Page 117 of The Situation
“I’m not seeing things. It moved. I swear.”
“Sure.”
She rolls her eyes but comes to me with wide arms. “I missed you so damn much.”
Her embrace is wide and warm. While it doesn’t do the same things for me that Tate’s hugs do, it’s appreciated, nonetheless.
“The place looks good,” I say, spinning in a half circle to observe my old haunts. “New lights in the windows? Nice.”
“And a new basket for magazines. Oh! I finally replaced the cute little hand soap dispenser in the bathroom.”
“It’s about time.”
“Right?” She sits in her chair and sighs. “You look good.”
I half smile. “Yeah, well, thanks for lying to me.”
“What’s wrong?”
“Is it that obvious?”
“Honey, I’ve known you in various stages of life. I can tell when something is wrong. Spill it.”
Tate’s words ravage my mind again.
“So I waited my whole life for the one girl who I want to spend my life with, and then I get told to hang on. She might want to be with you. She might not. She might have your children. She might not.”
He didn’t tell me he loved me.Does he not love me? Does he think this is all too hard now?
I consider telling her about my fight with Tate, but it feels too heavy. My body hasn’t processed it yet. And if my hormones haven’t adjusted to meet my needs, I can’t even start talking about it.
“Can we start with you?” I ask.
“Sure. You know I love to talk about myself.”
I smile. “What’s been happening around here? Catch me up with all the drama.”
“You must really not want to talk if you’re asking for drama. You always hate when the gossip starts.”
I shrug. She’s not wrong.
“Maddie was in yesterday,” Jamie says. “New boyfriend, but it’s not a new boyfriend. It’s the one who left her at the bar downtown on Labor Day weekend.”
“Oh yeah. I remember him. We had a name for him. What was it?”
“Dill Boy?” Jamie asks, shaking her head.
“No! Gherkins Boy! She said his penis looked like a sweet gherkin.”
“Ha!” Jamie laughs. “I’ll have to remind her about that.”
“What about Onessa? I’ve been wondering about her cats.”
Jamie nods knowingly. “Tigerlily has passed.”
“Aw!”
“I know, I know. There was a funeral. I couldn’t make it. Beebop seems to still be grieving. Onessa might get a new cat, but not another orange one. She’s not sure.”
