Right Here With You

a Monday morning. The sound of my phone ringing beside me is making the headache worse

stepmother by default, says on the other end of the line w

orning,

achel talks to everyone like they're five, includin

ight. Ho

rning workout and I'm just here thinking

my dad is her full-time job. Not that Dad has a problem with it though. Besides, I can't expli

place the phone down on the bedside table in my room while I throw o

got less than thirty minu

r me then. I just wanted

re that she didn't just

omplain.

I hosted over the weekend. But as you sa

s golfing club and their planned trip to Maldives for summer, whic

in time for Joshua's baby show

ea who Gia a

reply, rubbing some shampoo into my hair to let it s

's mom over the weekend. Did y

irror as the words leave Rachel's

n't make

re you've seen him si

t to tell me that you think

...not just me. Your dad's been curious as well. I heard

heekily. I can already picture Rach

know exactly what

n the rack that holds my toiletries so it doesn't get wet. F

n us. I want to burst into laughter but Dad could be listening in to this call an

r," I reply her and turn on

hel is a good wife and if I dare say, a nice friend to me. I have no reason to hate or di

t a bar? Falcon's, I think. And there were...there were t

make a mental note to seize Jamie's phone the next time I s

by a member of the community. Obviously, other

n, are you queer too? Is

called me himself. I know Rachel has nothing against the LGBTQ community. Her best friend from college whom we've had ov

the excess water off my hair before

ith a sigh. "It just...we've got th

Part of the reason why I moved my company's headquarters to Pennsy

lly Haven and she's there for a month or so for a graduate t

y to go on d

o go on dates wi

work. We're expanding into Asia.

queer," Rachel says letting ou

nd Molly's contact details to you. Let her

. I ain't makin

and I so glad if you jus

y body. I don't hear when she says bye because of the sound of the

living room and kitchen on my way out, I notice a deep cleaning is long overdue. I'll hav

by a café close to the company complex to get one or risk being a zombie thr

head inside. Seeing as there aren't much cars outside, one would expect there would be just two to

y though because I don't wait for up to ten

mericano to go, please," I order, f

he same blue eyes that look sadder than yesterday. She doesn't seem to remember me though or if she does, she's doing a pretty good job at hiding it. I wouldn't blame her. I

" she asks, hold

ld be distinct, wouldn't it? She writes down my name on two empty cups, takes my card, processes

a headache while she who worked through the night before the fight bro

ed about seeing her again? If I had wanted to see her, I could have just gotten her nu

out my cups and placing them on the table. I thought they called people to come up to the counter and get th

s," I clarify, poin

ittle way to say thank you for last night," she says

, it real