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Chuckling, I finish rolling up my mat. “No, you are just impatient and trying to keep things focused on me, so I won’t tease you about your man.”
“Regardless,” she rolls her eyes before dragging me to the classroom door. “Let’s try to figure out where he is and what is going on.”
We find an empty bench on the lawn, and I try calling Damien again.
“Straight to voicemail again.”
Against my better judgment, I hit redial several more times. Each and every time I am met with his voicemail.
“That sounds like he is hitting the big fuck you button or he has you blocked.” Mara stands. “How about I buy you lunch?”
“His phone could just be turned off. Let me try calling him on your phone.” I dial his number on Mara’s phone and it immediately goes to voicemail.
“Okay, maybe I was wrong. Maybe I jumped the gun and immediately thought the worst of him.” Mara says before adding, “I will still buy you lunch. I’m starving.”
“Lunch sounds great.” Eating might keep my mind distracted off Damien and my heart content with food.
Leave it to Mara to poke the proverbial bear. “And then we can plan our next step.”
I whip my head to look in her direction. “Huh?”
Is there something else we need to do? We have already come to the conclusion that his phone is most likely turned off.
“Why is his phone turned off? Why wasn’t he in class? Where is he?” Mara ticks off the questions with her fingers.
“That’s a bit stalker-ish.” I tease.
“But you are his girlfriend, so it isn’t stalking. It isn’t normal to not hear from your significant other every day.” Mara stops talking as we enter the cafe.
We get in line, and I whisper, “It is when neither of us were prepared to hear from one another for a week or more, let alone see each other all the time.”
“Whatever floats your boat. I think there is more to this story and the journalist in me wants to get to the bottom of it.” Mara steps up to the counter and places her order.
“I’ll have the same, thank you.” I thank the cashier and Mara before heading over to the side of the counter to wait for our order.
“So, can I?” Mara asks excitedly, like a child.
“You don’t need my permission to do what you want in your spare time, Mara.”
I understand why she is asking for my permission, but I’m not her mother.
“If I dig into his past, do you promise you won’t be mad?” She asks hesitantly.
“No, of course not!”
Deep in my heart, I know Damien isn’t hiding anything from me.
“And you won’t secretly hate me?” She asks softly.
“Mara! Of course, I wouldn’t hate you. Openly or secretly. Do you think so little of me?”
Where is this coming from?
She looks shocked. “No, Shae. I just want to make sure before I get to investigating. I would never do something that will jeopardize our friendship.”
“We’re good. Just keep me out of it.”
I want to add, unless she finds something good, but I refrain. I don’t want Damien to lose trust in me.
