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“That’s sweet, Dee, but you need to do this on your own. Besides, I’m buried under mountains of assignments. They’re not going to correct themselves; you know.”
“I’m sure no one would mind if you were a little late…”
Savannah snorts, and I hear the familiar beep of the microwave. “You’ve obviously never taught a day in your life. The second the students handed in the assignments, they started nagging me about when I’ll post their grades.”
My lips lift into a half smile. “Lucky for them it usually doesn’t take you long. Since you don’t have a life.”
“Fuck you very much.”
In the distance, the airport looms, a thick plume of heat shimmering around it.
The doors to the bus dart open, and I get off, wheeling the bag behind me. I’m already sweating in the few seconds it takes me to cross through the double doors.
A blast of cold air hits me, and I smile.
Then I follow the signs to the conveyor belt, the rest of the passengers trailing behind me.
“Hello? Sav?”
“….signal….phone….water….”
I roll my eyes. “Please don’t tell me you dropped your phone in the sink again. I thought you were going to figure out a way to stop doing that.”
With glass windows on either side of me overlooking a packed airport runway and several pulsing neon signs, I’m able to find my way easily.
I move from one auto-walk to the next, rushing past rows and rows of brightly colored shops on either side of me.
A few vendors even wave at me, but I ignore them all and make a beeline for the baggage claim area.
My shoes squeak against linoleum floors. I’m nervous when I round the corner and spot several conveyor belts.
Quickly, I study the screen and manage to figure out which one has my luggage. Then I wander over to it and shove a hand into my pocket.
“I didn’t drop my phone in the water.” Savanna’s voice is finally back, and it’s clearer than before. “Skittles pushed it into the sink.”
I snort. “What did you do? Did you forget to pet her right?”
“I know you don’t buy this because she normally behaves around you, but Skittles can actually be very mean. The other day she hissed at me because I tried to take her food bowl away.”
“Maybe you shouldn’t have taken the bowl away.”
“She wasn’t eating anymore, and you remember what the vet said about her weight.”
As I wait for the conveyor belt to come to life, I shift from one foot to the other. “I’m sure she’ll forgive you eventually.”
Savannah sighs. “Or you’ll come back home and discover my half-eaten body in the bathroom.”
“You really need to stop listening to those true crime podcasts.” I shake my head and stand up straighter. “All they do is freak you out and leave you paranoid.”
“I can’t help it. Besides, I’m not like you. I need to know what’s happening in the world.”
“I know what’s happening in the world, thank you very much,” I reply, a little too quickly. “I’ve just, you know, been busy.”
“Babe, I know that pretending to be in love with Trevor must’ve been exhausting, but you know you don’t have to make excuses anymore, right? That’s part of what the retreat is for. I’m glad they actually have a few therapists on site.”
I grimace. “Why did you have to remind me? I never should’ve let you convince me to do this.”
Especially because I’m not comfortable talking to a stranger about how my marriage fell apart after only three years to boot.
