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I hovered my finger over the “send” button. Was I revealing too much? No. The first step to progress was extending this olive branch. I pushed send and saw him typing. Wow, he must really be bored with his parents. I guess that made sense. He’d never been eager to see them at holidays. And from what he had shared with me, I knew they had unreasonably high expectations of him. For a second, I felt a little pang in my chest for Andrew.
So do I. See you tomorrow.
Wait, tomorrow? Tomorrow was Sunday. I sure as hell would not be seeing him tomorrow. Unless there was a meeting I didn’t know about?
Tomorrow? What’s going on?
You’ll see
Not funny, Markman
I’m very funny, but I’m not kidding this time.
What the hell? Explain yourself!!
And then 2 minutes later.
NOT FUNNY. Is there a meeting I don’t know about?
I didn’t hear back. I flopped back onto the couch and checked my email every two minutes for the next hour. Nothing. There was no meeting I didn’t know about and he was just messing with me.
It was going to be a long month.
13
Margo
New York City was the best place in the world to come home to. Every time I stepped into the chaos of Penn Station, or took a cab from JFK, or drove over the bridge from New Jersey, my heart skipped a beat. Occasionally I loved it so much that I started to cry. And after a week spent with my loving but intense family, I wanted to do a happy little dance as I walked down my block from the subway.
I poked him head into the deli on the corner of my block. “Hi Mrs. Lin.” I waved at the owner, whose name graced the awning. “Happy holidays! Got any buns left? I know it’s late.” This deli was not a secret and they usually sold out by two pm on weekends. She frowned at the fact that it meant I hadn’t eaten lunch.
“Just one, Margo. You’re lucky. He made pork today.”
“Yum. Thank you.” I passed the money to her perch behind the enormous counter. “Why are you here by yourself? Shouldn’t Ronny be here too?” Mrs. Lin’s sweet son was always there during afternoons after his classes at community college. I had been their neighbor for the last six years. Her husband was an excellent cook and Mrs. Lin frequently stocked his homemade lunchboxes and pork buns. I had eaten countless meals from this deli.
Lots of lawyers in my firm would be horrified at the relative plainness of my tastes and my apartment. I had moved in as soon as I had paid off my student loans. Chinatown was a neighborhood of families, a rarity in downtown Manhattan. I appreciated the tiny family-run restaurants, the local kids, the seeming immunity from the constant gentrification and newness of life in the surrounding neighborhoods.
“Ronny’s in the back finishing up a paper he should have turned in sooner.” She pursed her lips. Much to her dismay, Ronny was not known for his punctuality.
I grinned. “Tell him I said good luck. I remember those days.”
I waved goodbye and headed for the door, wrangling my suitcase and fumbling in my purse for my keys. I didn’t look up until I slammed into a warm body coming through the door.
“I’mmmphso sorry” I said, choking on my bun. I started coughing.
“You ok there, MC? Wouldn’t want to shock you into an early grave.”
“Andrew? What are you doing here?” I choked out.
He laughed. “Don’t look so shocked.” He slapped me on the back as I coughed. “This happens to be the best deli in the area and I was hoping to grab the last bun, but I see you’ve already taken it.” He eyed me like I had committed a mortal sin.
I held his gaze and took a huge bite, grinning like a maniac around the delicious spiced meat and soft dough.
He leaned in. “Hot,” he breathed. I chewed and somehow kept myself from laughing.
“Anyways, Andrew, it’s been lovely, but I’m going to head home.” I made a move to get around him but he turned and held the door open for me.
I stared at it like it might bite me. “Let me walk you home. It’s pretty late,” He said. He turned to Mrs. Lin. “See you later. Better luck next time with the buns I suppose.”
