“The one and only,” the other woman responded.
Romi was a year ahead of her and had graduated the previous year. Then she took an internship overseas. They’d had several classes together for three years, since their majors had been the same. They kept up with each other on social media, but hadn’t spoken since Romi left.
“When did you get back?” Eri asked.
“Last night, and jet lag is still kicking my ass. But I wanted to reach out to my favorite underclassman and see if she wanted to have dinner with me tonight.”
“Let me know what she says.”
“Still as witty as ever, huh?” Romi asked sarcastically.
“It’s one of my finer qualities, but I don’t feel like going out, and I’ve already taken out something to cook. You can come over here. Will seven work?”
“Seven is perfect. Do you want me to bring anything?”
“A bottle of wine. I’ll text you my address.”
“Great. I’ll see you at seven.”
They ended the call, and Eri sent her address to Romi before saving her new number. She checked the time before putting her phone on the table. She’d finish the movie and then start cooking.
Eri had just turned the stove off when there was a knock at the door. She looked through the peephole before opening the door and inviting Romi in. They greeted each other with a hug, and she’d almost forgotten how tall the other woman was.
“It feels like I haven’t seen you in forever,” Romi said when they pulled apart. “It smells good in here,” she then complimented.
“It did seem like a long year, and thank you.”
“I brought wine as requested.” She held up the bottle. “Is there anything you need me to do?”
“Everything is ready, but if you’ll grab some glasses out of that cabinet, and the corkscrew from that drawer, I’ll make our plates.” She pointed out the areas.
A few minutes later, they were seated at the dining table across from one another.
“How was the internship?” Eri asked a few minutes into dinner.
“It was good. I learned a lot, and they offered me a job at the end of it. The position was open at a few different locations and remotely. I wanted to be home again, so I chose the remote option. What about you? Where did you land after graduation?”
“I went into business for myself. I’ve been freelancing, and I signed a contract with a content creator. I’ve only been doing it for about a month, but it’s been good so far.”
“I think that’s perfect for you,” Romi replied. “In class, you never liked to be tied down by the limitations of some of the projects, so I can’t see you being completely fulfilled working within the confines of company regulations. With freelancing, you can choose the projects you want to work on.”
That had been Eri’s thought process almost exactly. While she didn’t mind following someone else’s guidelines, she hated feeling like her creative liberty was being taken from her, with as strict as they could sometimes be. She wanted to deliver what a client wanted, but also wanted it to be something she was proud she had created.
“I saw pictures of Avian’s wedding on social media. Her husband is fine. I called her, but she didn’t answer. I’m assuming because the number wasn’t familiar, so I sent her a text.”
“I’m sure she’ll respond when she gets a second. She’s teaching dance now, and today is one of the days she has three classes.”
“Ooh, I’ll have to sign up for one of her classes.” Romi paused to take a bite of her chicken. “What about you? Are you dating anyone?”
Eri furrowed her brow for a moment because surely if Romi had seen Avian’s wedding photos on social media, then she’d seen the ones Eri posted. However, she remembered that Romi’s initial page got hacked, and she had to make another one. She didn’t think she ever added the new one to her close friends, and that was where she posted pictures of her and Elias.
“I am. He and Avian’s husband are cousins.”
“Then he must be just as yummy. Can I see a picture? It’s okay if you don’t want to.”
Eri didn’t mind. She went to the living room to grab her phone and pulled up the most recent picture she and Elias had taken. As she retook her seat, she handed the phone to Romi.
“Damn,” Romi said. “What were their parents putting in their food?” She passed the phone back. “Is there another one among their ranks?” she asked.
