California Girls

Her hands shook as she studied the transactions. There were only two, and one was huge. The cake, she thought grimly. That had been a big hit, and the interest because she hadn’t been able to pay much more than the minimum amount. Even being able to use rent money to pay down the balance, it was going to take a year for her to work her way through this. Dammit, canceling the wedding wasn’t her fault and she shouldn’t have to pay for all of it.

Without considering what was going to happen when she got there, she drove directly to Glen’s office. She had no idea if he was even in town or not, but she was going to take the chance. Assuming he was sitting at his stupid desk, being his stupid self, she was going to confront him once and for all.

She stormed into the building and went directly to the third floor. Glen’s assistant, a mousy woman in her fifties, stared wide-eyed as Ali approached.

Ali motioned to the half-open door. “He in?”

The assistant nodded without trying to stop her from entering.

“Good. This won’t take long.” Ali pushed open the door.

The second she was face-to-face with her ex-fiancé, she realized she hadn’t seen Glen since before he dumped her. All their communication had been via text or over the phone. For a second she worried that being close to him after all this time would hurt her, that she would realize she missed him and that she was devastated by the loss. Only that didn’t happen.

As she stared into his light brown eyes, she realized he was a much smaller version of his brother, and not just physically. While before she wouldn’t have cared that he was shorter, slighter and paler, now she found herself just a little smug that she was sleeping with the much better brother. But even more important than looks were temperament and character. Where Glen was demanding, Daniel was easygoing. Glen had a short temper while Daniel was patient. Glen was critical and his brother was a sweet, funny, kind man who made her feel like a princess.

“Ali!” Glen’s eyes widened in alarm as he pushed up his glasses. “What are you doing here?”

“Confronting you.”

He reached for the phone on his desk. “If you’re going to get violent, I’m calling security.”

She rolled her eyes. “Really? Violent? When has that ever happened?”

“You’re a woman scorned.”

That nearly made her laugh—then she remembered the credit card bill. She walked over to his desk and waved the envelope.

“What I am is dealing with a lot of debt from the wedding. You proposed to me, Glen. You helped plan the wedding, then you walked away without bothering with your responsibilities. I’m willing to pay for half, but that’s all. I’m going to stand here until you write me a check for twelve thousand dollars.”

He blanched. “I’m not going to do that and you can’t make me.”

His voice was petulant. As she watched him, she tried to figure out what she’d ever seen in him. Had she really been so lonely and desperate that she’d wanted to spend the rest of her life with him? The answer was obvious and embarrassing. Thank goodness he’d dumped her—what if he hadn’t? She might have married him.

“Glen, be a human being and give me the money. You know it’s the right thing to do.”

She waited. After a couple of seconds, he muttered, “I, ah, don’t have my checkbook with me.”

She sighed. “You always have it in your briefcase, Glen. Come on. Don’t play this game with me.”

He made a face, then reached under his desk for his briefcase. It only took him a second to write out the check and hand it to her.

“What about the ring?” he asked as she tucked the piece of paper into her back pocket. “I want it back.”

She smiled. “Funny you should mention that. You know what? Per the state of California, the ring is an implied conditional gift. Had I broken the engagement, you would certainly be entitled to the ring back, but as you ended things, it’s mine to keep.” She smiled. “And just in case you try to pretend things happened otherwise, let’s all remember you didn’t have the balls to break up with me yourself. You had your brother do it, so there’s a witness.”

He stood and glared at her. “You’re different. I’m not sure I like it.”

“Glen, what you like and don’t like about me is no longer my problem.” She offered him an insincere smile. “Thanks for the check. Have a nice day.”

She walked out without saying anything else. When she got to her car, she was both elated and shaking. The combination was unsettling, but she was going to go with it.

She opened her banking app and deposited the check. Once it cleared, she could pay off a good chunk of her credit card and get on with her life. Even better, in less than five hours her workday would be done. She would go home to Daniel and have some hot monkey sex to celebrate her newfound backbone.

*

When Zennie’s mother had said her boobs would hurt, Zennie had not understood the truth in the statement. They didn’t just hurt, they ached and burned and were uncomfortable enough that she wanted to whimper.

“I thought we had a deal,” she said to herself as she got her things out of her locker and headed for her car. “I’ve always taken care of you. I eat right and exercise. I’m just pregnant, can’t you cooperate a little more?”

Before her body could answer—or not—she was close enough to her car to see something tucked under her windshield wipers. While she prayed it was a circular for a new car wash or even somebody leaving a note after denting her car, she knew her luck wasn’t that good. Not anymore.

She unfolded the piece of paper and groaned when she recognized Bernie’s handwriting.

Just a gentle reminder that you need to be taking your calcium every day. Oh, and I have a coupon for a couple’s massage. I thought maybe I could set up an appointment for the two of us. I could make yours a prenatal massage. Wouldn’t that be fun? Love you.

She got in her car, dropped her backpack on the passenger seat, then leaned her forehead against her steering wheel.

“I can’t do this,” she said aloud, not caring that talking to herself was becoming a thing. “I just can’t.”