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“I know,” I sigh, “It’s just . . .”Everybody leaves once they find out.“I didn’t want you to worry. This is supposed to be your vacation.”
“Honey,” she reaches across the table, “you are what’s important. I came here to visit you.”
“Thank you.” I smile weakly as our drinks arrive. Grabbing my orange juice, I down nearly half of it while Viv adds two packets of sugar to her coffee.
“But seriously, just because you don’t like the sun, doesn’t mean you have to look like a hobo, or live like a recluse.”
“I don’t –”
“Come on, Asie,” she raises her eyebrows and takes a sip of her coffee, “the girl who picked me up from the airport wasn’t even trying. At all, at anything.”
“Whatever.”
A steamy platter of ham, egg, and cheese pizza gets deposited in front of me, distracting all thoughts of my appearance as my stomach growls. I glance across the table to see the waiter placing a greasy, meat-filled concoction in front of Viv.
“Hungry much?” I raise my eyebrows at her.
“Ugh,” she shakes her head, placing her napkin over her lap, “I need something to soak up all that alcohol from last night.”
“I thought you gave up drinking?”
“No.” She picks up a slice. “I gave up tequila. Big difference.”
“Uh, huh. Whatever helps you sleep at night.” I laugh as I grab a slice of my own pizza and dig in.
“Yeah,” she smiles as she swallows, “I didn’t really sleep much last night.”
“No?” I was passed out pretty much all evening and night. There could have been a rave at my house and with all the pain meds I took, I would have never known. I take a large sip of my juice. “What’d you do?”
Her smile grows. “Let’s just say your neighbor is really fun.”
I spit my drink. It lands all over my pizza. “You didn’t!”
“Hey, you gave me free dibs.”
“Yeah,” I grab my napkin and try to blot up as much of the orange juice as possible, “but he’s –”
“Hot.”
“I was going to say an ass, but sure, a hot ass-wipe.” I shake my head as I crinkle up the used napkin, then sigh as her smile drops. “I’m glad you had some fun,” I offer. It’s not like it matters anyway, I can’t stand him. Assholes are not my thing.
Not at all.
The rest of the dayand the next fly by. Before I know it, I’m standing in the airport, hugging Vivian again.
I shake my head, forcing the waterworks back. “It seems like we were just here.”
“Hey,” she smiles, “I will definitely visit more. I mean it,” she grasps my shoulders, “and I’m here for you.”
The side of my lips tilt up, even though I don’t feel like smiling. I’m sure this wasn’t the vacation Viv had been expecting. We didn’t go to the beach near enough. She didn’t get to spend every day sun tanning, then partying all night. I should have tried more. Been a better friend.
“I’m sorry this week wasn’t what you were hoping for,” I blurt before I can process a better apology for my shit show of a life.
“Uh-uh,” she shakes her head, tightening her grasp on me, “we’re not doing this. This trip was exactly what you needed.”
“But it wasn’t what you wanted.” The moisture is there, building against the corners of my eyes again.
“I was right where I needed to be, being your bestie. It was a great trip.”
