Page 33 of So Wrong, It's Wright
She releases a chuckle as she tilts her head from side to side as she inspects the pieces, then worries her lips. “Maybe we can fix it? No. that won’t work, it’ll have a seam and slice you on the hoohah. You’ll have to get him to make it again and send it you.”
“Oh god. This is so dumb. What am I even doing here?” I sniff, lifting the bottle and drinking a little more.
“Oh, honey. This really sucks. I’m so sorry I made you wreck your stand-in boyfriend.”
Tears jump into my eyes as I release a self-deprecating laugh. “I don’t even really want a stand-in,” I squeak. “I miss him so much already and I think…I don’t think I’m cut out for this long-distance thing. It’sawful, Ruby. I mean, it’s amazing when we’re together, but as soon as we’re apart I feel so lonely. And the longer it goes on, the lonelier I get, and the kicker is that we’re apart for most of the time.”
Ruby jumps to her feet and immediately wraps me in her arms. “I know, honey. I know. And I’m so sorry you’re feeling this way. Is there anything I can do for you? Just name it and I’ll make it happen.”
“Pizza. I just need pizza and my best friend.” I sniff as she places her hands on either side of my face and gives me an understanding smile.
“Pizza it is,” she says before releasing me and pulling out her cell, leaving me with the wine and a confused heart. Job or no job, I really need to talk to Ash about the future of our relationship. That much is clear to me now.
ASH
“—then Ruby turned up, and it broke and now I don’t have it and everything is ruined and I’m so sorry.Imissyousomuch.” Tahlia’s face is just a little too close to the camera for me to make out her features properly, but I can make out her words and the fact that she’s very,verydrunk.
“I miss you too, sweet girl,” I say, smiling slightly as my insides tug uncomfortably, knowing that having two weeks then parting ways again has pushed her a little too far out of her comfort zone. And the really shitty part is that my plans to move to New York have now been waylaid because I didn’t get that job. They gave it to someone with moreexperiencewhich is bullshit, because at my age, I have about all the experience in my field as there is. So that means my stupid baby face strikes again, and they didn’t take me seriously. Story of my fucking life.
“It’s OK. I think the real fun in those things was making the molds anyway, and since we got to do that together, I’d like to call the experiment a success.”
“Did yours work?” she asks, leaning into the screen like maybe she could see around me if she tried.
“Not really. I think I got the mix wrong, or I didn’t tap the mold enough to get the air bubbles out. Because it came out very textured, but not in a good way.”
“Ohhhh I’m soooorrrryyyy!” she wails. “You got a queef-light instead of a fleshlight. This is theworst.”
I chuckle even though she’s sitting there crying and feeling sorry for herself. Even mid-tantrum, I find Tahlia beautiful. “What’s a little vaginal flatulence between friends?” For some reason, that makes her cry even harder.Whoops.“What did I say, tiny? I’m not trying to upset you, sweet girl. All of this is OK. You and me, we’re OK.”
“You called us ‘friends’.”
“You know I want us to be so much more than friends, Tahlia. Every time I’m with you, I just want it to be forever.”
“That’s how I feel too. But how are we supposed to be something more when we’re so far away from each other? This is getting harder and harder the longer it goes on, Ash.”
“I know. It’s hard for me too.”
“I think…I think one of us has to move.”
“I agree. In fact, I interviewed for a job while I was in New York. I even asked Isla to keep an eye out for an apartment for me.”
Her tears stop and she sniffs. “You did? Why didn’t you tell me?”
“I wanted it to be a surprise and because I didn’t want to get your hopes up unless it was really happening. I’m not a millionaire like the rest of my family, Tahlia. So I can’t just pack up and come to New York to be with you unless I have a job to go to.”
“I understand that. I really do. I’m not trying to make this harder than it has to be. I’m just…I’m lonely without you. But if you get this job, then we won’t have to deal—
“I didn’t,” I state quickly before she becomes too hopeful. “They didn’t hire me. But I’ll keep looking.”
“What if…what if I look when my contract is up? I’m stuck for a couple of months, but I could come to you.”
“We’ll discuss that as an option when you’re sober and the time is right. But just know that I won’t stop searching. It’s just going to take some more time. Can you give that to me? I don’t want a drunken conversation about a broken dildo mold to be the end of us.”
A laugh bursts out of her chest as she brings her hands to her face and sighs. “God, you must think I’m a crazy person right now.”
“I don’t,” I assure her. “I just think it’s really hard to miss someone you care about.”
She meets my eyes and nods. “I think I’m in love with you, Ash.”
