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I used to think that the deal to never date one another’s siblings Ben and I made in eighth grade was dumb. I mean, we were five years older than his sister and ten years older than mine. Not a chance of it happening. But now? Now I kind of regret the lack of foresight thirteen-year-old Mark had. Not that I could have ever foreseen a building attraction towards Millie Jacobson. She was always Ben’s little sister and Jon’s best friend. Until she wasn’t.
The rules are completely different now.
I say goodnight to Nancy and head the rest of the way to my car. I have a lot of thoughts to digest tonight.
Todd: You’re still going to say you aren’t living in a Hallmark movie?
Mark: Shut up. I’m not living in a Hallmark movie.
Todd: Are you sure? The woman you’ve had a not-so-subtle thing for just shows up at your new office and tells you that you should get together. This totally has Hallmark written all over it.
Mark: Aren’t you the one who told me not to move home to have a Hallmark moment?
Todd: What can I say, there was a marathon on last night, and I couldn’t not watch it.
I laugh. Todd might have a gruff exterior, but that giant goofball is a softy. And apparently an even bigger romantic than I thought he was.
Mark: You watched without me? How dare you.
Todd: You moved away. It’s fair game. If it makes you feel better, I didn’t come up with any subplots or alternative endings.
Mark: You know, that really does make me feel better.
Todd: But seriously, you’re really not going to do anything? She’s single. You’re single. You haven’t stopped thinking about her since you and She Who Must Not Be Named broke up. Hallmark or not, I still think you should at least go to lunch with her. If after that you don’t want to ask her out then let it go.
Mark: I can’t ask her out.
Todd: Can’t or won’t? Those are two very different issues. You can’t live in fear forever, man.
I know Todd has a point and he means well, but I don’t really want to dwell on what all that loaded statement really means.
Mark: Will you stop shrinking me? I’m not one of your patients.
Todd: Of course not. I don’t have my degree yet.
Todd: And you’d never be able to afford me.
I’m a grown man in my thirties, but you’d never guess it by the contents of my shopping cart. I still live off of frozen, overly-processed food like I did in college. It’s during my great frozen pizza debate that I hear my name being called from the opposite end of the aisle.
“Mark? Is that you?” A voice I would recognize anywhere.
I look up and smile at Norah Jacobson. “Hi, Norah.”
She parks her cart next to mine and pulls me into a hug. “Welcome home! How are you settling in?”
“It’s taking a bit, but I’m starting to feel more settled into my place. And I started work a few days ago so that’s helped.”
“I know you’ve been busy, so I will forgive you for not stopping by the house yet.”
I know she doesn’t mean to make me feel guilty, but I do. I have been avoiding going over there. Not really sure why, I’ve always loved being at the Jacobsons. I think it was my way of avoiding Millie, but now that I’ve seen her there aren’t any more excuses.
“I ran into Millie today,” I tell her, just needing to say something.
“Oh, did you?”
“Apparently we work in the same office building.” I’m kicking myself for bringing this up. I know that look on her face, and its trouble. She’s starting to plot something. I try to change the subject. “How have you and Dan been?”
“We are doing well, thank you for asking. Dan retired last year, and so we have done some traveling, but nothing major. I want to be around for the kids and grandkids.” She looks into the sparse items in my cart. I can almost calculate how long it will take for her next statement’s delivery. “You can’t be living on all of this junk! Please tell me you aren’t living off of frozen and processed meals!”
