The former best friend?She pulled in a quick but shallow breath.Had someone suddenly sucked half the oxygen out of the room?
Fred cleared his throat.“Yeah, this is Esther.We’re still good friends, but she’s got Steve now.”
“I’ve seen your picture pop on Fred’s phone a few times,” Sean explained.
“Yeah, that’s me.”She tried to make her tone match the feel of the rest of the group.“Just the old best friend.”She swallowed.
“How was the concert?”Fred was looking at her with concern.
“It was good.No enormous disasters.”
“That’s good.”He shifted from foot to foot as if he was uneasy, which was odd.She couldn’t remember the last time Fred had been uncomfortable around her.Well, except for that time he had given her that note asking her to the hayride and then, that time when she told him she didn’t think it was a good idea.Goodness, she had messed things up with that decision!
“Well,” he continued, “let me get Sean situated and greet Aunt Patty, so I can be ready to roll when Parker and the guys finish getting set.I was just warming up the fingers while I waited for them.”
There were several people on the stage now, arranging microphones and testing instruments.
“It was beautiful,” Esther said.
“Thanks.”Fred rubbed the back of his neck.“Anyway… um… hope you enjoy the rest of your girls’ night.”And with that he left them.
“That wasn’t awkward or anything,” Mandy muttered.
Esther was finding it necessary to blink against tears again.She shouldn’t be this emotional over any of this.She had Steve and Maddie.They both adored her, and she… well… she adored Maddie and liked Steve a great deal.
She gave her menu a cursory glance.She knew what she was getting.The same thing she had had when she was here last with her dad.“I need to use the washroom, so if I’m not back when Andrew comes for our order, I want the fish and chips.”They had been delicious that day, and maybe they would taste good tonight as well.Though, she thought, as she cast a glance at Fred, she highly doubted they would.
She stuffed her hands into her jean pockets and let her shoulders slump as she trudged to the back of the restaurant to where the washrooms were.Maybe it was just tonight.Maybe it was just that things were changing – and she hated change.Maybe it was because it was winter, and she went to work in the dark and came home in the dark.But all of life seemed to be a bit duller these days.And she had a sinking feeling that it wasn’t any of those things.This was how life was without Fred in it.
Or maybe it was just tonight.She pushed open the washroom door as she pulled her phone from her back pocket and pressed Steve’s number.Maybe she just needed to be reminded that while somethings were falling away, others were waiting to wrap her in their embrace.
“Hey,” she said when he answered.“How’s the sleepover going?”
“So far, so good.Of course, Savannah hasn’t let her mom leave yet.So, we’ll see if there really is a sleepover portion of tonight or not.”
She swallowed.“Savannah’s mom is there?”
“Yeah, she usually stays until almost bedtime and then, when the girls are into a movie and getting sleepy, she sneaks out.”
“And does that work?Or do you have to call her to come back and pick up Savannah?”
“It usually works.I’ve only had to call once, and that was when Savannah’s tummy started hurting.”
“Well, that’s good.Not about the tummy hurting, but the staying.”Though Savannah had never struck Esther as a clingy child or one with separation issues.But then, nighttime often made insecurities appear that hid when the sun was shining.
“Aren’t you at the Waterwheel with your friends?”
“I am, but the music hasn’t started, and we’re waiting for food, so I thought I’d just sneak in a little call.”
“Miss me that much?”he chuckled.
“Just wanted to hear your voice.I’m glad your night is going well.”She heard him closing a door and the other end of the line became quieter.
“And is your night going well?”There was a note of concern in his voice.
She shook her head and smiled at herself in the mirror.“Yeah, it’s great, and I suppose I should get back to the table, instead of hanging out in the washroom talking to my boyfriend.”
He chuckled.“Or, you could ditch your friends completely and come watchFrozenwith us.”
