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Her lips quivered as she slumped against the door. “It’s not,” she said, her voice breaking.
“Could have fooled me. Look, I’m about to go into a no-cell zone, and I don’t want to hang up on you. Let’s just say it never happened, okay? I’ll call you after you have time to get settled into your apartment.”
“Okay,” she said. “Eric, I love you.” It felt pitiful saying it after sending him the text, but she wanted to make sure he knew she felt the same.
The phone cut off just then, and she never got to hear his reply.
She leaned back against the door, the closest connection she had left to Eric. He was gone, and she’d messed things up royally.
The next morning was a blur, and it didn’t wait for Holly’s crusted shut eyes or mopey attitude. Her roommates moved up their timelines of leaving after knowing the guys had left, and Diane was rushing to pack the rest of her things up and store them in her car while they finished the last of the cleaning.
At nine, they left their keys on the counter and looked back at their apartment with wistful glances.
“It’s never going to be the same, is it?” Diane said.
Holly nodded, thinking the same thing. “Did you sign up for a contract for the fall? I barely got the work position, so I have to return.”
“Of course,” Diane said. “I guess that will be the same.”
Aimee’s face soured. “Keep in touch, ladies.”
They did a group hug and held tight to each other one last time before Diane grabbed the trash and Holly grabbed the last of her things—and her purse.
“Call me when you’re home,” Diane called to Aimee when she started toward the parking lot. “And keep in touch with Justin. I’m sure he misses you already.”
She didn’t look convinced, but Holly knew how Aimee felt.
The ride to Holly’s apartment was too short. She wanted a longer amount of time to look out on what Eric might have seen on his drive, but he’d probably bypassed town altogether and taken the shortest way. The thought made her tear up. She’d been awake for hours, and he hadn’t called, despite her message to see how far he’d gone through the night.
The new apartment was a one bedroom but as spacious as her three-person apartment. The front room had nicer furniture, and the kitchen would be all hers, if she could afford food. It took everything she had left in her to bring her boxes and luggage to the front room, hug Diane goodbye, and collapse on the couch in tears. When she was composed enough, she tried calling again and was sent straight to voicemail. He’d still have a few hours to drive, even if he’d gone all night.
Her fingers itched to call him again, to give him a mouthful in a voicemail because she knew he wouldn’t answer, or an eyeful in a text. Instead, she crawled off the couch to put her milk and cheese away. She opened the fridge door and froze when she saw it filled with food with a little pink sticky note on the top shelf. She carefully grabbed it and read it out loud.
“Please don’t go hungry when I’m gone. The more of you I get to hold, the better.” Her throat tightened as she recognized Eric’s handwriting. She looked over the food and gasped. She wouldn’t have to go shopping for weeks. She held the sticky note tightly in one hand. Then she closed the fridge door and opened the freezer door.
She laughed as she found another sticky note, a little crumpled and cold.
Avoid this place at all costs. A little cold in here, don’t you think? Only use these freezer meals when you’re desperate. Your cooking is much better.
She looked up from the sticky note and smiled happy tears. Even when she had ruined things, he’d been extra sweet to her. She deserved to eat ramen noodles the rest of her life. When she tried his number again, it sent her straight to voicemail, but this time she left a message.
“Thanks. You sweet, brilliant man, thank you. I don’t deserve you, but I’m so grateful I have you. The sticky notes were a fun surprise. Drive safe and call me when you get in.” She thought about saying I love you but hung up before she could even say bye.
She looked at the rest of her food surprises and smiled. Since she had been about to move, she’d saved money to stretch out over the semester she’d be an intern, but now she’d have a little extra. When she opened a cupboard to store her bread and noodles, she dropped everything and took out the pink sticky note that was in the cupboard full of food.
I got some boxes of noodles because I know you love them, but I also got you some new things you could take as lunches to work. Make sure to take time to eat.
Her hands shook on the note. How many had he left? No longer worried about putting anything away, she went through the house, thrilled to find more sticky notes wherever she looked. They were everywhere: in cabinets, on the bathroom mirror, in the tub, in the closet, and in all of the drawers. Each one encouraged her to do something for herself—take long baths to relax, get out of the apartment and meet new friends, or to be safe. By the time she was sure she’d found them all, she counted over twenty notes he’d taken the time to write and hide.
Breathing a sigh of relief, she rested on the couch after storing everything in its proper place. Eric still loved her, and he was definitely worth any wait.
27
Eric
Eric had just sat down when a knock sounded on the door. Henry popped his head in and gave him a weary smile. He was an older gentleman with years of experience. “Eric, I know you probably just sat down, but they need you in sanitation. Something needs to be inspected, but—”
“But Greg is out. Got it.”
