He’s there in one fuzzy memory and then not. The next memory I have is opening my eyes and feeling fantastic. Another miracle happens this morning, because when I get down the hill and complete the couple of miles from my house to downtown, my feet don’t hurt. A feat considering the only thing I wear anymore are sneakers and boots. I walk into town and head straight for The Perky Perch. They have breakfast wraps and burritos that I can grab with a coffee. As good as I feel right now there’s no way I’m going to a resturant to sit down and eat while people stare at me and whisper.
They’re already staring enough as it is.
The second I hit Main Street, it starts. I get it. At first, I think the townsfolk don’t believe it’s me. That it’s someone that looks like me. Maybe a distant cousin that’s come to visit because I see them take a glance, but then the second they realize it’s me they stare. It’s a hard double take and a pointed leanforward.
Yeah, definitely not sitting in the diner with that going on.
The bell at the door of The Perky Perch jingles when I step inside and right on cue, all conversation stops. The only thing that keeps going is the sound of the milk being frothed and theespresso shot that’s already been pulled. I glance around and everyone is watching me with bug eyes. Jesus, they’re acting like they’ve never seen a woman in business chic before.
“M-Maris?” Belinda blinks at me like a gaping fish. She’s nice. It’s her job to be nice since she’s a barista but still, even when she sees me in town she doesn’t act like I’m an axe murderer or a witch. She greets me like I’m normal and sometimes even makes small talk if we’re in the grocery store looking over produce.
“Those radishes look awful.”
“The lettuce is good today.”
That sort of thing. Right now she’s staring at me like I grew an extra head.
“Good morning, Belinda.”
She smiles then looks me over. “You look so good.”
“Thanks. I, ah, went to the salon.”
She gives me a wide-eyed stare. “The one here?” She whispers. Of course, she’s whispering. I wouldn’t go to the salon here. Minnie fucking works there and made it clear I’m not welcome. Not like I’d want her boyfriend stealing ass to touch my damn hair anyways.
I shake my head. “No, the one in Seattle.”
“They did a good job. Arealgood job. I love your coat.”
“Thanks. It’s vintage.”
“So cool.” Belinda nods and then remembers she’s got a job to do when the bell jangles again as another customer enters. “Right, right, sorry, what can I get you? I’m here just jabbering away. I-well, I couldn’t help it. You just lookso fucking good.Classy.”
Something like pleasure unfurls in my body and warms me up. Belinda is right. I do look fucking good. I feel good too. I forgot that it used to be like this for me in town. EverywhereI went I used to be welcomed, doted on, told that I looked beautiful. I soak it up for a second and then order.
“I’ll have a black americano and one of the spinach feta wraps.”
“Great choice. For here or to go?”
It’s cute that Belinda still asks. I never eat in. Everyone knows that.
“To go.”
“Cool. I’ll get this in for you. It’ll be fifteen even.”
“Thank you.” I go to reach for my wallet but before I can, someone steps up beside me.
“I’ve got hers. Add it to mine,” a man says and for a wild second I think it’s Julian, but then I look at the man.
“Billy?”
“Hey, Mare. Long time.”
Billy looks good. He always looks good. That’s why I always took him back with a quick text telling him to get his ass to my house when I was feeling bored. With long dark brown hair and sparkling brown eyes Billy has the good looks of a movie star wrapped up in the idiot trappings of a small town fisherman with no aspirations. His job means his body is fit and toned, the kind of muscle on his big frame that can only be made by actual work and not in a gym. Whatever he wears looks like it’s tailor made for him. Right now, it’s a pair of dark wash jeans, a white tee and a dark green flannel. He’s got his usual work boots on and I see his work gloves hanging out of his back pocket. It might not have been true love with us but he was a decent enough boyfriend. I wonder how good of afiancéhe is to Minnie?
“How’s Minnie, Billy?” I ask because fuck him for not only dating my ex-best friend but proposing to her. Who fucking does that?
Belinda snorts when I ask that. She knows the score. Everyone in town knows it. True love or not, Billy and I were the ‘It’ couple until he dropped me and got with Minnie.
