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“If the birthday girl can’t drink, then neither can you. And don’t call me, ‘Alison,’ Cameron.”
“Oh, my bad.” Cam throws his hands up in defense. “I forgot that we don’t use full names around here until it starts with an ‘M’ and ends with an ‘arcus.’”
I’m mid-chew with a tortilla chip in my mouth, but I almost spit it out with my laughter.
Ali throws a middle finger up over her shoulder, not bothering to turn around.
“I don’t know how Marc does it.” Cam stands from his stool. “Hanging out with you guys all the time. Two nights in a row, and I’m exhausted.”
“Bullshit,” Ali laughs. “You know you’d rather have a girls’ night with us than hang out at the hockey house.”
“You love us, Cami.”
“I don’t know what you guys are talking about.” Cam heads towards the restroom. “I’m a man. A manly man. I like beer and sports, hanging with the boys, and sleeping with women.” He closes the bathroom door before quickly opening it again and calling out, “But we should do face masks tonight!”
Ali adds all the ingredients into the blender, pulsing it, and filling the kitchen with its volume. Once it quiets a bit, I ask, “How are you doing?”
“Me?” Ali glances over her shoulder. “I should be asking you that after everything that happened last weekend.”
“But it didn’t just affect me. Are you doing okay?”
She pours our three virgin margaritas, which are essentially just frozen limeade, into mason jars, placing mine in front of me.
“You freaked me out,” she admits. “Seriously Logan, you scared the shit out of me. I don’t think I’ve ever been so afraid.”
“I’m sorry.”
“Don’t be.” She takes a long swig through her straw. “It wasn’t your fault. And to be honest, it kind of put some things into perspective for me, so if I’m looking for a silver lining, I guess that’d be it.”
“Like what kind of things?” I ask, swirling my drink to keep it mixed.
“Mostly that life is short, and the stupid bullshit isn’t worth it. It made me realize that if something happened to Marc and I didn’t have a chance to apologize, I would feel guilty forever.”
“Seems like you guys are okay. How’d that go?”
“Good. Thankfully.” Ali nods her head. “When you were in surgery, we had a long conversation, and I apologized for everything and told him where some of my issues are stemming from. And he’s Marc, the best human ever, so of course he was understanding.”
“Do you think...” I hesitate. “Do you think you guys will ever try to be more than friends again?”
Ali’s face drops with sadness as she shrugs her shoulders. “I don’t deserve him.”
“Why do you say that?”
“Because of what I did and what I put him through. He deserves better than me.”
“Ali,” I sigh. “Just because someone makes a mistake doesn’t mean they don’t deserve to be loved.”
“Marc is too good for me, and you know it.”
“Marc is too good for the entire world,” I admit with a laugh. “But I see the way he looks at you. Even if you believe he’s too good for you, he doesn’t see you that way.”
Ali’s eyes remain sad as her lips pull up in a half-smile.
“You both deserve the world,” I continue. “Whether you give that to each other, or it comes from other people. Or hell, even if it just comes from yourselves, you both deserve love and happiness. Just because someone has fucked up before doesn’t mean they don’t deserve forgiveness.”
“Maybe you’re right.”
“Maybe?” I ask with an unconvinced glance. “Bitch, you know I’m right.”
