“I volunteered to be the Equity Deputy immediately. I don’t know how, but we’re going to fight this.”
I let out a sigh. “That’s nice, but I can’t put my hopes in you…not because it’s you, but because there’s an audio recording of me making the comments. Admittedly, I didn’t know they were being recorded, but that apparently doesn’t mean much.”
“Wait…huh? Back up. I’m missing some details here. We were told that you were interviewed by someone on that trashy website, TheBroadway411. Is that not what happened?”
“Not exactly.” There was a knock on my door. “Guess my date is here.”
“Date?” Asher asked as he flashed me his matinee idol smile.
“Not like that…At least, I don’t think it’s like that. Honestly, I don’t know what to think right now. My brain isn’t firing on all cylinders today.” I walked to the door and opened it. Asher walked up behind me and peered over my shoulder at Kirk.
“Oh, hey, Erika,” Kirk said. “I didn’t realize you had company.”
“It was unexpected,” I said. “He was just leaving.”
Asher pushed around me and out into the hallway. “I wasn’t joking, Erika. We’ll figure out a way to fight this.”
“Thanks,” I said. “Well, let me grab my coat,” I said, turning to Kirk. I shut the door and left the boys in the hall staring at each other while I grabbed my coat and purse. I forwent the purse and took my phone and my key. “Goodbye, Bootsy. Momma loves you. I won’t be out too late.” He looked at me from the couch and nestled into a blanket for a nap.
I walked back to the door and found Asher and Kirk still standing there. “Sorry about that,” I said, cutting through some kind of invisible tension. “Did you two introduce yourselves?” From the expressions on their faces, I could tell the answer was no. “Asher Alexander, meet Kirk…Brewster.” I totally forgot Kirk’s last name at first. I rarely needed to say it, so it didn’t pop off my tongue like Asher’s had. The two men exchanged handshakes. “Well, as much as I wish we could all stay and talk, Kirk and I have a party to get to.” I motioned to the elevator, saying, “Shall we?”
Kirk offered his arm, and I graciously accepted it, locking my arm in his as if it was the most normal thing. I caught the quick side gaze from Asher and did everything in my power not to roll my eyes. He had a way of getting under my skin. Even though it’d been over three years since the breakup, he could still push my buttons.
We rode the elevator down to the ground floor in awkward silence. When we got there, Asher said goodbye and went in one direction, and thankfully Kirk and I headed in the other. When Kirk and I were finally alone on the street, I said, “Well, that was awkward.”
“Does he drop by unannounced often?”
“Oh, heavens no. That was a first. Apparently, he dropped by last night, too, but this was the first time he’s done that. I didn’t even know he knew where I was living until this morning. Not that it’s much of a secret. For that matter, I don’t know where he lives. I feel like I’m talking too much. Am I talking too much?”
Kirk chuckled. “We all have exes, and they all seem to have the ability to dredge up the past when we see them.”
“Oh really? Tell me about your exes,” I said with a quirk of my lips. I know he couldn’t see it, but I hope he got the playful tone in my voice.
“As this is a holiday party, I’d rather not. You know, let’s keep things festive. We can reminisce about our ghosts of dating pasts another day.”
We walked arm in arm for a couple more blocks. We were on streets further from Broadway, so we didn’t see the influx of tourist traffic around here on the weekends. We passed a giant bus loading people who had clearly spent the day shopping. It happened every December. Tourist buses filled with shoppers made their way into the city to see a matinee, have lunch, and shop to their little hearts were content. Unfortunately, they added a considerable amount of foot traffic to the already busy city. Thankfully, the bulk of the tourists huddled around the shops 5thAvenue or the ones around Times Square. Once you get a block or two away from the shopping epicenters, foot traffic drops off considerably.
“So, what did Asher drop by for?” Kirk asked.
“He was checking in on me. The cast thinks I purposefully gave an interview to TheBroadway411. I was about to explain that to Asher, but you showed up.”
“I could have given you two a minute—“
“No need. I’m trying to stay positive tonight, so I didn’t need to go back over all that again.”
Before long, we found ourselves in SoHo at a cute brownstone. We walked up to the door, and there was a paper sign directing us to the third floor. The host had addedNot There YetandOne Flight to Goposters printed in festive colors on each level. There was no need to knock, there was another sign that readCome In. The Party’s Here!in blocky lettering with Santa waving.
Kirk reached down and twisted the door handle and pushed open the door. I could tell we were still on the earlier side. Only a handful of guests turned to look at us when we entered.
“Kirk,” a voice yelled before a pleasant-looking woman came bounding over. “Welcome to our home.” It was only then that I realized the entire house was decked out in blue and white for Hanukkah. All the signs that had guided us to the apartment had been decked out with menorahs, dreidels, gelt, and other signs of the Jewish holiday. I hadn’t been paying attention. The cheerful looking woman wore a fuzzy blue and white sweater with a polar bear spinning a dreidel.
“Leslie, this is my neighbor, Erika. Erika, this is Leslie. She’s an English teacher.”
“It’s grand to meet you, Erika,” she said, reaching for my hand. I quickly offered it and she shook my hand firmly. “My wife is around here somewhere. She teaches high school science at the same school Kirk’s niece attends.” She looked around the room quickly before yelling, “Bethany! We have guests.”
A thin woman decked out in a reindeer sweater complete with blinking lights came into the room. “Wow, Kirk. That sweater is…I don’t know if my retinas will ever be the same.”
“I know, right?” I said.
