There is rustling on the other end of the phone and then a serious Amanda asks, “What happened?”
Sighing, I head to the living room, coffee warming my hand, and sit on my couch, my legs tucked under me to keep my cold feet warm. “I don’t know where to begin.”
“Start from when you got to the city.”
“It wasn’t a good day to begin with. I was feeling uneasy with Aaron and him wanting me to stay the weekend to hang out. When I went to see my dad, he didn’t acknowledge me at all.”
“I’m sorry, sweetie, I know that hasn’t been easy for you.”
“It hasn’t.” I take a deep breath, trying to not break down on the phone. “So when I arrived, I wasn’t really in the best mood. Luckily, Trey thought I was upset about my dad and held me while I cried silently.”
“Oh, my heart is breaking for you. You weren’t just upset about your dad?”
“No.” I bite my bottom lip, thinking about the look in Aaron’s eyes when he helped me get in my car. I saw how desperately he wanted me to stay with him. It still kills me thinking about it. “Aaron asked me to stay with him over the weekend, and when I turned him down, I saw utter disappointment in his eyes, and it kind of destroyed me.” It was as though he’d given up.
“He broke your heart, sweetie. You have a boyfriend, so you don’t have to feel bad.”
“I know. But it’s just . . . different with him. You know? Knowing why he gave me up, his history with his mom, seeing the sadness in his eyes, it just pulls at me.”
“I understand that, you two had a strong bond between you when you were together. He was your first love, your first everything, you will always have a special place in your heart for him. It’s hard to shake those feelings.”
“It is.” I swallow hard. “So, my birthday morning, Trey received a call from work, and he left. At six thirty.”
“No, he didn’t. Why didn’t you tell me?”
Amanda called me on my birthday, but I failed to mention any of the drama going on. I didn’t have the strength after talking to Aaron.
“I couldn’t. I was really upset and didn’t want to alarm you. I know you were Black Friday shopping with your mom. Given it’s your tradition, I didn’t want to disturb you.”
“Amelia . . .”
“I know. Please no lecture.” I take a sip of my coffee. “I spent the day by myself. Aaron called me at one point, and it only made me ache for him more. When Trey finally came home, ten hours later, he gave me his present.”
“Ten hours later? You drove there to spend your birthday with him, and he left you while he went to work for ten hours? It better be a really good present.” It’s so good to hear her anger at this. It’s not just me.
“He bought us an apartment in Manhattan.” I exhale heavily, still confused as to what he was thinking.
There is silence on the other end of the phone and then Amanda says, “Uh, what? Isn’t that the opposite of the plan?”
“That’s what I said. Apparently he got a promotion within his company. No, let’s go back. While I’ve been setting up home here, he had been pursuing a promotion within his company in the city, which was why he’d been working so hard. He wanted me to move back, uproot my dad, and resume our life there. God, Amanda, I’m so mad about it.”
“I’m really confused. Where did all this come from?”
This is the part that has put a bad taste in my mouth when it comes to Trey, something I never expected him to say. “He said he was looking toward our future and that we shouldn’t be hindered by my dad’s illness. His words were, ‘I want more for my life. You can understand that. You know I love you, but your dad isn’t going to be around very long, so I need to think what’s best for our future.’”
More silence and then she clears her throat. “Well, please tell me you dumped that motherfucker.”
I chuckle quietly. Thank God for Amanda. “I left. Told him we were done. All I heard in my mind was ‘I love you, but . . .’ I couldn’t ignore that he’s been banking on my dad passing soon. That hurts. He knows how special my dad is to me. He knew that when I left the city, but now . . . Now he has a new job, a new apartment, and a new, unsympathetic attitude toward my dad. I still don’t get it.” I pause. “And even though I’m enraged when I think about what Trey did, since it was so out of character for him, a part of me is sad. But, Amanda, I’m not the absolute crushed soul I was when I lost Aaron.” I sigh and push up my towel. “I don’t know. Do you think he wanted me to break up with him? Little contact. Complete change in direction.”
“No way. You’re a catch. Trey is an idiot. He’ll regret it, no doubt in my mind. So what happened after you broke up? Did you drive home three hours on your birthday?”
“Crying the whole way,” I confirm.
“Why didn’t you call me? Amelia, I could have at least talked to you, or you could have driven here.”
“Honestly, I wasn’t in the mood to be around anyone.” I look out the window at Aaron’s large black truck in the driveway, remembering the intimate time we shared. “But when I pulled into my driveway, Aaron was sitting on his porch.”
“Ohhhhhhh boy. What happened? If you say you had sex, and you’ve waited an entire day to tell me, I’m going to kill you. Literally kill you.”
“We didn’t have sex.” I chuckle. “But he did take me out for my birthday. He took me to get ice cream—”
“Ahhh, your special ice cream?”
“Yeah, apparently he’s gone on my birthday every year. I can’t even with that right now. And then he took me to Flashbacks.”
“The old-fart bar?” If Amanda was sitting in front of me, I know her face would be scrunched up with disgust.
“Yes.” I laugh. “But it was so much fun. I don’t think I’ve danced that hard in a very long time, and then, maybe . . . we kind of . . . did a little bit of dry-humping against a wall.” I bite on my lip and close my eyes, waiting for Amanda’s response.
“You WHAT?” she yells. “Oh my God, did you come?”
“No, but God, I was so close. He’s different than when we first dated, and there’s so much more of him. I honestly didn’t know what to do with my hands because they wanted to wander all over his body.” My stomach flips in the best kind of way just thinking about it.
“Oh, I’m getting all hot and bothered. So you’re dry-humping. Where did it go from there?”
“He took me home.”
“And . . .”
“Gave me a present and said good night.” I grip the pizza necklace he gave me and play with it.
“Uh, did he kiss you? What did he give you? Is it a picture of his dick? Send it to me if it is.”
I roll my eyes. “No kiss, no dick pic.”
“Well, that’s disappointing,” she huffs. “What did he give you then?”
“A necklace with a silver pizza slice on it and his completely full Nirchi’s punch card.”
“Hell. That’s good.” Amanda chuckles. “That is so fucking good! Oh, that man wants you, and he’s willing to give up a free sheet pizza for what he wants.”
I know what you’re thinking. It’s pizza, what’s the big deal? It’s such a big deal when it comes to Aaron and me. Pizza is the soul reason we met, and Nirchi’s is nothing to joke about.