Page 72 of The Pocket Pair

“Her flight is in two days. The same day as Winnie’s party.” Winnie decided to throw a party as a way of welcoming Kyoko to Sheet Cake. I think she planned it for the day Mari leaves for me, to keep me from crying in bed.

“I’m not working. I’ll go with you.”

“You don’t need to do that, Chevy.”

But I really, REALLY want him to. Not that I particularly want to cry in front of him—and I WILL cry—but I don’t want to be alone.

And it’s not like he hasn’t already seen me cry—today wasn’t the first time. Anyone who’s known me for more than a few weeks gets that privilege. Lindy likes to say that she’s the middle ground, while my emotions all live right up on the surface and Winnie keeps hers locked in a vault.

“We’ll go to the airport and then to Winnie’s party. I’m not letting you go alone, Tiny.”

His arm tightens around me, and if I were a cat, I’d be purring. Did his lips just brush my hair, or was that just my wishful thinking?

“You’re not alone,” he continues. “I hope you know that. You’ve got people here who love you. You’ve got me.”

His words are a balm. But they also make me restless because he’s not saying exactly what I want him to say.

Closing my eyes, I imagine moving the words around like Scrabble tiles, rearranging them into what I really WISH Chevy would say: “You’re not alone. You’ve got people here. You’ve got me. I love you.”

That’s not what he said. But for now, I’ll take what I can get, which is Chevy’s sweet words and his arm around me while we watch one of my favorite movies together.

At least until he decides—again—to push me away once more.

FROM THE NEIGHBORLY APP

Subject: Goodbye, Mari!

Bob1

I can’t believe the day has come. Mari will be leaving Sheet Cake tomorrow. If you haven’t stopped by to see her in the diner, this is your last day! What will everyone miss most?

TheRealBob

I’ll miss her smile. And the way she never minded how long we stayed in the diner, even if we were just drinking coffee.

Vanz

You really shouldn’t take up space in an eating establishment if you’re only drinking coffee.

Chels

Everyone knows the Bobs were big tippers. Leave it alone, Vanz. I’m going to miss seeing what flower Mari wears in her hair.

1BigBass

I’m going to miss always being greeted with a smile. Sometimes I went in just to see her smile.

DeltaDeltaDelta

I don’t eat diner food, so I don’t get the big deal

Cal_45

Can we have DDD removed from the app? Or at least this thread?

DeltaDeltaDelta

It’s a free country. Removing me would be a violation of my First Amendment rights.