“I cannot ask Gavin out on a date.” Couldn’t and
wouldn’t were the same thing here. “It’s against everything I believe.”
“Is it, though?” Sadie asked, tilting her head to the side. “Because it seems to me you are the one who always believes that others should be happy, and yet here you are… unhappy. Take. The. Free. Trial.”
“I’m happy,” Molly insisted.
Am I, though? Maybe? Maybe not?
But that was for her to deal with alone when she finally addressed it.
“Okay, I’m going to ask Gavin if he wants to hang out. But only because it will further cement that anything real between us is a bad idea.” That made sense, right?
Yes, it made sense.
“Molly?” April asked as Molly’s thumb hovered over the screen, unwilling to actually follow through on what Molly’s brain was telling it to do.
“We just want you to be happy,” April finished. “What if this makes me miserable?” Molly asked.
“Then you’ll know,” April said, like she was sage with wisdom to toss around like glitter bombs at a strip club.
But April was right. Then Molly would know. Knowledge was good.
Wasn’t that a bumper sticker somewhere?
Molly: Hey! What are you up to tonight?
She really should’ve thought that out before actually pressing send. It wasn’t witty, and it wasn’t flirty.
Then again, this was Gavin. She didn’t need to be witty and flirty with him unless they were on the web show.
Gavin: …
“Dots,” she announced. “He’s typing something.” The dots disappeared briefly.
“He stopped typing,” April said, watching Molly’s screen right along with her.
“Maybe you should give him a little more. Maybe he thinks you want him to watch Ollie with his boys?” Sadie asked.
“But his kids are with Rachel. Why would I ask him if I know his kids are with Rachel?” This was a bad idea. Bad idea straight from the beginning. Her friends were full of bad, bad ideas.
“But he doesn’t know that you know, right?” Sadie asked, like this made sense.
“She usually knows where my kids are.” Rachel shrugged. “It’s kind of our thing. We know when and where and how they got there.”
“But he doesn’t know, right?” Sadie asked again. “True.” Rachel finally agreed with Sadie. “He doesn’t
know that I would’ve told you, so you know. Actually, he has no idea what you know. So go forth and act as though you don’t know.”
“I have no idea what this conversation even means.” Molly would just change her number and move.
“Clarity, girl.” Sadie lifted her eyebrows. “Give him some clarity.”
Molly: Was thinking maybe you might like to get together.
There. That was clear. Clear like a freshly cleaned glass window.
Gavin: …
