With my back pressed to the counter, I can’t see them, but I can hear them laughing and roughhousing behind me. Throwing taunts and challenges at each other.
“Just some rich entitled assholes who treat this place like their personal playground. They’ve been coming here for five years now.”
“I work at a bar where my main clientele are finance bros. I can handle it. And you’re faster with the drinks anyway. This way, we’ll get rid of them faster.”
“Excuse me, could I order?” a woman says.
I turn, a bright customer service smile plastered on my face. “Hi, what can I get started for you,” I say, but the last few words crumble into ash on my tongue as I take in the all-to-familiar slender curly-haired woman standing before me.
“Henrietta?”
21
Henri
Time is the worst form of distance. You keep living life and become a different person thinking you’ve left the past behind, that what happened years before can’t hurt you anymore.
And then, the people who were supposed to be your best friends walk into a ski lodge in Colorado laughing and having a good time, and all that distance is gone. No warning. No time to brace yourself.
I can still remember the last text I sent Laura, one that she never replied to.
I really need you right now.
“What are you doing back there?” And there she is, smiling at me like no time has passed at all. Like I hopped behind this bar like the time we were in Cabo for spring break and I convinced the bartenders to help them make a round of shots.
Kurt stands right next to her, ski goggles hanging around his neck, snow dusting his gear. His smile is as wide as ever. Blue eyes sparkling. “Don’t tell us you work here now.”
I’ve never felt embarrassed about being in the service industry before; it’s the hardest I’ve ever worked. It’s not just physically exhausting but also mentally. But right now I feel the weight of the power dynamic between us. In another life, I would be on the other side of the counter with them.
“Yeah, man, she’s with me.” Liam steps behind me and I relax at the reminder of his presence.
“Hey.” Kurt reaches out for a bro handshake, clapping his hand against Liam’s. “Good to see you, Liam. Was starting to think we wouldn’t see you around this year.”
Holy shit. This can’t be happening. Theycan’tknow each other.
“We got in last night and Henri was nice enough to give me a hand this morning.”
“That’s a relief, I was about to call up my dad and see if he had any open positions for you, Henri. Being back there doesn’t suit her,” Kurt says.
Laura cocks her head. “Wow, you two are really together?”
“Yes,” Liam says without hesitation.
“You’ve always had rich taste—gotta find a way to support your shopping addiction, right?” Kurt says.
“My girl likes nice things and I like to treat her right. Why wouldn’t I give her my card?” Liam asks. “Did you want to order or not?”
“Two black coffees and three of those sweet cookie latte things,” Kurt says with a wave of his hand. “You know the ones.”
“Got it.” Liam steps away and slots the espresso filter into the grinder.
I tap the order into the sales system as Laura playfully slaps Kurt’s chest and says, “Oh my God don’t be dramatic. You know the name.” She leans across the counter to tell me, “He really hasn’t changed. At bars he’ll pretend the fruity drink is mine when he orders and then we’ll swap. God, if his fragilemasculinity wasn’t always in the way, he’d have more fun.” The casual familiarity feels like an itchy sweater against my skin. One I can’t take off because that would leave me naked in public, so I just have to put up with it.
Is it not weird for them? It’s not like we’re college friends who never seemed to be able to make time for each other.
Kurt swipes his card, but instead of heading back to his friends he lingers by the counter. “So, what are you up to? I can’t believe it’s been so long. Seriously, it’s hard to remember why we stopped talking.”
Always fun to know that the event that felt like a meteor crashing into your world was essentially a pebble to someone else.
