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There is a small alarm on the nightstand that reads 10:02 a.m., much later than I should be up. I can’t bring myself to feel bad about it though. I swing my arm over to embrace Roxanne, but I find an empty space instead. My hand lands on something that crinkles, which turns out to be a note that she has left me. It reads:
You were sleeping like an angel, so I didn’t want to wake you up. There’s a coffee and a croissant on the table.
I’m disappointed that she didn’t wait for me to wake up, but I suppose her job, however distasteful, still requires her to keep a professional schedule. I slide out of bed and stretch, my muscles stiff from the unfamiliar bed and the awkward position of our bathtub sex last night, but despite all of that, I am content. Wehaven’t solved all our issues, but we are well on our way. At least I hope so.
Roxie’s whole apartment has the same softly lit aura to it that the bedroom does, only a touch brighter. I pull open the gauzy window coverings in the living room, looking down at Dam Square and all the people gathering there, heading to work and classes or simply seeing the sights. Amsterdam is not a city that I want to spend my life in, but there is a certain old beauty to it that is undeniable.
My coffee is lukewarm; it’s 10 a.m., after all, but it’s enjoyable enough paired with the croissant and the view. It isn’t until I decide to check my phone that the real dramatics of my life are able to take hold.
The messages roll in quickly. First is Elise, asking,Where are you?
This is followed by Dan’s more specific,Are you home? Elise and I wanted to surprise you! I hope you are good! Gimme a call if you need someone to talk to.
My decision to ignore my sister and call Dan instead is easy. I don’t plan on telling either of them what is actually happening, but if one of them figures it out, I’d much rather it be Dan than Elise. He answers brightly, his chipper tone slightly annoying.
“Hey buddy! What’s up? Elise and I went to your apartment this morning to try and take you out for breakfast, but you didn’t answer the door. Everything okay?”
“Fine,” I tell him. “I just wasn’t home, that’s all. Nothing to worry about.”
“That’s weird, because we came by at eight a.m. since your sister had a nine a.m. class. You were out that early?” His tone is cheery, but there is a hint of suspicion in it.
I know immediately that I’m caught, but I don’t want to make it easy on him. “I might have stayed out all night.”
Dan continues to press. “Really? And may I know where? You know you can tell me anything.”
“It’s none of your damn business, man,” I snap, but Dan laughs uproariously.
“You do realize just by your tone you gave away the answer, right? Iknewit! You were with Roxie, weren’t you? Oh man, Elise is going to be pissed when she finds out.”
“Promise me right now that you won’t tell her,” I demand. “It’ll immediately get out to the rest of my family and be an enormous mess. We need some space to breathe if we’re going to work things out.”
“So that’s what you’re doing? You two are trying to make a relationship work again? But on the down low, like secret lovers or something?”
I pinch the bridge of my nose and exhale slowly. “Yeah, something like that I guess. We need to be able to do it alone, though, without the influence of everyone else.”
“Don’t worry about my influence. I’m really happy for you, man. People like Roxanne shake our lives up and make us see the world in a different way. You need this.”
The sincerity in his voice is actually touching, and I find myself feeling a surge of affection toward my stalwart friend. “Thanks, Dan. But seriously, don’t tell Elise.”
He laughs. “I wouldn’t dream of it, but you need to call her and convince her that you were sleeping off a hangover or something. She was already starting to suspect you had spent the night with someone.”
Once I get off the phone with Dan, there’s no point in wasting any time, so I call my nosy sister right away to clear everything up the best I can. I hate that I have to lie to my sister so much, especially when she is right about a lot of things and only wants the best for me, but there is no way she will ever understand what Roxie and I have.
She answers just as quickly as Dan, but her tone is much more accusatory. “Where the hell were you this morning?”
“Sleeping. I had a late night. Don’t worry about it.”
I keep everything short and succinct, hoping she’ll lose interest quickly. It seems to work at first, but quickly backfires.
“Okay, whatever you say. What are you doing this afternoon? You want to get lunch?”
Elise knows I don’t have class at lunchtime, so I can’t lie. With an internal sigh, I tell her, “Sure, sounds good.”
“Great!” she chirps, and I’m automatically suspicious about how low key she’s being about everything. She gives me the name and address of a local farm-to-table cafe, and we agree to meet right after her afternoon class.
I feel like I’ve been caught in a whirlwind. One single night with Roxanne and everyone seems to be up in arms about where I’m at and what I’m doing. How could I keep her a secret if everyone is so nosy about my personal life? What should have been a calm, slow start to the morning has turned into calamity, but there is no escaping it now.
With a steadying breath to get my annoyance in check, I finish my coffee, grab the croissant, and get ready for class.
