Page 61 of Every Inch of You
Chapter Twenty-Two
VIVIAN
“He really hasn’t called?”
Frankie had offered to drive me to the airport Friday at lunch, after pestering me to find out why I looked so sad. It wasn’t a particularly long drive, but I was so grateful that she’d offered. I hadn’t wanted to tell anyone what happened with Brad, because it felt so humiliating. And, truthfully, I was hoping that at the last minute he’d show up in front of my house (in a white T-shirt and jeans in the pouring rain at night) and tell me it was all a terrible misunderstanding and that he loved me and of course he was going with me to my sister’s wedding, and we’d kiss and he’d lift me off the ground and twirl me around and then one day I’d get Alzheimer’s and he’d tell me all about our love story over and over every day. Well I didn’t hope to get Alzheimer’s, of course not, but you know what Imean.
But he didn’t. The week that followed my phone conversation with Brad was a blur. I didn’t go to the gym and I didn’t have to cancel my appointments with Sebastian because he canceled them first. He stayed home all week with the flu. I didn’t talk to Brad after telling him he didn’t have to go to the wedding withme.
“He hasn’t called or texted. It’sover.”
“No! It can’t beover.”
“I mean, I told him that I still want to be friends againeventually.”
“You did? You saidthat?”
“Of course I did. He’s my oldest friend here, no matter what has happened between us…or why…I don’t want him out of my lifecompletely.”
“So have you forgivenhim?”
“Hell no. Notyet.”
“I just think it must be some kind of a misunderstanding. I mean, why would a guy come pick you up at a party and take care of you when you’re drunk if all he cared about was getting revenge? It doesn’t makesense.”
“His thought process has never really made a lot of sense to me, you know? He’s the most stubborn person I’ve evermet.”
She snorted. “Have you metyourself?”
“He’s the most stubbornmanI’ve ever met. Do you think I’m being stubborn now? Did Ioverreact?”
“Well…I mean, if it’s true, then no. Fuck him. No one should bear a grudge for that long. It’s not likeyoubullied him. But if it’s more complicated thanthat…”
“Who cares if it’s more complicated than that? He wanted to hurt me. Emotionally. That is notokay.”
“No. It isn’t. You’re right.” She patted me on theknee.
That small touch reminded me of when Brad had driven us to Cannon Beach and had his hand on my leg the whole way there, and my guts ached. I tried to push that memory aside. But I couldn’t. “I miss him likecrazy.”
“Well, yeah. Ofcourse.”
“But it’s like—am I just missing some mental construct of him? The sweet Brad that I was friends with in high school, inside the beautiful face and body that I lusted after. Did that guy that I was in love with even exist? Fuck, I’m soconfused.”
“Yeah.”
“I can’t…I can’t think about itanymore.”
“Yeah. You’re a maid of honor. You gotta focus onthat.”
“Yeah.”
We pulled up to the Alaska Airlines departures drop-off area. “Thank you so much for driving me.” I leaned in to hugher.
“I just can’t believe he didn’tcall.”
I smiled at her. “See you nextweek.”
“Havefun!”
