An immediate response.Unfortunately yes!
Being the mother to a small child seemed to result in sleeplessness. Before she could reply, her phone buzzed.
“Matty’s teething,” she said. “He’ll be fine. Not sure about Mom.”
Orchid pictured Mandy cradling her son. She heard the soft sound of baby hiccups in the background. “You’re the best mom ever, you know that?”
“Aww thanks, hon. What’s up with you?” asked Mandy.
She lay down on her sofa and blew a sigh. “I am so ridiculous. I know that there are people worse off all over the world, and that I’m lucky to have my little shoebox apartment and a job that college kids would kill for. So… my stupid self-pity is undeserved. Because today! The nerve of Phoenix.”
“Uh-oh, what now?” asked her friend.
Indignation spilled out faster than her brain could process. “Everything about Phoenix is a lie. Even how we met. It wasn’t just luck. His dad made him come look for me. Like a charity case. I can’t trust anyone!”
There it was, the ugly truth laid bare.I can’t trust anyone. Not Peter, not Phoenix. Certainly not haughty Princeton. Only her longtime friend Mandy.
“Hold on,” said Mandy. “Slow down. Do you mean Phoenix was stalking you? Did he do something to you? Because I’m not above punching that pretty face.”
Orchid laughed through her gulps of air. Goddammit. The inequity of all the ways people had let her down. Life was a lie. Getting everything she wanted still left her empty. What was the point of striving? Who even cared? Thoughts, not words. She couldn’t speak them… not yet.
“Aww, hon, you know you have me. I wish I could come over. Except you definitely don’t want baby drool all over your stuff.”
Orchid swiped at her eyes. A chuckle escaped over the thought of slobber on her velvet couch. “Thanks for offering. I totally don’t deserve this pity party. Here’s the scoop.” She went on to explain about the judge, and how they really met. “All I want to do is scream at him for lying this whole time. I thought we’d be celebrating.”
“Whoa, you’re like a freight train. Celebrate what?”
“I got the assignment: I’m going to China.”
“What? Oh my god. How did you forget to tell me?”
Orchid’s mood began to rally. She suddenly imagined seeing her mom’s features on the faces of strangers. China. “I just found out today.”
“And Phoenix is a jerk because?”
“He didn’t tell me the truth. You know, about meeting me…”
“Why would he lie?”
“His dad did swore him to secrecy.”
“What do you want to do, sue him? File a restraining order?”
“Nah. He did give me an opportunity. He was always a gentleman.” She inhaled a soft breath. The image of the way he’d guided her through France floated into her consciousness. He’d given her his seat on the plane and squeezed into an economy seat. “And he says even though he found me because of his dad, he stayed because he wanted to.”
“Would I be a romantic if I said that was sweet?”
“He really is… I’m in so deep.”
“You know what, you need space between you two. Too much drama.”
“We’ll have plenty of miles between us soon.”
“I’ll miss you, hon.”
“Yeah, likewise.” Orchid felt the weight of the day’s emotions. “It’s late. I’ll let you go. Kiss Matty for me.”
“Honestly, that’s the only guy I’d trust in your life. The cute, toothless types. Forget Phoenix.”
