Page 103 of Falling Backwards
‘Sometimes that’s stupid,’I replay her saying next.
Yeah, I agree with those notions for the most part.But I don’t know how to feel about them when it comes to the things we did when we were young.
Talk about stupidity.
From beside me, my phone vibrates again, so I look over and see Maggie has finally answered my last message:
Wouldn’t dream of shopping behind your back.You’re too good at picking out leggings for me
I smile about that and almost,almostask when she’s going to let me see her in those shimmery green ones, because hot damn, I already know they were made for her.
Though I refrain from that, I do follow a similar thought.
ME:Glad to hear it.Hey, maybe look online and see if the brand you got has a good sports bra that matches?
She sends back the mind-blown emoji.
I smile even bigger to myself, proud of the idea, and send the emoji back to her.
And I think about the little looks and fleeting smiles we sent each other throughout tonight’s work shift, not quite timid, not quite easy.
Also remember her pacing this very room, almost playfully saying she had no idea who changed my trash bag.
Dishwasher drama aside, it felt strangely nice to have her here.
Nobody would think she’d bring any sort of welcome energy to my home, but she did.
I look over to the door and see my work shoes right by it, where I toed them off after I walked in a little while ago.They’re the same shoes she nearly tripped on when I brought her over.
I’m struck by the urge to get up and move them.
In short moments, they’re closer to the TV.That means they’re only away from the door by two or three feet, but it’s a big improvement safety-wiseandlooks-wise.The entryway is tidier now.
Satisfied, I sit again and finally take a bite of pizza.
And while I decide what to watch, my mind replays Maggie’s quiet chuckles from the end of her visit here, as if her spirit approves of what I’ve done.
CHAPTER
SEVEN
M A G G I E
Saturday shows up gray and rainy.Because of that and how late the girls and I stayed up with wine and movies after work last night, much of me wants to sleep in.
Or snuggle in my blanket and mess around on my phone for a while.
Or kind of, sort of, a little bit daydream about certain things that happened yesterday.
Even the smallest whisper of them makes my chest feel strange.
If I’m being completely honest, my thoughts also kept me awake last night, not just the movies.And after I did fall asleep, I woke up a few times with my fingertips on my eyebrow.
My heart isstillskipping beats over how he touched me.
