Page 87 of Heartache & Playdates
Just like Bianca, the rest of the group had welcomed me with open arms. Which I appreciated more than normal since my best friend was thousands of miles away and I’d been riding the roller coaster that was my personal life this past week.
All the faculty at the school seemed nice, but these four were definitely my tribe. Having friendly, supportive faces cheering me on at my new job had been a godsend.
I checked my phone, feeling a little guilty for going out since Nonna had skipped her art class because she was still under the weather. Today, against her wishes, I made her a doctor’s appointment for Monday. I’d also insisted on bailing on drinks tonight. But she’d countered that if I didn’t go out tonight, she would not be going to see Dr. Williams on Monday. I’d considered calling her bluff, but since my grandfather, Nonno, had nicknamed her Bull because she was as stubborn as one, I figured it was best to accept her bargain. So here I was, toasting to my first week.
I’d made sure she was tucked away in bed and fast asleep before leaving, but it still felt wrong to be here. I’d stay for an hour, have two drinks and head home.
As my coworkers discussed life, work, and pop culture I took a sip of my vodka water and looked around the bar. It had a fun, eclectic vibe. The walls were all brick and painted with black and white portraits of musicians. All the tables and chairs were different bright colors and window frames hung from the ceilings covered in twinkle lights.
It’s nothing like I’d ever seen before, but it worked.
Ariella lifted her glass, downed her entire drink and then set it on the table. “Okay, I don’t know if we’re supposed to talk about it but…I have to.Maddox Cruzis your ex?!”
My eyes sliced to Bianca, who was the only soul I’d told I had any connection with Maddox. I wasn’t surprised that she’d spilled the beans. If anything, I was shocked it had taken a full week for someone to ask me about it.
She shrugged. “Sorry, I had to tell someone.”
Wendell leaned forward; his brows lifted. “Maddox Cruz is yourex?”
Deshawn didn’t say anything but was looking at me expectantly.
“Yes, but from a long time ago. High school.” If they thought that was juicy gossip, I couldn’t imagine how they’d react if they found out I’d had his child, she was interning at his work, and I’d met her the night before.
It was so unbelievable. I felt like it was a dream and I didn’t want anyone to wake me up.
“I needallthe details.” Ariella started counting on her fingers. “How long were you together? Is he a good kisser? Are you going to marry him?”
I chuckled. “Um, we were only together for about six months. Yes, he is a good kisser. And no, I’m not going to…we’re not…it’s not like....” I stopped stammering and just shook my head no.
I wasn’t sure why I was getting so flustered over the marriage question or why I couldn’t bring myself to say that I wasn’t going to marry him. Of course I wasn’t. That should have been a quick no.
“Why not? Was the breakup dramatic?” Wendell persisted.
“We, um, we actually never broke up. Officially.”
“You didn’t?” Bianca questioned.
“No. I just left. I moved to Germany.”
“Germany?” Wendell repeated.
“Yeah, my dad worked for the government, and we moved around a lot. I was supposed to stay with my grandmother for the last two years of high school. You know, be able to stay in one place, but one day, he showed up and said that he and my mom were going to Germany and I was going with them. Our flight was in eight hours.”
They all just stared at me.
“So that was it?” Bianca asked. “You just left? You didn’t see him before you left?”
“No. I did.” I snuck out of Nonna’s bathroom window and escaped, otherwise I wouldn’t have been able to.
“So, what? You guys decided to do long distance?” Ariella followed up.
“No. I didn’t, um, he didn’t know I was leaving. I’ve never been good at goodbyes, so I just, um…” I snuck out of his bed, just like I did in Napa at the reunion. I felt shitty about both those times. “I just left.”
“Did you keep in touch?” Wendell leaned forward. “When you were in Germany?”
I shook my head back and forth. “I hadn’t seen him in twenty years before the reunion. And I didn’t know that his daughter went to Bradley when I got this job. I had no idea until the first morning of class when he dropped her off.”
Wendell let out a long exhale. “Wow.”
