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“So, moving in together, huh? I never thought I’d see the day.” Anna clinks her wine glass with mine with an amused, know-it-all grin.
Yes, it’s three months later, and if anything, I’m more in love with Mason than ever. I’d like to say we took it slow, but slow didn’t seem to work for us.
We’re over at Olivia and Sam’s amazeballs apartment. All the women are gathered together in the kitchen, but we can see the men through the glass doors that exit onto his enormous terrace. They’re sitting around a firetop table, drinking beer and watching a game on the outdoor television screen. Kara is sitting on her knees, mesmerized by the fire. Mason’s beside her, watching, on edge, prepared to snatch her hand away from the fire should she reach into it. She’s not a dumbass. At least, I don’t think she’ll put her hand into the flame, but it’s a good thing he’s beside her.
“Yeah, kind of crazy, huh?”
“Especially after the grief you gave me.” Olivia lifts a bottle and refills our glasses, even though I’m not empty. She’s that kind of hostess. The hostess with the mostest. “Hey, I stand by that. It doesn’t make sense to jump in so quickly. And we did try to slow things down.” We really did. But we found excuses to still see each other after work on most days, and all weekend. And, well, the weeks blurred, and before I knew it, we were together every day. “It’s not my fault the corporate apartment sold. And rents are sky-high. It doesn’t make sense to be paying for two places.”
“That apartment was gorgeous. I can’t believe you didn’t have us over more.” I had them over for a goodbye apartment party a couple of weeks ago. It was an amazing space. No doubt about it. It sold unfurnished, so my parents officially gifted me the furniture. We have more than enough for the apartment we found, and I’ll be able to sell some of the furniture we don’t need to cover moving expenses. Other than gifting me the furniture, which was technically my college graduation gift anyway, my parents have been true to their word. I am on my own. Cutting up my father’s American Express card proved only mildly painful.
As if reading my mind, Anna asks, “How’re your parents doing?”
“Oh, good. They’ve been planning trips. Which is a big step. They went so many years with Dad not taking time off, going from one big project with a stressful deadline to the next one. It’s a transition.”
“Have they forgiven you for staying here?” She asks the question in a lower voice, as if it’s a sensitive topic. It’s not.
“Yes. I think it’s hard, you know, when a family business leaves the family. And I definitely harbor some guilt for not stepping up.” I tap the center of my ribcage to show them where the residual pain resides, the heaviness. “In some ways, it would have been a nice life, but I would’ve been a drag on the business. A partnership is tricky. They would’ve resented me, and my mind would have been boosh!” I mime an explosion with my hands and mouth. Yes, blown with boredom.
Olivia laughs. “Yeah, I’ve asked Sam if he’s expecting our kids to work at Esprit. He says no way. He wants them to go out on their own. Which, given it’s hard to come up with something more boring than backend solutions for financial services companies, I’d have to say it’s good he has no expectations on that front.”
“Are you guys talking about having kids?”
“One day. Definitely.” Olivia sidles up to me. “What I want to know is how’s the insta-mom thing going?”
Of course, she’s fascinated. I’m the first one of my friends to have a child obligation. I’m not Kara’s biological mom, but I am in a parental role in her life. “It’s good. She’s easy. She’s like a mini-me. If he had a son, well, I might not say that. I watch those boys on the playground. They are rough and loud and at times crazy stupid. I’m not sure I’d be so into it if he had a son.”
Olivia and Anna laugh, but I’m so not joking. They don’t get it. They haven’t spent time on a playground. Like, little boys are beasts. “No, I’m serious, ladies. When the time comes, mark my words. It could be worth researching which sexual positions increase the likelihood of daughters.”
Chase shuffles through the apartment at that moment, phone to his ear, and throws a wave to us as he heads out to join the men on the patio. Anna angles her glass his way. “I always thought the two of you would make a cute couple.”
“Are you insane?” Absolutely no way. “He’s always wearing crass t-shirts. And he’s such a player. What do you want to bet he’s on the phone setting up plans with some innocent girl for after he leaves here?”
Olivia spreads some honey and cheese onto a cracker as she watches Chase through the glass. “But have you noticed he never brings his women around us? He always meets them later. Doesn’t that strike you as odd?”
Anna twirls on the stool, a sign she’s now on her third glass of wine. “Not true. I’ve met his girlfriends before. It’s been a while, but I’m still friends with one of his exes.”
Olivia scoffs. “That was a long-ass time ago, Anna.”
At that moment, Jason, Sam’s best friend, passes through. He nods with his perma-serious expression and places a bottle of wine and a six-pack of beer on the counter. The dude never smiles. Olivia gives him a hug and thanks him for the offerings.
Once the glass closes behind him, I ask Olivia, “What’s his deal?”
She’s at the oven, checking on the bubbling casseroles she’s made for us. “He’s not a talker.”
“You don’t say.”
“According to Sam, he’s got a lot going on. He’s working through it.”
I check the time. It’s getting late and, while Kara is most likely full on cheese and crackers, she can be a whiny girl if we don’t get her in bed at a decent time. Since no one else here is on a kid schedule, I’ve got to step up and keep this party moving. It’s funny how definitions change, because not too long ago, keeping the party moving would have meant heading to the next bar. “Is anyone else coming?”
Olivia understands what I’m getting at with my question. We hang enough on weekends that they’re used to us cutting out early. Sometimes Mason’s mom watches Kara, but we keep that to a minimum since she helps out so much during the week.
On cue, the automatic sliding doors open, and Kara enters. Anna and Olivia busy themselves by setting the casseroles out. Kara pulls me over to our cupcakes. She and I spent the afternoon baking Magnolia Bakery blue icing knockoffs, and she’s beyond eager to dig in. Not too long ago, I brought wine to these shindigs. Now, we’re the designated dessert team. And I wouldn’t have it any other way.
Mason sidles up behind me and leans over my shoulder as I set out the cupcakes. Kara eagerly licks a bit of the icing from the side of our carrying case. Mason presses a soft kiss below my ear, and I swipe a touch of icing and let him lick it off my finger. No, I wouldn’t have it any other way.