briefly consider it, but: “No, I can’t, I really can’t do it now, you guys, I’m sorry. I have to study, but I promise, I’ll do it today.Tonight.”
