9:21 – Hey! Charles told me you took a
sick day. Are you okay?
Do you need me to take you to a
hospital or something? You never miss
work!
9:21 – Sorry Syd! Should have told you.
I needed a mental health day...
9:21 – What? Why? Now I am even
more worried than before!
9:21 – Can’t a girl chill once in a while?
9:21 – Yeah, but you are not that kind
of girl!
My fingers hovered over the keys as I thought of what to reply. Before I could type back, she called and I answered on the first ring.
“Hey,” I said, knowing my hoarse voice gave my emotional state away.
“You’ve been crying?”
“A little.”
“What’s going on? Do you need me to come over? I could bring food and wine. I wouldn’t mind a mental health day, too, you know.”
“Thanks, but I’ll be fine. I think I need some time alone with my thoughts.”
“Fair. Will you at least tell me what’s troubling you?”
I sat up in my bed and pulled my quilt to my chin. “Only if you promise not to say I told you so.”
“This has something to do with the cop?”
I nodded, forgetting momentarily she couldn’t see me. “Yes. Lauren planted some stupid ideas in my head yesterday after we spoke.”
“Go on, girl.”
I swallowed hard. “She told me she spoke to him on Sunday and was sure he felt something for me, also. I decided to send him a care package from Crazy Cakes as a thank you for taking me home and all.”
“Hey, I help you all the time. Why don’t you ever sendmecupcakes?” she said in an exaggerated whine, which made me feel more at ease.
“I feed your chocolate addiction every day!”
“True. Continue.”
“He texted me to thank me.”
“Cowardly move, if you ask me,” she said in a knowing voice. “He should have put on his big boy pants and picked up the phone. You are mature adults, not thirteen-year-old children terrified of the opposite sex.”
I didn’t think about it at the time, but she was right.Why did I trust Lauren’s advice over hers? Was it because Lauren told me what I wanted to hear?
