God.
He was an asshole. He’d been focused on his test, focused on Farzan, focused on himself.
But he needed his friends. He always had. It just took him a while to get his head out of his ass and realize it.
“You’re right, and I’m sorry. Tell me everything.”
Ayesha snorted.
“What?”
“Where do I even start?”
“Well, how’s work? Did you put in for that promotion?”
As Ayesha filled him in—first on work, then on some of their old friend group, then on Janine and Micah and Nate—David rolled off the couch and made himself a cup of herbal tea. The hot mug felt good in his hands; the steam rising off the tea felt even better in his sinuses.
“Hey. What do Nate and Micah want for Christmas?”
“I don’t know about them, but their moms are partial to Sauvignon Blancs.”
David laughed. His chest felt lighter.
Why didn’t he talk to Ayesha more?
“Okay. I’ll pick something nice. But seriously, what about the boys?”
“They’re young, they won’t remember if you get them LEGOs or stuffed animals.”
“They won’t remember me at all at this rate,” David said. He hadn’t even caught them on FaceTime in months; they were already in bed when he or Ayesha called. “Hey. Could I come visit you sometime?”
Ayesha finally smiled at that.
“How’s February?” she asked.
David frowned. He didn’t miss Chicago winters at all.
Ayesha laughed, though.
“Just kidding. Come in May or June. When the weather’s nice and Micah’s out of school.”
“Okay.”
“And in the meantime, just call me sometimes, okay?”
“I will. I really will. I promise.”
“Good. And, David?”
“Yeah?”
“If you want him, go after him.”
David grinned. Something fell away from him then, something he’d been carrying around for weeks. Maybe even longer. An old idea of who he had to be. What his life had to look like.
“I will.”
fifty
