Whoa. We all freeze. Vicky and Sonya stare wide-eyed at Paige. Her bright, curly, blond hair is all I can see with her face buried in her hands, but her shaking shoulders are obvious indications of what’s happening. I manage to focus my slightly frazzled mind, gather her up, and hustle her out the door and around to the alleyway. I am well aware that she absolutely despises making a scene, so I hope this is the right move.
I’m also tipsy, possibly very tipsy, so I can’t do much other than hide her and pat her on the back. I’m awkward as hell, and pull off somethere, theresand a fewit’s okays.
Paige slows down and blinks her wet, brown eyes at me. She looks solost.
Do I look like this when I cry at night?
“Uh, yeah, So, um…I cannot drive you home, but I shall try my darndest to get you safely back to your abode.”
She smiles at me through her tears. “That’s not where I’ll be goingtonight.” She looks so sad, I feel myself get sad too. I think she’s saying something else to me, but I’ve gotten a brilliant idea, and I need to navigate my phone.
“I can help you get a ride!” I tell her, my face inches from my phonescreen, enthused by the idea of helping. I pull up Trevor’s contact and send a quick message with clumsy fingers.
Me
sad paige wants a ride from Joe!
Trevor
Shit, what?
Me
Yup
Trevor
You’re at Joe’s?
Me
I said yup
Trevor
Okay, stay there. I’ll come get her. Are you okay?
Me
Yup
Good deed done, I put down my phone to tell Paige the good news and see that she’s gone now. I step out of the alley and look around untilI thinkI see her in her Subaru.
Oh, she didn’t need a ride. Oh well.
I pull my phone out again to make a different call, when the Subaru is suddenly right by me. I scream because it scared me, then I laugh because it’s Paige. She gets out of the car and comes over to me. A sad smile on her face.
Her smile is precious with her cheeks all smushed up like I’m holding them now, so I let her know. “Your smile is precious with your cheeks all smushed up like this.”
She tells me something about it’s time to go and that she’ll drive me.
“It’s alone there though Paige.” I tell her, sad now.
She gives me a gentle smile and takes my hand. “I know honey. You’ll be fine, though. I’ve got ya.”
“You’re the best.” I think I say.
14
