As I look at it, I realize how fitting it is. Because for a summer I thought would be my worst one yet, Gregory McLoughlin sure has made me smile a lot.
August
19PLAYLIST:it’s about time
I CHECK ON FIONAbefore and after my lunch shift the next day—still no babies—and after I get home I settle on the back porch with Margarine at my feet. It’s hot, the waves are rolling in, and the soft breeze is like a cool balm across my skin.
I’m in my happy place.
My mood lifts even more when Myles texts me.
Myles: ready for tomorrow?
Me: Very.
Me: But I hope you don’t expect me to actually do anything… when it comes to boats I’m strictly a passenger princess.
Myles: hahaha
Myles: I can work with that
Myles: I’m just excited we get to hang out
Me: Me too
I’m grinning at my phone when Kat’s face pops up with an incoming call. It’s a ridiculous selfie she took with my phone once, and I immediately saved it as her contact photo. For a second I freeze, an icy chill flooding my veins, like somehow because she’s calling me, she can see who I’m texting. When I regain my senses, I swipe my finger across to answer.
“Hey!” My voice is too loud and too chipper. I tone it way back. “What’s up?”
“Hey,” Kat returns. “I tried calling you on Monday.”
I don’t mention the many times she hasn’t answered my calls this summer. “Oh. Yeah, sorry. I was at Latte Love with Shelby. It was packed and super loud in there.”
“Latte Love?” Kat echoes. “We hate that place.”
Inever hated it. But after the star player on our biggest rival’s tennis team started working there, Kat never wanted to go back. I didn’t mind because the iced coffee at Brown’s Bakery suited me just fine too.
“It’s actually really good,” I say. “That girl moved away for college. You should give it another chance.”
Kat makes a noncommittal noise, then says, “Anyway, what have you been up to? I feel like we haven’t talked in forever.”
“Not much,” I say. I haven’t told her much about Gregory, because with each week that passed after she left, the further I felt from her. And for obvious reasons I haven’t mentioned Myles. The one time I mentioned Shelby to her, she changed the subject pretty quick… I got the feeling she didn’t want to hear I’ve been having fun without her.
Omitting anything involving those three doesn’t leave much.
“Just working. Walking Margarine on the beach. Hanging out at the pier a little.”
“Sounds like a typical Amelia summer,” Kat says, sounding more upbeat.
“Yeah,” I laugh, though lately this summer has felt anything but typical. “What about you? How’s training?”
“Intense. Some days I swear my coach is trying to kill me.” She tells me about the drills he makes them run but that she’s usually the fastest. She pivots pretty quickly to the small group of friends she’s made there, and tells me about a wild party she went to last weekend where the cops showed up and she had to climb through a window to get away.
She asks for updates on all the high school drama that was going on when she left, and it’s mainly a long list of who’s still together and which couples are no more. It’s familiar and kind of nice, to be talking to her about all this stuff like we used to. Then the conversation turns to Summerfest.
“I can’t wait,” Kat says.
“Me either,” I say, and I actually mean it. Maybe seeing each other in person is what we need to remember how important we are to each other.
