MARGOT:Seriously where are you??? I know you ALWAYS have your phone!!
MARGOT:Soooooppppphhhhiiiiiieeee????
Good grief, Margot. Dramatic much?
ME:Yes your hands are hideous. And no I will not bedazzle you any mittens.
It only takes a few seconds for her to respond.
MARGOT:Oh Soph are you ok? Tell me what happened
ME:Short version—overheard Griffin telling his friend he wanted to break up with me then he chased me down the driveway and there was drama in the street when I tried to leave then Addie screamed at him after I left
MARGOT:Oh. My. God.
ME:Yeah, we like to keep it classy.
MARGOT:Why didn’t you tell me yesterday?
ME:You’ve got enough to worry about. Have your toes fused together into one big nasty foot yet??
MARGOT:Ha, ha. You’re not going to brush this off that easily. If I can share hideous body parts, then you can cough up details about hideous boyfriends.
ME:Well, that’s not even the worst thing that’s happened to me. Nonna made a chart…
I tell Margot about the dates and the rules and the complete ridiculousness of the entire thing. Not surprisingly, she thinks it’s the best idea ever.
MARGOT:Okay I want details. And pictures. And live texting from the actual date. This is going to be better than the Dateline: Real Life Mysteries marathon.
ME:Whatever. I’ll text you later. My stomach is growling and I’m sure Nonna has fresh cinnamon rolls, and coffee and bacon and all that other stuff you can’t eat right now.
MARGOT:YOU SUCK!!!
I close out the conversation with Margot and take a deep breath before I open the messages from Griffin.
GRIFFIN:I’m sorry
GRIFFIN:I didn’t want things to end like this
GRIFFIN:I want to talk about this
GRIFFIN:I didn’t do anything wrong. I was just talking to Parker
GRIFFIN:I’m sorry
I swipe it closed—a little irritated that every single one of his texts is about howhefeels—and call Addie.
“Why did it take you this long to call me back?” she huffs.
“I’m sorry. I just couldn’t deal. Please don’t be mad.” I sit on the edge of the bathtub. “I can’t take it if you’re mad at me.”
Addie lets out a deep breath. “Of course I’m not mad at you. Just worried. I had to hunt down Olivia’s number and text her to see if you were okay.”
I trace a finger along the grout pattern on the tile wall. “What happened after I left?”
She lets out a sharp laugh. “Griffin and I screamed at each other in the street until Matt’s neighbor threatened to call the cops. Then Griffin left. Danny and I didn’t stay much longer after that.”
I smile. “Thanks for taking up for me. It means more than you know.”
