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By the time I’d reached the first stop sign in my apartment complex, my phone buzzed. It was probably my mother, stating that she saw I was finally on the move and to be careful at the next four-way stop, but since my car wasn’t in motion and no one was behind me waiting, I peeked at the phone in my purse.It was Eli.
I’m sorry Katie. I don’t want to be friends.
My heart stopped again. Why did he feel the need to tell meagain?
He was typing, surely to tell me why and how come and because of this and that. I knew the day I first saw Carolyn I wasn’t anywherenearhis type physically. No need to rub it in.
I replied.
Okay, I understand.
And truthfully, it was fine. I thought back to when I first prayed about finding a husband. I had asked God if something was right “open all the doors, and if it’s not- close them shut forever.” This was the latter, unfortunately, but I’d accept it because God had something even greater out there for me. My mind whispered back, ‘but who is going to be more perfect than Eli?’
I shuddered at the thought.
My car was now in park, as the typing bubble continued. I was a glutton for punishment, so I waited to read why I wasn’t his ideal woman.
Because I want to be more than friends. I thought you would have received the invitation I sent by now, and you would know that.
A car pulled up behind me. No one was at the other stop sign, so it would be fine for them to go around me. They didn’t, but I was consumed with reading that text over and over.
Wait, what?My brain felt like it was swimming upstream through a landslide. It still hadn't hit me what he meant, and now the car door behind me was opening.
Just then, my mother decided to video call. I answered, talking fast as I needed to hurry up and drive away. “Hi! I’m just hitting the road. But you won’t believe who just texted me to say they want to bemore than friends.”
“OH MY!! Does this mean I have not one but TWO grand dogs now!?”
“I don’t want to get ahead of myself—but probably—maybe. Let me call you back in just a second. Someone stopped behind me, and they just opened their door.”
“WHAT? I’m not going anywhere. Keep me on the phone!”
“Okay. Just hold on a minute.” I set the phone in the holder attached to my dash as I’d need it for my GPS anyway. I flipped the rearview mirror back todowncast headlights and put my car in drive, only to jump out of my skin in a blood-curdling scream when someone knocked on my driver's side window.
“What is it, Katie! Who is it? Is it Ted from your work? Or your mailman, Ron! I knew it. It’s Ron, isn’t it?”
“How do you know who my mailman is…? Wait, never mind, I don’t want to know. And it’s Eli, who has now been watching me and probably thinks I’m talking to myself. Just be quiet in the background, okay?”
“I’m as quiet as a church mouse. You know me, Silent Suzie is what they refer to me as.”
“Maybeon opposite day...And that’s not even your name? Okay, justshhh.”
“And let him think that you are talking to yourself. It makes you more unpredictable; it’s like I always say, ‘a little crazy keeps the killers away.’” My mother winks and gives a dramatic thumbs up, pretending to zip her mouth shut.
The embarrassment was still fresh, and I knew my face was swollen, red, and blotchy, but I peeked out the window and saw Eli sheepishly grinning at me. I just stared blankly until he motioned to roll down my window, using the old-fashioned gesture of cranking it down. I reached for the crank when I remembered my car had automatic windows.
“Will you give me a chance to explain? I’d like to tell you about Carolyn first.”
What about her? “Okay.”
Since he was towering over me, I needed to get out of my car door and stand for this. I was getting a sore muscle from cocking my head in this position for so long. Carefully putting my car back in park and then shutting off the engine, I cautiously opened my car door, clipping Eli in the process.
“Ouch, sorry about that.” I motioned towards the door.
“Looks like we may need to call your SUV in for assault,” he softly said as he lifted my hair to see the swelling. The slightest touch of his hand on my face sent shockwaves down my body and caused my skin to blush shyly.
“So, Carolyn...” he began. “We started talking again, and yes, I invited her to the Bark Park, but that was before I met you. It was the first time I’d seen her inYEARS. After I met you, I kept the date with her because I wanted to tell her it was too latein person. I wanted to give her that. Imagine my surprise when she showed up wearing the engagement ring I gave her all those years ago.”
Yes, now that he said it, itwas weird.
