I step out into the rain, pull my suitcase out of the trunk, and walk slowly to the front door not caring that I am getting soaked. It’s dark and quiet when I walk inside. I drag myself to my room and head to the bathroom to shower.
When I am cleaned up and in my pajamas, I unpack my bag and hang up all of my new clothes. While I am sorting through my closet I hear my phone chime. I rush over to my bed to grab my cell when I see a text from a number I don’t recognize. Swiping the screen to open the message, it reads: Got your number from Mark. Wanted to see how your Thanksgiving went. –Ryan I hold the phone in my hand, staring at the text for a minute before typing my response.
I think we managed to fall into the universal tradition of holiday drama. : ) That bad?
Kinda. Now I’m home with no food.
It takes a while for Ryan to text me back as I continue to hold my phone and stare at the screen. I have never considered Ryan one of my friends, more of just Mark or Jase’s friend that I hang out with on occasion. But being able to sit here tonight, when I feel like crap, and text him, feels nice.
Sorry, saying bye to everyone. About to head home myself.
Did you have a good time with your family?
Yeah, I did. Ate way too much. Feel like I need to hibernate.
LOL. Drive safe. Is it pouring where you are?
Not too bad. Try and have a good night.
Thanks.
Before I set my phone down, I store his number into my contacts then hop up to go rummage through the kitchen. I find an old bag of popcorn. No one went grocery shopping since we all were supposed to be gone for the week, and now there is nothing to eat. I decide to heat up the bag, get comfortable on the couch, and turn on the TV.
?????
The chiming of my phone wakes me. Squinting my eyes against the sunlight that is filtering in through the windows, I grab my phone to see that it’s almost eight in the morning and that I have a missed text from Ryan. I shift and sit up on the couch, then read his text.
I am heading out for breakfast. Wanna join?
Grocery shopping is the last thing I want to do, so with no food in the house, I type my response.
Sure. Where?
The Dish Café. 9:00?
See you then.
I hop off the couch to take a quick shower and get ready. I wasn’t planning on coming back home for a couple days, so it’ll be nice to hang out since I have nothing to do otherwise.
After smearing on some lip-gloss, I slide on my leopard rain boots under my boot-cut jeans. I clasp on my watch and make my way out into the rain to get into my car.
When I walk into The Dish, a small dive café, I see Ryan is already sitting at one of the tables. He looks up from his menu as I approach the table.
“Hey,” he says.
Shrugging off my coat and draping it over the back of the chair, I sit down and say, “Hi, thanks for inviting me. I literally have no food at the house.”
“So, what did you wind up doing last night?”
“I ate an old bag of popcorn and passed out on the couch.”
Laughing at me, he says, “That’s pathetic.”
“My thoughts exactly,” I say grinning.
“I ordered you a hot tea.”
Surprised that he remembered that I like hot tea, I say, “Oh, thanks.”
I pick up the menu and quickly decide on the blueberry pancakes. When I set my menu down and look up, Ryan is staring at me. I know the obvious question that must be lingering in his head is what happened yesterday that made me come home early. Before giving him an opportunity to speak, I quickly turn the focus on him and ask, “So, how was your Thanksgiving?”
“It was good. We did the typical family thing like we do every year. Mom and her sisters being loud and gossipy, cooking all day. I hung out with the guys and watched football while the kids ran around screaming and playing. My head was pounding by the end of the night.”
“That actually sounds nice.”
“Yeah, it is. It’s not too often that everyone can get together, so when it does happen, it’s fun. Crazy, but fun,” he says then picks up his cup of coffee to take a sip.
When the waiter stops at our table, I tell him I want the blueberry pancakes, and Ryan orders the heuvos verdes.
“So how many nieces and nephews do you have?” I ask as I sip my tea.
“Three nieces and four nephews all under the age of five. I’m not lying when I say it’s loud and crazy!” I can see by the smile on his face that he loves the kids regardless of his comments.
“So, you’re an only child?” Ryan asks.
“Yeah. I have a pretty small family. My grandparents on my father’s side died when I was in high school, and I have never met my mother’s parents or her sister. My father is an only child as well, so it’s just the three of us.”
“Quiet.”
“Hmmm . . .” I don’t even want to begin to explain my family’s dysfunction, so I ask, “Is your mother out with the crazy Black Friday crowd today?”
“God, you have no idea. She and my aunts go bat-shit over the sales.”