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“Like what? The truth? Because it’s the truth, Phil. And I’m sorry if the truth hurts, but you’re just going to have to deal with it. Just like you’re going to have to deal with the fact that you and I are over. We’ve been over for two years.”
“Ari, you don’t mean that. I know you’re just saying that to make me feel bad.”
“No, I’m not. I don’t want you, Phil. I don’t know how I can make that any clearer,” I paused, suddenly struck with genius. “Actually, I can. Let me put it this way, if the world was flooded and you lived in the last remaining tree, I’d rather drown than live with you. If you were the last man on Earth and I was the only woman, the human race would go extinct. In simple terms, I’m through with you. I was through the second you dumped me. I don’t want you. I don’t want to see you. I want you to live your life and let me live mine.”
I hung up the phone before letting him get another word in edgewise. I proceeded to block his number, preventing him from bothering me again. Once I finished, I called Lou.
“That fucker had the nerve to call you?” My best friend growled as I explained what had just happened. “The prick obviously has a death wish! I should grab my brother Vinnie and fly to Seattle just to kick his ass!”
“He’s not worth it, Lou,” I reminded her but made no attempts to calm her down. I wanted to feed off her fury and use that to daydream about her stomping a mudhole in Phil’s face. She’d do it, too. Lou was no slacker when it came to self-defense. It was just one of her many passions.
“I know, but it would make me feel better,” she grumbled again and heaved out a sigh. “How are you doing though? Are you okay? Do you need me to come over?”
“I’m alright, I think. It just took me by surprise and pissed me off. I’m sorry that I called and dumped all of that on you.”
“You needed to vent and that’s one of my roles as your best friend is to listen to you. And judging by your tone, you aren’t done letting it all out. Why don’t we meet up for lunch? There’s that new Indian place that just opened up right around the corner from you. Cafe-Mandu. Sherita, the lady that runs the front office said that its to die for and I know how much you love tikka masala.”
“I’ve got to finish this bouquet—” I argued, but Lou cut me off at the knees.
“I can hear how stressed you are. Hand the order over to Vivian. She’s just as good as you are and she’ll make sure the customer is happy. Once you’ve got that done, get your ass down to Cafe-Mandu and get us a table. I’ll see you in fifteen.”
Lou hung up and exactly twenty-two minutes later, I walked into Cafe-Mandu to find her waiting for me in a back corner booth.
“I told you to meet me here in fifteen,” she said with mock anger as I slid into the seat opposite her.
“I had to wait for Vivian to get back from lunch. Then I had to give her the rundown about the order, and I needed to go to the restroom. I’m sorry if peeing took longer than it needed to.” I teased back before giving her a knowing, cheeky wink.
“Now, lay it on me.” Lou went quiet as I told her about Phil’s call and what I’d said. The only time that she spoke was when our server came and took both our drink—Diet Coke for me, iced chai with almond milk for her—and our lunch orders. While I went with my favorite tikka masala, Lou went for lamb vindaloo. By the time I finished, our lunches were before us and we were each on our second refill.
“Phil is the dumbest motherfucker alive,” Lou spat as she sucked in a big gulp of her beloved spiced tea.
“I don’t know what he’s thinking?” I offered. “We broke up over two years ago. HE broke up with me because he wanted someone else. Not to mention, I haven’t heard a word from him since I sent that last text message telling him to fuck off, and that I hoped he and his fuck buddy both caught crabs and that their arms were too short to scratch.”
Lou threw her head back and howled with laughter.
“That never gets old!” she continued to laugh as she wiped at her eyes. “I just wish I’d been there to see his face when he read it. If anyone deserves that kind of punishment, it’s that douchebag.”
“I know. It was one of my better moments. But I don’t get it, Lou? Why would he contact me now? I swear he must sense that everything’s going wrong. He always did like playing the knight in shining armor. The guy who swept in to help pick up the pieces for the poor, helpless female who could never, I don’t know, find a way to save herself.”
“I think it’s because that other girl dumped him and no one else wants him. He’s probably thinking that you’re alone and desperate and that since you two share history, you’d just magically forgive him and fall right into his arms.”
I ripped out a snort that caught the attention of several of the other diners. One man glared at me as if I’d farted. Another, a woman this time, gave me a weak smile before popping another momo into her mouth.
“He’s delusional.”
“That he is. And desperate.” Lou offered me one of the momos she ordered before looking me in the eye. “I’m sorry that he called and disturbed your peace. There is a silver lining, however. The asshat gave you something to focus on instead of you know…” her voice trailed off.
I didn’t need her to state the obvious. In just two weeks’ time, my business would be closed. The building would then be knocked down and in a year’s time, something soulless and empty would stand in its place. The thought that all my hard work over the past year would soon be gone left me sick and regretting that I had eaten. I just wished instead that somehow, someway, the universe would produce a miracle and I wouldn’t have to watch all my hopes and dreams, not to mention my livelihood and the livelihoods of my employees, get smashed apart by a wrecking ball.
“I know it’s hard,” Lou said as she reached out and took hold of my hand. “I just wish there was something that I could do.”
“We’ve tried everything, Lou.” I sighed, resigned to the inevitable. “There’s nothing left to do but accept what’s going to happen and find a way to move on.”
“You can always start over. You own the company name. I’m sure that we can find a space comparable to what you found so that you can start again.”
“It will take years to build up my clientele again. And there’s no guarantee that if I do find another spot like that one, that I’d be able to stay in business. Especially with the way everyone’s starting to order online now.”
“Hey! You did online orders!”
