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“Well, see! This is way better,” Abbie gives both of us a hearty pat on the back, but for the rest of the night, I can’t shake the feeling of unease that clings to me, as Cheryl watches in horror as everyone devours the pie I made.
By the time everyone finishes coffee and dessert, it’s way too late for Al and me to open her envelope.
She hugs me, and we promise to open it tomorrow.
My mom pulls Vince and me into a group hug, “Now, are you two sure you don’t want to stay back at the house? It’s a long drive back to the Canyon.”
“We’ll be fine, but thank you so much, Mikki,” Vince hugs her again, then Abbie, then Allison. He turns to my dad and extends his hand, and my dad gives it a hearty shake.
“You’re a good man, Vince,” My dad says.
Vince beams, “You too.”
He waves at Cheryl, who is espousing the virtues of organic cotton yoga pants to my mom.
“Nice to meet you, Cheryl,” he calls. To my surprise, Cheryl waves back.
“Bye, Lyndsey! We should hang out sometime, now that we have so much in common.”
“Bye, Cheryl,” I grunt. I cringe as I grab Vince’s hand and book it out the door. Outside, Priya gives us a quick hug as she unlocks her car, a lime-green Volkswagen bug.
“Good job keeping it together, Vincent. Lyndsey, you know it’s always a pleasure. Do you think if I asked her, your mom would be my friend?”
I laugh, “I think she’d implode on the spot. I’ll text you her number.”
Back in the car, I’m silent as Vince merges onto the highway.
“You’re nothing like Cheryl, you know,” he starts as if he’s reading my mind.
“Is it that obvious that I hate her guts?”
“To most people, no. But I know what you look like when you’re worried. Your nose gets all scrunched like a pug. It’s cute.” He reaches down and places his hand on my knee, rubbing soothing circles on my shin with his thumb. My heart breaks.
“I can’t stop thinking about what she said, about how we like older men like it’s some sort of fucked up sisterhood or something to be proud of.”
“Are you ashamed of me?” Vince stiffens.
“No, no! I didn’t mean it like that. It’s just that I look at Cheryl and my dad, and it makes no sense. She looks like she’s his fucking secretary, and I can’t help but wonder if that’s how people see us.”
“Since when have you ever cared about what people think of you?”
“Since that actress called me your dog walker the other day.”
“That actress was a right bitch.”
“But what if she had a point?” My voice breaks. All of a sudden, my dress feels much too tight. I want to rip it off of me. My knee is bouncing nervously.
“Lyndsey, I don’t give a shit about what people say about us. I know that I love you, and that’s what matters.”
“But what if love can’t fix it? Vince, no offense, but you’re a guy! You’ve been fucking strangers with impunity for thirty years because that’s what you can do! People look at us, and they immediately think I’m a gold-digger or some symptom of your mid-life crisis.”
“I had no idea you thought so poorly of yourself or me! Lyndsey, you’re not a crisis. You’re the best thing that’s ever happened to me. I don’t know what I need to do to prove it to you,” he huffs. The air is thick with tension. I realize this is technically our first fight if I can call it that.
“You don’t need to prove anything! Vince, what you did today was amazing!”
“And you don’t need to prove anything either. I’ll fucking fight anyone who looks at you sideways.”
“But you shouldn’t have to do that! You shouldn’t have to go after people like some sort of knight in shining armor! I don’t need saving.” I can feel myself withdrawing. Vince reaches for my knee again, and I move it away. His hand thuds limplyagainst the passenger seat. Suddenly, this car feels much too small. I need to be alone.
