After wrapping up her interviews, Ansley felt she had more than enough information to finish her article. She drove over to the Starbucks on North Druid Hills to organize her work.
She hoped a change of environment might be good to get the creative juices flowing. Ansley walked up to the counter and ordered a skinny vanilla latte and a brownie. Ansley loved her sweets, she skimped on one and indulged in the other. Chocolate was her vice.
While waiting on the barista to call her order out, Ansley set her laptop at a table near the window. She loved the ambience of coffee shops. The music was always a blend of mellow and mid-tempo grooves that matched her writing mood. The sounds of briefcases opening and closing; friends laughing over good times, and the awkward exchange of first dates meeting in a neutral zone filled the air. Her favorite was the hum of the coffee being brewed and foam being dispensed.
“Ansley,” the barista called.
Sipping on her drink, she began to type. She had gotten a lot accomplished over the past few days—a good thing too because Davis would be home later this evening. Talking with him was a task alone, she didn’t want any distractions.
She was nine hundred words in, Jason requested fifteen hundred, and the article was coming together. Ansley reached into her bag when she felt her phone vibrating. It was Lanae.
“Hey, what’s going on, sis?”
“Nothing much just working on this feature about working mothers in the Y Generation.”
“Sounds interesting,” she responded. “I’m over here grinding out an article too. I’m working to get it wrapped up today.”
“Awesome,” Lanae said. “Listen, there’s a singles mixer going on at The High Museum tonight. I can get you two passes if you want to take Simeon. I could sense some tension the other night, but you know me, I stay in my designated zone. If nothing else you’ll both be able to enjoy some art and music.”
“That sounds cool. I’ll see if she’s available and get back in touch with you later.” Ansley paused and added. “And yes, there was some back and forth, she and I still need to talk so this will be a good way to revisit some unfinished business.”
She chatted with Lanae for a few minutes more before getting back to her article.
Ansley remained at the coffee shop for another hour and was able to finish her final draft, which she emailed to the copy editor.
She checked her watch. Davis’s flight was scheduled to leave around six p.m., central time. With him getting in late, she planned to get with him in the morning. It was unlikely they would have their heart to heart tonight, because he might be a little jet lagged and she wanted him at his best for this conversation.
As of late, Ansley could not think of Davis without Simeon crossing her mind.
She pulled out her phone to call her. It was time they put an end to this Davis drama. This whole thing was getting stale.
The call went straight to voice mail. Ansley tried the office next. Simeon’s assistant answered the call.
“Hi Grace. Is Simeon available?” Ansley said.
“I’m sorry, but she’s not expected back into the office until tomorrow. Is there a message?”
“No,” she responded. “I’ll try her cell again.”
She sent Simeon a text, asking her to call when she got a chance. It dawned on her that her friend may be curving her attempts at communication. Ansley gave a slight shrug. They had been friends for too long to let something like this come between them. Besides, it was pointless to assume Simeon was avoiding her when she wasn’t sure.
She packed away her laptop and left for home.