I have paced around my condo for two hours. Will is getting exactly what he wants, and I’m hiding out with two black eyes.
Had I gone tonight, Brandy wouldn’t be there.
Had I gone tonight, I wouldn’t be hungry.
Had I gone tonight, Will would have told me he loved me like he does every time we talk.
I plop down on my couch. This is stupid. I’m the one who got him into the position he’s in—the position he wants to be in. Will wants Brandy, and now he has her back.
What I have to remember is that even when he was with Brandy, I still had him in my life. He’s my best friend. He’s not going to go anywhere.
I pick up my phone and scroll through my socials. Even that’s boring. Dropping my phone on the couch, I stand up and walk to the kitchen. Pulling open my refrigerator, I smile down at the items Will had brought. There are packages of fresh berries, sliced veggies, meats, and cheeses. Everything I need to make a charcuterie plate is right in front of me.
I need to not worry about Will and Brandy. I’ll never lose him. He will always show up to pick me up at a bar, or bring me groceries when he knows I won’t go out, and he’ll always tell me he loves me.
I swallow hard with that thought. He didn’t actually say it today.
I’ll give him a pass. Tonight is important for him, and I should have left him alone.
Pulling the items from the refrigerator, I set them on the counter and begin to make myself a plate. I’ll talk to Will tomorrow. I owe him an apology and a huge thank you for taking care of me, even when he’s not around.
* * *
When my alarm goes off, I reach for my phone and silence it. I stayed up much too late trying to occupy my mind last night, only to finally fall asleep to an early episode of Friends.
I know you’re not supposed to, but I have the horrible habit of scrolling through my phone when I first wake up.
There’s a text from Will that came in at eleven-thirty, which I never saw.
Will: How in the hell did you manage that?
I read the text three more times, sure that I’ve missed something in the fog that I’m in.
I begin my text, only to retype it because it was all gibberish, since I’m not fully functional and awake yet.
Me: What did I manage to do?
I adjust my pillow and watch my phone. It’s only six o’clock in the morning. Surely he’s not sitting on the other end just waiting for me.
And what if he’s not alone?
Those three little dots pop up and I sit up in my bed.
Will: Good morning, sunshine. Surely you’re not really up, are you? You’re never out of bed this early.
Me: I’m still in bed. I saw your text from last night. What did I do?
There’s a bit of me that’s hoping he’ll call me because it would mean that he is alone. Instead, he texts again.
Will: The note
Me: What note?
Will: The secret admirer note you left in my takeout box. The one with the hearts, and the I love yous
I don’t care who is in his bed, I push the contact and call him.
“Good morning,” he says easily but sleepily.
“I didn’t leave you a note,” I say, now sitting straight up in my bed, pushing my unruly curls from my eyes.
“Sure you did.”
“I think I would have known if I did,” I say.
There’s a moment of silence before Will says anything. “You didn’t give me the note?”
“No.”
“Then who did?” he asks.
“Why would I know that? Who sent me the bear and the flowers?” I ask.
“I don’t know,” he says and then lets out a breath. “Do you think someone is messing with us?”
“Obviously. And are you alone?” I finally ask, though I don’t want the answer.
“Yes, why wouldn’t I be?”
Is he clueless?
“I mean, isn’t Brandy with you?”
“No. She’s not here with me. She’s in her own room.”
“Why?” I just can’t help myself.
Will lets out a little laugh. “Why would she be with me?”
“C’mon, isn’t that what you want?”
“What I want is for her not to hate me. What I want is for her to talk to me if we’re going to live together.”
“Don’t you want her back?”
“Mon, even if that happens, we have a lot of work to do to mend our issues. A few good nights of conversation aren’t going to fix what broke us up.”
Seriously, he must be the most mature person I’ve ever known. I would have taken any conversation from an ex as a sign that we were back in love and supposed to move on. Will takes the time to consider what’s happening.
“I need to get ready for work,” I say.
“Me too. Do you have time for lunch?” he asks.
“Yeah.”
He chuckles. “I’ll pick you up and we’ll walk down to the Cheesecake Factory.”
“Yeah, okay.”
“And, Mon, I love you,” he says, and it settles me, just like it always does.
“Yeah, I love you too.”