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Sebastian waved when he saw us.
A tall, muscular man with blue eyes and curly, dark hair sat beside him. He wore a blue, button-down shirt. I spotted a Rolex glinting on his wrist. I assumed this was Jack.
I slid into a seat across from them, and Olivia sat beside me.
“How was closing?” Sebastian asked.
“I didn’t close. It’s Emily’s first night closing. I had to figure out the schedule for next week and email our flour supplier.”
“My closing was great, thanks for asking,” Olivia quipped.
Sebastian grinned. “Can you believe we’re in the presence of two of Dover’s most up-and-coming business owners?” he asked Jack.
I blushed. Olivia rolled her eyes. “He does this with you, too?” she asked.
“I’m surprised he hasn’t donned a cookie costume for us,” I replied.
Sebastian howled, “Hey, I’m helping you out at the Farmer’s Market next Saturday,” Sebastian added.
“And we’re gonna have a wonderful time! Ramon and his girlfriend will be there!”
“Does this mean I get a burrito as compensation?”
“Yes! And a dirty horchata!” I replied.
The four of us talked about work and life in Boston versus Dover. Jack and Olivia moved out of Boston after she had her big falling out with her and Sebastian’s parents. According to Olivia, they were better for it. Jack had a thriving surgical practice.
“And I truly think absence makes the heart grow fonder. Look at Mom with Joey,” She passed her phone over to me and Sebastian. She’d pulled up a photo of Sebastian’s mother clapping in delight as Joey stacked blocks. I could see the love in her eyes. I felt a swell of bitterness as I tried to picture my own mother interacting with my children, and no mental image came to mind. Throughout the dinner, I found out more information about Sebastian’s mom. She worked as a preschool teacher for forty years before retiring this Fall. Now, she watched Joey on Tuesdays and Thursdays while Olivia worked.
“And she’s absolutely over the moon about it,” Olivia added.
“It was her idea!” Jack added, noting that when Jack suggested they reserve Joey a spot at the hospital daycare, she insisted they send him to her house instead.
“And selfishly, I did start story time on Fridays at the store so I could see him while I work,” Olivia said.
A waitress came by and took our orders. Olivia ordered a flatbread and their house blood orange margarita. My stomach was still feeling a little upset, so I didn’t order a drink. I ordered a warm grain bowl with quinoa, kale, chickpeas, golden beets, feta, hummus, and fresh peppers. Sebastian ordered a burger and a local IPA. The waitress quickly added that all the cows were grass-fed. Jack ordered the same.
The waitress brought our drinks. Olivia, Jack, and Sebastian clinked glasses. I sipped my sparkling water and willed the nausea brewing in my stomach to wane, telling myself I was hungry.
“Are you okay, Becca? You look a little clammy.” Olivia said.
“I’m fine. My birth control’s been making me nauseous. I probably shouldn’t be drinking if I already feel gross.”
“Birth control is such a nightmare. It’s bullshit. When I first went on the pill, it gave me migraines. I made them lower my dose, but eventually, I was so annoyed trying to keep track of it,” Liv started.
“Then Joey happened,” Jack said with a laugh.
Liv elbowed him in the ribs, “Hey! The fact that I fucked up my birth control schedule and Joey appeared nine months later are coincidences. I have an IUD now and a wonderful son. It’s a win-win,” Liv said, sipping her drink.
“But I swear, being on the pill felt worse than actually being pregnant. I’m sorry you’re still having a hard time,” Olivia said.
“It’s fine. I talked to my gynecologist, and they’re writing me a prescription for nausea, and if that doesn’t work, I’ll probably switch to the shot,” I said.
The waitress brought our food. I dug into my grain bowl and groaned when I ate the first bite. The veggies were fresh and perfectly seasoned, and the feta was rich and salty. Still, my stomach lurched after the first few bites.
We stayed out talking and laughing until the restaurant closed at eleven. It was wonderful to watch Sebastian with his little sister. Again, it made me jealous of the siblings I’d never have. At the end of the night, Olivia punched her number into my phone.
“In case you need a lunch buddy when you’re working,” she said with a smile.
