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“Why?”
“Why not?”
Gabriel looks super skittish. He’s getting weirder by the second.
Blake must get the same impression because she narrows her eyes at her boyfriend before studying the cat. “You put a collar on him?”
Latte is sporting a bright new red leather collar.
“No, I mean, yes, obviously.” Gabriel is sweating cold. “But you clearly don’t like it, so I’ll just go to the kitchen and take it off.”
Gabriel turns and makes to leave again, but Blake freezes him on the spot. “Gabriel Mathias Mercer, hand that cat over.”
He stops and faces his girlfriend. “I’d rather not.”
Blake frowns and gets to him, petting Latte’s head, trying to take him from Gabriel, but her boyfriend refuses to let go. “What is wrong with you?”
For a moment it looks like they’re going to struggle over possession of the poor kitty until Blake gasps, eyes widening, and lets go of the cat. “Is that… are you?”
Gabriel makes a resigned face and undoes the red collar, gathering something in his hands. He squats down to set the cat free and, instead of rising back up, he goes down on one knee, muttering, “I knew involving the cat was taking it a step too far.”
That’s when I catch up. My eyes widen almost as large as Blake’s as I spot the diamond ring that was looped into Latte’s collar. I really have to go to the bathroom, but this proposal has already been botched enough, so I cross my legs and press my thighs tightly together as Gabriel makes his declaration.
He takes Blake’s hands in his and says, “From the first day I met you, you stole my heart. And nothing would make me happier than if you did me the honor of becoming my wife. Will you—”
“Yes!” Blake launches herself at him, knocking him flat on his butt then she cups his face and covers it in kisses, punctuating every kiss with a yes. “Yes, yes, yes, yes.”
And they’re making out.
I’ve been here before and I don’t need directions to the bathroom. I sneak off while they’re still kissing and sit on the toilet wondering what the future holds, wishing I had a clear path ahead of me like Blake and Gabriel.
At least after the proposal, not even Blake tries to convince me to stay for dinner. I leave Gabriel’s apartment feeling mostly happy for them. Only a tiny part of me is jealous of their happiness.
Is a ring on my finger what I would want for myself? It’s not like John hasn’t asked.
Is John even who I want?
Yes.
The answer arrives with such a staggering force that it takes me aback. But instead of cheering at the realization, I panic. All I can see when I imagine a future together are the red tail-lights of his truck as he sped away that night, abandoning me. No matter that I’m standing on the curb waiting for a cab, I can still feel the cold, damp concrete scraping my knees as I collapsed to the ground to watch his pickup disappear into the darkness.
A cab pulls up next to me. I hadn’t even realized I still had my arm up in the air. I rush to the door, opening it and half-shouting, “To Brooklyn, please.”
I’m not sure if the driver is more startled by my panicking or by having to cross the city, but the moment I close the door, he speeds up, flinging me into my seat as we swerve into traffic.
Once I’m breathing normally again, I take out my phone and, with shaky fingers, compose a text for John.
48
JOHN
From Marissa:
We need to talk
The ominous text lands in my inbox.
With Nora still with her mom, I’m alone at home. I was watching a football game, but I turn the TV off and shift on the couch as I type a reply.
