“I know, I just feel like it’s really soon and Kate is young. I don’t want Dani…”
“Dude, Dani’s been dating her old college boyfriend.”
I instantly feel woozy. “Jacob?”
“Yeah,” Mark says in a flat tone.
I’d always hated the way Dani talked about Jacob. He was definitely herone that got away,even though she’d never admit it. She talked about him like she’d never had more fun with anyone in the world. I’m irritated, but I don’t want to show it.
“Well, good for her, I guess. That basically erased any unnecessary, lingering guilt I had.”
I should have slept with the hot doctor.
“You shouldn’t feel guilty anyway. You guys did everything in order.”
“What do you mean?” I say.
“Well, it’s not like you guys ever cheated on each other.”
“Well…Lars…”
“Did you really think they…”
“I don’t know…I…Listen, um, will you still not say anything? I just feel like an idiot for talking about it.”
“No problem. Enjoy yourself, man.”
We hang up.
For the rest of the day, I try to distract myself with work.
It’s late by the time I get to the apartment. I only have ten minutes to get ready. I shower quickly and am out the door. I can’t stop thinking about Kate’s age.
As I drive to her apartment in Pasadena, I’m reminding myself that this isjusta date. The parking situation is horrendous near the old part of Pasadena where she lives, but finally, I find a spot. I’m fifteen minutes late, which is very unlike me.
I scan the tenant list forLittlefield,Kate’s last name, find it, and press the button.
“Hello.” It’s Kate’s timid voice.
“Hi, it’s me, Alex.”
She doesn’t respond, just buzzes me in. The apartment complex is not a dump, but it’s not nice either. It reminds me of a place a twenty-five-year-old would live. I realize I still don’t know exactly how old Kate is. I’m assuming if she has a six-year-old she gave birth to her senior year in college, that would make her twenty-seven.
I see Kate up ahead, standing at the bottom of a stairway.What is she doing just standing there?
Boom!I freeze. All of the sudden the age difference hits me. It’s never going to work. She was a school-aged child the year Dani and I got married. She could have been our flower girl. I hesitate on the path. Oh. My. God! The image of Kate as a little kid is playing over and over in my head. I want to run. I just stand there staring back at her. My mind is racing with exit strategies.
“I have some bad news,” she says. I’m a distance from her but begin walking toward her slowly.
Yes! She’s canceling. I’m saved.
“Oh?” I say.
“So my mom brought Tristan back here because she had to take my dad to the hospital.”
“Oh no. Is he okay?” I say as I get closer to her. The sun is going down and the light is perfect right now. She looks ready for a date, but not overdone.
“He’s fine. He had a bout of diverticulitis.”
