Why does he sound like he’s running?
“How do you feel about it? Deep down past the nerves?”
I take a moment to breathe, assessing what lies beneath all the birthday fears and my desperation to land an opportunity as idyllic as this one. Underneath it all, I’m still me. Hoping for the best when the world is set on giving me the worst. “I feel good. But maybe it’s because I want it so bad.”
“I want it for you,” he says. Now he sounds short of breath. “If you feel good, the vibes must have been good when you left.”
“I hope so.”
“Sorry, I have to let you go. But Bri . . .”
“Yeah?”
He takes a deep breath and lets it out in a huff as if hopping off a treadmill. “Happy birthday. I hope you have the best day of your life.”
How can that be possible if you’re not here?“Thank you, Hoodie. I’ll miss you.”
“I’ll be there before you know it.”
His promise brings a smile to my quivering lips. “And I’ll be counting the seconds.”
“Me too. I love—uh . . .”
My heart squeezes hearing it slip out of him again. I want to hear him say the words he shouldn’t. We’ll call it my birthday gift. “Say it.”
“I love you.”
The amount of fluttering in my chest would frighten a medical professional. “I love you too.”
~
Hours later, I’m back at Keisha’s house, wanting a nap but not wanting to ruin the makeup I managed to apply this morning at the hotel. Depending on Keisha’s secret plans, I’ll either add some layers for bad girl activities or keep it classy like the mature woman I will be in less than two hours.
“There’s my birthday girl!” Keisha cheers when I enter the house. “How was the interview?”
“It was . . . good? I’m not sure, but I need a drink sooner rather than later. Are we getting cocktails?”
“We’re going to celebrate big. I told you I have it all planned.”
“You do?”
She nods. “Yes. All your faves. We’re getting the full sushi experience. What’s it called?”
Pregnancy brain is weird. She knows what it’s called. “Omakase?”
“Yeah, that. I got you a cake from that bougie-ass bakery you and Junie love. Then we’re going to that new lounge on Rodeo that’s all over the socials.”
Those truly are most of my favorites. “Really? Thank you!”
“You deserve it and more. I love being thirty. I don’t know why you’ve been dreading it like it’s not going to be the first chapter of the best part of your life.”
There are plenty of reasons to dread this day. Emotional reasons aside, I still need to be out of this house in two weeks. As much as Keisha wants extra help with the baby in the first few months, I will be a better village if I am up the road, not up the hall.
“Then I’m sure Liem will give you birthday sex.”
My mood sinks like theTitanic. “He’s not coming. They have a big push before the holidays so he couldn’t get time off.”
“Oh, yeah. That’s right. So sorry.”
