“Yeah, that was funny.” I nodded. “Nonno was hilarious.”
“Yeah. I miss him,” Mila said with a soft smile and my heart ached for her as her Nonno had passed away recently. It had been a shock to everyone in the family, but especially to Mila. Mila and her Nonno had had such a close relationship and she’d been devastated when he’d died. But he’d left her the greatest gift he could have. He left her with a relationship that she’d wanted forever. It had been Nonno who had really been instrumental in getting her together with TJ. I wished that I’d had a Nonno who could do something like that for me, but I guess I’d just have to rely on Mila’s help. “Anyways, let’s think how to get this started,” Mila said softly.
“How to get what started?” I asked, confused at the sudden change of subject.
“How to get you and Cody as best friends.” She grinned.
“Oh, that, so we’re doing it?” I chewed on my lower lip nervously. “Do you really think this is a good idea?”
“Yeah, it’s a great idea.” She nodded. “Okay, maybe not great, but I think it’s pretty solid. Right?” She looked at me uncertainly.
“Girl, I have no idea.” I laughed. “I obviously have no ideas or I wouldn’t be sitting here entertaining yours.”
“Okay, so we go with Plan A, then.” She grinned.
“Is it really Plan A if there is no Plan B?” I laughed.
“Shh. Stop being a pessimist.”
“I’m not a pessimist. I’m a realist. And honestly, I don’t know how this is going to work. But I’m a sucker and a loser and if it means I get to spend more time with Cody, then I’ll do it. I guess it’s a nice consolation prize. We can be best friends, even if we’re not going to be living together happily ever after.”
“And hey, maybe best friends is better, right? Best friends are for life, whereas relationships can end. I mean, this could mean that you guys can be together forever.”
“Huh?”
“I mean, be together in each other’s lives forever. Always enjoying a close relationship. Maybe you’ll be his closest confidante.”
“Uhm, yeah.” I made a face. “I guess that’s true.”
“He’ll call you before he calls anyone else. You’ll grab dinners on Fridays. Talk on the phone every Sunday. Your families will spend vacations together. You’ll be old and gray together, talking about how great your friendship is.”
“Yeah.” I frowned slightly and gave her a look, my stomach sinking at her words. “Uhm you do know that I don’t just want to be his best friend, right? I mean, yeah that would be cool, but frankly I think it would kill me to be spending Friday dinners with him, knowing his wife was at home with his kids. That is not the consolation prize that I want. I’d rather kill myself than have that life.”
“I mean, I know that’s not the goal, but if that’s what happens, are you okay with that?” Mila looked over at the bar and stared at Cody for a few seconds and then back at me, her expression thoughtful.
“Mila, the friendship would be over so fast if that were to happen. There is no way in hell that I can see us as best friends and me being cool with his wife and kids and not feeling jealous as hell.” I groaned and put my face in my hands. “Honestly, it would kill me. It makes me want to cry right now, just thinking of him with someone else.”
“Well, you’d be married with your own kids as well.”
“I, yeah, uhm, if that is the way you think this is going to go down, then maybe this is not such a good idea. That is not the end goal I’m looking for.” I grabbed my glass and took another large sip of wine.
“I mean, yeah, that’s not the ultimate goal.” She looked guilty. “I’m not even sure why I brought that up. That’s not an option. The goal is for you and Cody to get married.”
“Or to date, at least. I at least want a chance for him to really get to know me and see if he wants to be with me. I want him to fall in love with me.”
“Our main goal should be the end goal though, right?” Mila looked at me hesitantly. “I mean, the end goal isn’t to go on a few dates, is it? I mean, what are a few dates? If what you say is true and he’s the love of your life… If he’s the one you want to spend the rest of your life with… If he’s the one you think about, the one you love, the one in your heart… Then he’s the one you want to spend eternity with. He’s the one you want to marry.”
“I just feel like a psycho saying that out loud.” I made a face at her. “We haven’t even kissed and I want to marry him? How does that not sound crazy?”
“Hey, we all need to be a little crazy.” She grinned. “And if that’s what you want, you need to call it into being.”
“Call it into being? Oh, my God, Mila, what are you talking about?”
“You need to create a vision board.”
“A vision board?” I blinked at her. “What’s that?”
“It’s a board of what you envision in your life. What you want to accomplish. What you see in your future.”
“Uhm, okay?”