“Your career. Right. It makes you happy.” It’s not a question, the flat way he says it. Flint watches me as I wait for the genie’s fortune. “Everything out here makes you happy. Career wise, other things wise.”
“I guess. I mean, LA used to be a place where dreams happened to everyone else,” I say with a shrug. “Now, I’m finally becoming everyone else.” That didn’t sound as special as I wanted it to.
“That’s good,” Flint says, sounding distracted. “I’m happy for you.”
Look at us two. A bunch of happy, happy people. So happy. I force a smile and try not to grind my teeth.
The fortune finally pops out of a slot at the bottom of the machine. I pick it up and read it: YOUR AMBITIONS WILL ALL BE FULFILLED
“See? I’m on my way,” I tell Flint, grinning again to mask my unease. Ambitions fulfilled, but not desires. That’s a real shame.
31
“Can you see your mommy and daddy?” I coo to the twins, kneeling down beside them in their stroller. They wave and giggle as their parents step into view from the elevators. Callie and David are both grinning happily, walking hand in hand and not throttling each other. That’s a good sign if I ever saw one. “Did you two lovebirds have a good day? Or a very good day?” I ask, nudging Callie in the arm.
“Don’t answer that. I’m right here,” Flint says grimly, shaking his head. “There are some things brothers don’t need to know.”
“It was a good afternoon,” Callie says, looking at David with a warm, contented smile. “I think we’ve just been missing each other.”
“What I like about this woman,” David says, kissing Callie’s hand. “She makes up as good as she fights.” Then he winks at her.
“Please no,” Flint says, closing his eyes in pain.
“One of these days, buddy, you’re going to know what it’s like to really screw something up, and be so relieved when it comes back together,” Callie says, slapping her brother on the arm. My stomach jolts at that. Oh, I’m pretty sure he’s already got that figured out, what with Charlotte and the house he built for her. Nothing says ‘let’s get back together’ like ‘I worked thirteen hour days to build you a fairy tale chateau in the woods. Come, enjoy my mountainside hearth. I have made you elk stew and cheesecake.’
Okay, some of my own fantasies are crossing over here.
“You two are looking okay,” I whisper to Callie as David picks Callum up and bounces him on his hip. Callie beams at me. She looks radiant.
“We got a massage. And things. And then we talked. Honestly, Laurel, I think we were just taking each other for granted,” she says. “Lesson learned: don’t do that shit.”
“Are you going to go to counseling? Learn how to reconnect more often?” I ask. Man, learn to reconnect. I think Jessa is starting to rub off on me.
“Oh hell no,” Callie says. “But when it gets too hairy, we’ll know to drop the kids off with my brother for a night and go have hot sex in a hotel.” She sighs. “David is much more limber than I remember.”
Okay, we’re entering the land of too much information. Looks like Flint’s getting a similar earful from David, because he’s saying things like, “Yes, yes, I totally abstractly understand. I have to leave. I have an appointment. An appointment to do something.”
“And we’ve got to get you back on schedule,” I tell him, desperately grabbing my purse. But before I can escape, Callie grabs me, loops her arm through mine, and walks me toward the elevators. “What’s up?” I ask, surprised. Are we going upstairs? Did she not get enough afternoon delight? I’m a pretty liberal minded person and all, but— “Listen,” Callie whispers. “Whatever went wrong between the two of you, you should try clearing the air.”
Air clearing. Good idea. Then again, right now, pretty much anything that isn’t listening to the Winstons’ sexual greatest hits is a good idea.
“I’ll give it a shot. Clearing the air, I mean.”
“Good. Because he won’t talk to me about it, but I know he feels things ended badly.” That kind of makes me want to laugh and cry. Well, good. At least Flint feels bad that we went down in flames. I could ask Callie about how he and Charlotte are getting along, if they’ve chosen a new wedding date yet, but the words stick in my throat. Maybe it’s cowardly avoidance, but screw it. There’s no wizard to help me out with that.
Mentally, I congratulate myself on the Cowardly Lion/Wizard of Oz reference while Callie gives me a quick hug. Flint and I head out, leaving her and David to cuddle with the twins. As we stroll to my car, I breathe in freedom.
“So. I guess I’m driving you back to your hotel…unless you want to get an Uber?” I say, opening the door. Flint grunts.
“You in a hurry to get home?” he asks. “Got plans for tonight?” The way he asks, it almost sounds like he’s interested. Except that of course he’s not.