“Yoo-hooo.” Sonia’s voice broke through conversation from the other side of her door. “Are you decent? We’re coming in...”
Julia pulled the covers back over her head as the bedroom door opened to who she assumed was the cavalry. The smell hit her immediately. Something warm, something sweet, something delicious.
“You don’t play fair,” she said under the covers.
The smell drew closer.
She pulled back the blankets to find a bag of pastries dangling over her head.
“Fresh from the oven.”
“And coffee. The good stuff from Dunkin’.”
Nothing beat fresh pastries and hot Dunkin’ Donuts’ coffee. Her friends were cruel and playing dirty.
“I don’t want to talk. I just want to eat.”
“Fine,” Rachel said.
“Sure,” Sonia added.
Julia took a large bite of the buttery apple fritter. “Have either of you, um, heard from him?” If she asked with her mouth full, maybe they wouldn’t understand her question. Then she wouldn’t have to regret asking it. She wasn’t sure if she was more afraid of them sayingyesor sayingno. Surely Tae wouldn’t reach out to either of them before her.
“He, um, came by our place to take some measurements yesterday when I wasn’t there. James talked to him. His parents are home from the hospital and he’s taking care of them.”
“Like he always does,” Rachel said.
“Saint.”
“Angel.”
“Someone get that man the Nobel Peace Prize,” Sonia said.
“And an Academy Award while we’re at it,” Rachel added.
“What does acting have anything to do with it?” Sonia asked.
“I don’t know. But he deserves all the excellence awards, wouldn’t you agree?” Rachel argued.
Julia listened as her friends lobbed compliments back and forth about Tae. He was a great guy, no question. But right now, he felt so out of reach. “I just wish he’d call me back,” she said, sad even to her own ears.
“Dead to us,” Rachel said, changing course.
“Men suck,” Sonia added in solidarity.
“My mom told me his parents are doing pretty well. That’s good. I was just wondering how he was doing.” Julia meant it. It was good news that his parents were home and recovering.
“Call him again? Ask him?” Sonia suggested.
Julia shook her head. She had held her phone in her hand so many times, typing out messages. Hovering over his name to call him. But she chickened out each time. She didn’t know which was worse: the long waits between messages, or the short one-word answers.
“I can’t. It’ll just make things harder on him. I don’t want to do that. He’s got enough going on.”
“Nope, I’m not buying it. What would CEO Julia do if, say, someone didn’t show up to work or didn’t get back to her? You’d demand an audience. You’d be persistent to the point of annoyance. You’d do anything to get a response,” Rachel said.
“I know what to do in matters of business. I just don’t know what to do with matters of the heart,” Julia admitted.
“That’s the issue, girl. You act like you have to be two different people to serve two different parts of your life. But you just have to be you, be yourself. That’s the person that can succeed at work and at love.” Julia wanted to believe what Sonia was saying, what they both were. But it always felt like there were two parts to her, one successful, the other not. Julia didn’t know how to approach life this way.
