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“Bails? Where are you? Your mom and I are at the restaurant already. Is everything okay?”
Her voice is tinny when she answers.
“Dad? I’m so sorry to do this but I’ve been feeling really sick this morning, and I don’t think I can make it. I was hoping I’d feel better by noon, but uggggh!!!”
I hear the phone clatter to the ground as my daughter rushes to the bathroom. Fortunately, it’s Chris who picks up.
“Rick, she’s not going to be able to make it,” he apologizes. “Are you good to handle things on your own?”
My friend knows I’d never take Angela out to lunch unless it was with my daughter present. However, I don’t want to be rude and just leave, seeing that we’ve already ordered drinks.
“Sure, I’m fine. Tell Bailey to feel better. She’s due any day now, right?”
“Yep, any day. Gotta go, buddy. I hear her throwing up again.”
With that, Chris clicks off, and I sigh, turning back to my ex.
“Bailey’s feeling sick and won’t be joining us.”
Immediately, Angela looks concerned.
“Is she okay?”
I shrug.
“I think it’s just morning sickness. She’s due any day now, so it seems to be getting worse. But don’t worry, Chris is there with her. She’s in good hands.”
Angela nods. Accepting Chris as her new son-in-law wasn’t easy for her either. But after Bailey made her feelings clear, we both backed down. We have a smart daughter, and she knows her own heart. Unfortunately, that means that I’m stuck with Angela alone for this meal, which doesn’t exactly warm my heart. My ex is deeply flawed, and I’m reminded just how much with her next comment.
“You look like shit,” she says while looking at me critically.
There it is. Fact three: she’s blunt.
“Thanks, Angie,” I deadpan. “Thanks a lot.”
“What’s wrong?”
I eye her suspiciously. Her look is one of genuine concern. But there’s no way I can go into it: that I started dating the woman of my dreams, who happens to be Bailey’s college-aged best friend. That our relationship was perfect. And that everything crumbled so suddenly that I’m still struggling to catch my breath. It’s not worth it, and besides, Angela would never understand.
“Just haven’t been sleeping well,” I say, looking at my Corona.
She makes a disbelieving noise in her throat.
“Bullshit. You look like you’re living in your own personal hell. Who broke your heart?”
“I am not going to talk about this,” I say firmly.
Angie shrugs delicately. “I could have some good advice, you know. Offer a womanly perspective, and all that.”
My mouth twists. “Why do you care?”
“Because,” she says, “Like it or not, I still care about you, Rick. That shouldn’t be news to you. We’re divorced, but we have a daughter together, which means that I still care.”
I soften a little as Angie smiles at me. In the dim light of the restaurant, she looks a little like the woman I used to know. “Thanks, Angie,” I say. “I appreciate that.”
Of course, the woman couldn’t be gracious if her life depends on it.
“You’d better.”
We order our food when the poor waiter returns. I’m looking forward to drowning my sorrows in beer and steak fajitas. Meanwhile, Angie, who eats like a bird, asks for a taco salad and will probably eat a third of it before complaining that the lettuce is soggy.
“How’s Mike?” I ask, just to make conversation.
“He’s good! He’s doing really well at work, which is why I’m so tickled that he’s at this conference. You know that’s why we’re in town. They asked him to be a speaker.”
“And how’s Millie?”
She smiles. Millie is their three-year-old chihuahua, who’s treated like a princess. She’s one of the ugliest creatures I’ve ever laid eyes on. “Millie is doing fabulously, as always. Do you want to see some pictures?” She’s already pulling out her phone.
“Not really,” I say honestly. Thankfully, she laughs.
“I’ll save them for Bailey and Christopher then. They love her,” Angie informs me. I manage not to snort. Chris hates that fucking dog even more than I do. One time, Angie brought her on a visit, and Millie pissed all over Chris’s living room carpet. Chris was unfailingly polite to his mother-in-law about it, but I had the pleasure of hearing his true feelings a few days later.
“When are you seeing Bails and Chris?” I ask to change the subject.
She sighs.
“We planned on meeting tomorrow, so long as she feels okay. I am taking Bailey shopping for baby clothes. But enough about me. Let’s get back to you.”
Fact four: she pries.
“What gives?” Angie says, dabbing at her strawberry-stained mouth with a napkin.
“About what?” I know the answer but decide to play dumb.
“About whatever devastating breakup you’re obviously going through.”
“You’re really not going to let this go, are you?” I sigh.
She grins with a victorious expression that makes me shudder a bit. “Definitely not.”
I fiddle with my fork. “It was…” Nope, definitely not going to go with the whole truth here. I fall back onto the lie I told Christopher. “Someone at work. Someone a little younger.”
