Eva snorted with laughter.
“But, that’s the day we became best friends!” Bridget trilled. “We spent so much time there and at Mohawk Park. We definitely deserve some kind of plaque.”
“For sure, and I think being attacked by a bird was worth it.” Eva grinned, returning the picture to the table.
“So, what have you been doing since you got home from the mall?”
“Studying,” she groaned.
“Studying?” Bridget enunciated the word like it was foreign. “I still can’t figure out why you won’t just hurry up and graduate.”
“I can’t decide on a major that I’ll be good at and will actually land me a job when I get out of school. So I keep advancing, just to fall back when I switch. Not all of us can be as lucky as you are.”
“Just because I have a trust fund doesn’t mean I don’t have a job,” Bridget said, pretending to sound offended.
“You work twice a week at the cutest, most expensive clothing store in Tulsa.”
“Right! That’s sort of why I’m calling. I need to know what you’re wearing tonight. I went by work earlier and picked up a few things, but I don’t want to be so overdressed that it looks weird. But if you’re going to be, like, super dressed up, then I’ll get super dressed up, and we’ll be super dressed up and gorgeous together!”
“Don’t get too excited. I’m only going to be sort of dressed up. I’m wearing the new dress my mom bought me and her new gold shoes.”
Bridget sucked in air. “The Jimmy Choos you texted me about? They’re out of stock in my size, and I would kill to get my hands on those shoes. How did you get her to agree to that?”
Eva lay back on her bed. “I didn’t. I just took them from her closet. But I’ll put them back as soon as I get home, and she’ll never even know they were gone. It’s not like anything’s going to happen to them.”
“I wish I could borrow my mom’s shoes. She has the most fabulous collection of Manolo’s. But she also has huge Sasquatch feet, which totally ruins everything. Shit, hang on.” Bridget moved the phone and only muffled whines seeped through to Eva. “Okay. Yes. I’m telling her right now. My mother says hi.”
“Tell her I said hi back. Wait, why are you at your parents’ house?”
“They’re going to some kind of benefit charity thing tonight, and I had to drop off a dress she ordered from the store. And now I’m mooching food. Oh, she also wants me to tell you to Google the KOTV news clip about the murderer guy.”
“What murderer guy?”
“I don’t know. I try not to watch the news. It depresses me.”
Eva’s pillow squished farther into the bed as she shook her head at her carefree friend. “But aren’t we supposed to know what’s going on in the world? Especially in our own town?”
“So, you check out the video and tell me if there’s anything worth knowing. Unless, of course, it’s like gross or sad or something.” Eva heard Bridget’s please-and-thank-you smile through the phone. “And I have to get back to my condo and finish putting my face on. I’ll see you tonight at the Ambassador!”
“Sounds good. I’ll see you soon!”
Eva tapped the glowing “end” square on her phone.
“Eva! Do you know where my new wedges are?” Her mother’s shouts grew louder as she closed in on Eva’s room. “I just bought them, and they’ve already mysteriously disappeared.”
Eva hefted herself off the bed and met Lori in the doorway. “Umm, nope. Haven’t seen ’em.”
“Damn. Bill’s going to be here,” she began as she brushed her thick brown hair behind her ear and glanced down at her watch, “in less than an hour, and I have no idea where they are.”
“Maybe you accidently covered up the box with something.” Eva felt the lie painting her cheeks red. She squeezed through the doorway and quickly walked to the stairs before Lori could notice.
“That does sound like me. They’re probably sitting in plain sight somewhere. If you see them let me know,” Lori called after her.
“Will do,” Eva shouted. She tried to shake the icky-lie feeling from her shoulders as she headed for the refrigerator. “It’s not like I was really lying. Just bending the truth.” She grabbed hummus and a chopped cucumber from the fridge. “Okay, bending the truth is lying, but whatever. Tomorrow, it won’t matter. She’ll have her shoes back. No big deal.”
She dunked a cucumber slice into the hummus and took a bite. The familiar flavors brought her back to being a little girl. She could practically smell the lamb cooking on the stovetop while her Yiayiá waddled around the kitchen, instructing Eva in broken English on the proper knife holding technique.