Brb, Holly. Gotta go kiss some sense into your brother.
Holly
*gags* Didn’t need to know that.
Reina
Go talk to Mateo. You don’t have to kiss him or hang out with him. Just show him you’re alive and you’re nice. Okay? He’s lonely. The only people he really knows in California are Alex and me, and we’re busy this week. Mateo will understand the anxiety bit, too. He’s really a great guy.
Holly
Fine. I’ll talk to him.
Wait! Alex, what phone call?
Reina
Your husband was concerned about you. That’s all you need to know, now go talk to him.
Alex
But no kissing.
Reina
I’ll show you no kissing
Alex
I take it back.
Holly
Flirt not in the family group chat, please—and thank you both.
Chapter 18
Wood Work
Holly
Iroll out of bed and shuffle across the carpet to the bathroom. Might as well try to look like I’m not a troll from a cave. I did commit to leaving my cavern and emerging into the real world today.
Wow, I definitely read too many romantic fantasy books this weekend in between my movie binges.
The shower washes away some of my anxiety and bleh feelings from the past few days. I brush my hair and put on a layer of mascara. The small efforts and a fresh pair of sweats from my closet give me the strength to end my self-appointed exile—the exile has already taken its toll on my brand new, shiny like the fake diamond on my finger relationship.
It’s Monday, and I haven’t seen Mateo since we got home on Friday night. How could I avoid my husband for two whole days? Great question.
It took lots of late-night snack breaks and sneaking around to make sure he wasn’t in the kitchen when I wanted food.
How was I supposed to face my husband after freaking out over a kiss that I was much too invested in? It was our first kiss, and I couldn’t even handle the emotional fallout from that experience. No way am I going to be able to handle being married to him, not with the confusing cocktail ofemotions swirling inside of me.
So I avoided him and I spent the weekend binging Jane Austen movie adaptations, reading fantasy romances, working overtime as usual, and eating unhealthy amounts of baked goods. Luckily, I had restocked my hidden drawers of snacks and my classily disguised mini-fridge a few days before the wedding. Although, I didn’t include anything that didn’t have chocolate.
I think I need to eat a vegetable.
Alex's and Reina’s texts were the final push I needed to emerge from my hole of emotional and vegetable avoidance. Being a hermit, watching movies, eating baked goods, and avoiding everyone and anyone was what I did when my parents left for another trip or said something hurtful. I’d do everything I could to hide from the real world and real feelings.
