“I don’t want the others to worry, but dammit, I don’t want to talk to any of them right now” I said resignedly, dreading the thought of having to communicate with them when I was feeling so raw, especiallyhim.
“Let me respond for you then. How about a group message, something like,‘I just got to my cousin’s place, but my phone is acting up. Battery won’t hold a charge. Will call when I can.’We can send the same message to your kids letting them know they can call me or Camille if they need to reach you. They have our numbers, so that won’t be a problem. Then, we turn off your phone, and Dickhead Dante and his minions can’t bother you.”
Camille snorted at the name Kim had bestowed on Dante, but I just sighed in relief and nodded. “That’s perfect, thanks.”
She tapped on my phone screen for a minute or two, then smiled in satisfaction as she turned it off and handed it back to me.
“There, that should keep them off your back until you’re ready to talk.”
“Should we be worried about how quickly you concocted a plausible lie?” Camille asked her with a grin, but Kim just shrugged.
“So I have a vivid imagination. Sue me. Besides, I like to think of it as a creative cover story rather than a lie.”
“What’s the difference?” I asked curiously.
“Calling it a cover story just sounds better.”
We decided on a quiet evening at Kim’s place, ordering food to be delivered, and drinking it with way too much wine. They did their best to cheer me up, with Kim sharing the latest outrageous gossip among the elite clientele she worked for.
“Oh, that reminds me! There’s a boutique on Michigan Avenue that I’ve been using a lot lately, and the owner offered me a massive discount for my birthday since I’ve brought a lot of high-end clients her way. We’re going shopping tomorrow, and we’re each going to get something fabulous.”
Seeing my doubtful look, Kim chided, “I promise, it will be affordable, especially with the discount. This place is a few blocks away from the Magnificent Mile, so the prices are more reasonable.”
“I don’t need anything new, Kim, and – “
Kim immediately stood up and pointed her finger at me emphatically.
“We’re going shopping tomorrow. Then tomorrow night we’re going out to the new club I was telling you about, we’re going to dance our asses off, drink our troubles away, and forget about every fucking asshole who has ever done us wrong.Andwe’re going to look totally fuckable while doing it. Understood?”
I cracked a smile at her militant, take-no-bullshit tone. I wasn’t totally on board with her plan, but the forgetting part sounded good anyway.
Luckily, by the time we all went to bed, the copious amounts of wine I’d consumed had made me sleepy enough to sink into a deep oblivion practically the moment my head touched the pillow.
