Fantastic.
In one dumb move, I'd officially become the world's worst roommate and a bike-swiper by mistake.
With a groan, I dug out my cellphone and opened our only text thread – one with so few messages I could've recited them by heart.
With nervous fingers I tapped out,"Hey, uh… funny story. I'm pretty sure I took your bike."I paused before adding a nervous smile emoji to show I was extra-embarrassed.
And then I hit send.
It didn't feel like enough.
Quickly, I started typing again."It was dark this morning, and I was half-asleep. I'm sooooo sorry."
I wasn't merely sorry. I felt like an idiot. Maisie – trusting as she was – kept her bike outside on the front porch of the home we currently shared,herhome, to be exact.
I'd been keeping my loaner out there too until yesterday, when Maisie noticed the lock and mentioned it wasn't necessary here on the island.
I hadn't quite believed her. But I also hadn't wanted to cause more friction, so I nodded like I agreed while secretly deciding to stash the loaner inside the back entryway and hope it wasn't an issue.
I'd been stashing the bike lock in my travel pack so she wouldn't spot it at home.
Smart, right?
Apparently not.
Even now, I could still picture Maisie's face as she'd told me, "Nobody steals bikes here."
Apparently, I'd just proven her wrong.
Clutching my phone, I held my breath and waited for her reply. When the typing dots appeared – and then vanished – Iwaited some more. Maisie was unfailingly polite, and yet, lately, I'd seen signs of cracking.
She wanted me gone.She never said so, but I could see it in her eyes whenever we crossed paths.
Would my stupid mistake finally make her say it?
When her reply finally appeared on my screen, I didn't even know how to take it. It was one single word."Thanks."
I frowned.Thanks for letting her know?
Or was she being sarcastic, as in,"Thanks a lot, idiot."
I waited a long moment before texting again."But don't worry. Your bike is totally safe at home, I promise."
I chewed on my lower lip. Maybe the promise was premature, because for all I knew, someone had broken into the house, stolen her bike, and dumped it into the lake – just to make me a liar.
I stared at my phone, desperate for a longer reply –anythingto tell me how badly I'd screwed up. Like, what if…Oh, God.What if she'd had towalkto work because of me?
Maisie didn't even own a car. And even if she did, it's not like she could drive it here on the island. This left only three ways to get from Point A to Point B – by foot, by bicycle, or by horse.
Maisie had no horse. And even though she owned an entire fleet of bikes at her bike shop, she kept only two bikes at home – hers and the loaner. If she hadn't spotted the loaner in the back entryway, she surely would've been stuck walking.
But she never used the back entryway, which meant –damn it– she probablyhadbeen stuck walking.
And this time, there was no reply at all.
I felt a familiar twist of guilt. Great.The world's most annoying roommate strikes again.
Me. Not her.
