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And I really was.

Mabel

Iwatched Joshua run off, trying to figure out what had just happened. Had he come over on purpose? Or was his invitation a spur of the moment kind of thing? And most importantly, were we two acquaintances getting pizza or was I about to go on my first date in years?

I needed a second opinion, so after I got Esmerelda inside the house and got her some breakfast I found my phone and called my friend Renee.

“Hey, can you talk?” I asked when she answered.

“Yeah, hold on, Rob is home sick from work today, let me go into another room so we can have some privacy.”

“Is he okay?” I asked, remembering that Rob had suffered a massive heart attack shortly before he met Renee.

“He’s fine. It’s just a man cold but you’d think he was dying.”

I laughed as I heard Rob protesting in the background that it wasn’t a man cold, he was really sick. I could practically hear Renee rolling her eyes at her husband.

“You know how they get. They’re such big babies. If men had to give birth it would kill them. I told you about how when April had the baby, my son Jonathon got sick to his stomach from all the gore and was carrying on as if he’d pushed that thing out himself.”

“Oh God.”

“Okay, I’m alone now,” Renee said. “What’s up?”

“I think I have a date?” I said, my voice raising in question at the end.

“You’re not sure?”

I told her the whole story, from meeting Joshua after Esmerelda’s adventure in the dog park to Joshua jogging to my house this morning and inviting me to dinner.

“That sounds like a date to me,” Renee reassured me once I’d finished.

“I don’t know if this is a good idea. He thinks I’m weird. I can tell. You should have seen his face when I told him I read tarot cards.”

There was a slight pause before Renee responded.

“You know I love you, Mabel, and I wouldn’t say you are weird. But you are definitely a little different than most people. You have a lot of unusual interests and an enthusiasm for life that a lot of adults don’t have. The way you look at the world is very unique, but I think it’s awesome, personally.”

“My ex didn’t think it was awesome,” I reminded her.

“Your ex was an asshole,” she replied. “He didn’t appreciate the things that are unique about you, and it’s been nice since the divorce to see you come into your own and embrace your power. If this guy Joshua doesn’t know what to make of you, that’s one thing, but if he’s the kind of guy who’s going to expect you to change yourself to meet his needs, then you need to run the other way.”

“I think it’s too early to tell.”

“Well, if you want my advice, don’t overthink it. Just go have pizza with the man. There’s clearly an attraction between you, and if nothing else, you can use him to pop your divorce cherry.”

“Renee!” I laughed.

“There’s nothing better than having sex with someone who thinks you’re hot and likes you just the way you are.”

“Yeah, but I’m not sure that’s true with Joshua,” I replied.

“There’s only one way to find out,” Renee said. “Spend time with him and see what happens. Maybe he’ll be a friend, maybe more, but you’ll never know unless you explore it.”

“Okay, you’re right. I’m going to meet him for dinner and go from there,” I decided.

“Good job. Call me tomorrow and let me know how it goes. Oh, and Mabel?”

“Yeah.”