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She leans against my car. “I wasn’t telling you about her to make you feel guilty. We would’ve replaced her with someone regardless.”
“I know that. It’s not the only reason. I have other stuff I’d like to do too.”
With a sigh, she nods. “She wants full time which means I’d get more of a break, and Misty can stay at part time. It would work, but are you sure? You do a great job too, and I’ll missscaring the shit out of you by tossing ice in the fryer when your back is turned.”
“And I’ll miss tilting the sink sprayer just right, so it blasts you when you turn it on, but if you think you’re getting rid of me, you’re crazy.”
“I knew that was you!”
“Then why did you blame Ethan?”
Both of us burst into giggles. “Poor Ethan,” she says. “Alright. I’ll call Charlotte today.”
I give her a quick hug and we promise to hang out soon.
It’s still dark when I get home, but there’s a strip of light coming from Arlow’s barn. I haven’t seen much of him the past couple of weeks. On the nights I’ve been home, he’s been in his barn and hasn’t invited me to hang out at the firepit like we used to. I’m beginning to wonder if he’s purposefully avoiding me because I hit Sandra. He’s such a laid back person, and he learned that’s not always who I am. Or is it because of the moment we had afterward in my kitchen? Whichever it is, I miss him. Since Silver is doing better, and I no longer have to work, I plan to catch up with him soon.
My eyes slam shut the second I crawl into bed, and I wake up in a good mood. I’m on my way out of my cabin to go shopping when I nearly trip over a package on my front porch.Happy Birthdayis stamped all over it in bright colors. What the hell? It’s nowhere near my birthday. A closer look at the label reveals the mailman made a mistake. It’s Arlow’s birthday?
I grab the box and cross the driveway to his house.
Arlow answers the door and the genuine smile he gives me loosens something in my chest. He isn’t unhappy to see me. “This came to my house by mistake,” I explain, as he steps out onto his porch. “Is it your birthday?”
“Not until Sunday. My parents always send me a box of my favorite cookies.”
“The way to your heart is truly through baked goods.”
“Guilty.”
“Listen, um…about me punching Sandra. I don’t want you to think I’m, you know…violent or a troublemaker or something. I didn’t mean for you or Lee to get dragged into the drama that day. Nobody filed any charges or anything. Even the charges against Silver were dropped.”
His grin grows the entire time I’m talking. He tilts his head, studying me. “Do you think I was bothered by that?”
I can feel my cheeks start to heat up. “I feel like you might be avoiding me a little and if that’s why, I want you to know it’s not a common occurrence. I don’t go around hitting people.”
His lips press together, and his expression softens as he sets the box on the ledge of the porch. “I didn’t think anything like that. You didn’t upset me in the least, Calli. I love that you stuck up for your friend. I can get caught up in my art sometimes and obsessed with a project. The time and days get away from me. I’m not trying to avoid you. I’m sorry if I made you think that.”
“Don’t apologize. I overthink. It’s what I’m best at,” I chuckle. “We’re good, then?”
“Absolutely.”
“Okay.” It sucks to need such reassurance but it’s a part of anxiety that never seems to give me a break. The conclusion I usually jump to is that I’m annoying people or pestering them. I’m still not convinced he didn’t need a little break from me, but that’s alright.
“Are you busy this evening?” he asks, picking the box back up, and I shake my head. “Would you like to have dinner with me and a friend?”
I’m a little surprised at the invitation. Lee is the only friend of his I’ve met. “Sure, sounds fun.”
“Great. I’ll text you later.”
On my walk back down to my car, I consider how many times I’ve convinced myself that someone is sick of me only to find out it was in my head. In the past, I’d let people go or start avoiding them. A couple years of therapy taught me a lot, including that the simplest thing to do is to be direct and ask. It’s humiliating if the answer isyes, please leave me alone, but it saves me a lot of stress.
As I’m pulling out of the driveway to head to the mall, Lee turns in, and I wave for him to stop, then roll down my window. I have an idea, but I’ll need his help.
“Everything okay?” he asks.
“Yes, everything’s fine.” He listens to me explain with a growing smile, then gives me his phone number. If Arlow thinks I’m going to let his birthday pass without celebrating, he’s crazy.
The mall is in a town nearly an hour away, but it’s worth the drive. Along with some new clothes for myself, I find the perfect gift for Arlow in a tiny music store, and another hilarious one from a novelty shop. Most of my day is spent shopping, and I’ve only been home for a few minutes when Arlow texts me.
