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She nods slowly while holding my gaze. “Yeah … crazy. It’s the people you think you know the best that you have to worry about the most.”
Seems like quite a dark observation for someone like Greer. But that’s the one thing she’s said that I relate to the most.
“How did you take the news?” she asks.
“It was a shock. I know that sounds cliché but it’s really how I felt.Stillfeel. And I’m supposed to meet them Friday. It’s … weird.”
“I get it. Finding out something like this, it’s one of those things you don’t ever think will happen to you. And then it does. You probably feel like your head is spinning.”
“That is what it feels like. And the icing on the cake is that I’ve gotten in a fight with my best friend Rigger. So I don’t have him to lean on. Making it harder to deal with all this.”
“Oh, that’s too bad. Your dad told me about him. Is it something you two can put behind you while you deal with this?”
“Not really. I don’t know. Maybe we could.” I get that bitter twist in my stomach which tells me I miss him. I think about that note he left me though. And it makes me wonder if things will ever be the same between us.
“Maybe you should try. You never know how things will go on Friday and you could probably use a friend.”
“Yeah … maybe.”
Greer toys with her straw for a moment as I think about giving Rigger a call. Should I or shouldn’t I?
“I could go with you. If you want.”
Greer’s mouth is twisted as she chews on the inside of her cheek. “That’s very sweet. I’ll let you know.”
Someone brings out our food, setting it down then disappearing without a word. Greer looks at her plate, then at mine.
“Wow, sorry. The service here is usually better. Is your order right?”
I stare down at my tuna melt, warm, white liquid pooling around the bread and trailing into the french fries. “A little soggy but yeah.”
“Hm. Mine isn’t but I don’t feel like making a stink about it.”
“Make a stink. I don’t care. You shouldn’t eat or pay for something they messed up.”
“No, it’s fine.” She peels open her cup of dressing and pours it over the small salad. “What time are you meeting your person on Friday?”
I like how she calls my half brother or sister my person. “Nine in the morning. And I appreciate the offer to go with, I really do.” I start to slide in abut, but something stops me. Maybe I do have this little part inside of me that wants to get close to her. I’ll never be able to think of her as a stepmom. But as far as I know she and Daddy aren’t making plans to get married just yet. I can’t share my deepest darkest with her. But she and I can be friends.
“So, is that a yes?” Her blue eyes flicker.
“Sure, why not. I could use the moral support.”
“And we both could use a little bonding time,” she says, smiling. “I’m sure your father will be thrilled that we’re doing this together, and that I could be there for you.”
“Yeah, about that … he doesn’t know I’m meeting them yet.”
“You don’t want him to know?” She stabs a piece of lettuce while staring hard at me.
“It’s fine if he knows. It just didn’t come up when we talked this morning. I’ll shoot him a text.”
Greer nods, still smiling ear to ear. I can tell this means a lot to her. So I guess that’s one good thing that came from all this. We finish our lunches, making small talk. I wish her a safe trip back home and tell her to touch base with me tomorrow. Overall I feel good about things with her. At least that part of my personal life is going well.
I get back home late afternoon. After Ritz is fed my phone starts blowing up with messages that must not have come through while I was on the road. Most of them are from Rigger.
You busy?
Just wanted to talk to you about a few things.
