I was too ashamed to admit to her that I wanted those things—the rings, the vows, the mortgage, and the kids. I wanted it all. But it was too hard to tell an unconventional girl that I wanted a conventional life with her. The thought that we didn’t want the same things and what that meant terrified me, so I pushed it to the back of my mind, to the same place where I kept my memories of Mom crying over Aunt Diane, far enough down so that my heart wouldn’t feel it.
America
My toes sparkled in the sun, freshly painted with Pretty in Pink. They wiggled as I relished the thin sheen of sweat on my skin and the heat dancing off the pavement surrounding the turquoise water. I was surely burning under the bright rays, but I remained on the white plastic slats of my lounge chair, happy to soak in the vitamin D, even with the little shits in 404B splashing like heathens.
My sunglasses fell down for the tenth time, the salty beads on the bridge of my nose making them slide around like a stick of melting butter.
Abby held up her water bottle. “Here’s to having the same day off.”
I held up mine and touched it to hers. “I’ll drink to that.”
We both tipped up our beverages, and I felt the cool liquid glide down my throat. I set the bottle down next to me, but it slipped from my hand and rolled under my chair.
“Damn it,” I said, protesting but not moving. It was too hot to move. It was too hot to do anything but stay in the air-conditioning or lie by the pool, intermittently slithering in the water before we spontaneously combusted.
“What time does Travis get off work?” I asked.
“Five,” she breathed.
“When does he go out of town again?”
“Not for two weeks, unless something comes up.”
“You’re awfully patient about this.”
“About what? Him making a living? It is what it is,” she said.
I turned onto my stomach and faced her, my cheek flat against the slats. “You’re not worried?”
Abby lowered her glasses and peered over them at me. “Should I be?”
“Nothing. I’m stupid. Ignore me.”
“I think the sun is frying your brain,” Abby said, pushing up her glasses. She settled back against her lounger, her body relaxed.
“I told him.”
I didn’t look at her, but I could feel Abby staring at the side of my face.
“Told who what?” she asked.
“Shep. I told him—sort of, in a way—that I was ready.”
“Why don’t you tell him for sure, directly, that you’re ready?”
I sighed. “I might as well ask him myself.”
“You two are exhausting.”
“Has he said anything to Travis?”
“No. And you know anything Trav tells me in confidence is off-limits.”
“That’s not fair. I would tell you, if I knew it was important. You’re a shit friend.”
“But I’m a great wife,” she said, not an ounce of apology in her voice.
“I told him we should visit my parents before classes start. A road trip.”
“Fun.”
“I’m hoping he gets the hint to pop the question.”
“Shall I plant a seed?”
“It’s already been planted, Abby. If he doesn’t ask me, it’s because he doesn’t want to … anymore.”
“Of course he does. You’ve been together three years in August. That’s not quite three months away, and it’s definitely not the longest a girl has waited for a ring. I think it just feels like it because Trav and I eloped so fast.”
“Maybe.”
“Be patient. Rejection is hard for their egos to take.”
“Travis didn’t seem to mind.”
She ignored my jab. “Twice takes twice as long.”
“Rub it in, bitch,” I snapped.
“I didn’t mean—” Abby squealed as she was lifted off the lounger and into Travis’s arms.
He took two long strides and leaped into the pool. She was still screaming when they rose to the surface.
I stood and walked to the edge, crossing my arms. “You’re off early.”
“Had a cancellation at the gym.”
“Hi, baby,” Shepley said, wrapping his arms around me.
Unlike Travis, he was fully dressed, so I was safe.
“Hi,” I began.
But Shepley leaned, and soon, we were falling into the pool like a toppling pillar.
“Shepley!” I shrieked as we hit the surface of the water before going under.
He popped up and pulled me with him, cradling me in his arms. He shook his head and smiled.
“You’re nuts!” I said.
“It wasn’t planned, but it’s over a hundred fucking degrees outside. I’m baking,” Shepley said.
The little shits from the next building over splashed us once, but after just one frown from Travis, they were scrambling to get out of the pool.
I planted a kiss on Shepley’s lips, tasting the chlorine on his mouth. “Have you thought about the road trip?” I asked.
He shook his head. “I checked the weather. They’re supposed to have some gnarly stuff coming in.”
I frowned. “Really? I grew up in Tornado Alley. You think I give two shits about the weather?”
“What if it hails? The Charger …”
“Okay, we’ll take the Honda.”
“To Wichita?” His nose wrinkled.
“She can make it! She’s made it before!” I said, defensive.
Shepley dragged his legs through the water to the side, and then he lifted me to the concrete. He wiped water from his face and squinted up at me. “You want to drive the Honda to your parents’, this weekend, with storms coming. What’s so urgent?”
“Nothing. I just thought it would be nice to get away.”
“Just the two of you. A special road trip,” Abby said.
When Shepley turned to look at her, I shot my best friend a warning glare. Her stoic expression didn’t give anything away, but I still wanted to dunk her.
He traded glances with Travis and then turned back to face me, confusion scrolling across his face. “It’ll give us time to talk, I guess. We’ve been busy. That’ll be nice.”
“Exactly,” I said.
Once I spoke those words, something lit in Shepley’s eyes, and a million thoughts seemed to flip behind his eyes.
Whatever was bothering him, he shook it off and pushed himself up, pecking my lips. “If that’s what you want, I’ll ask off.”
“It’s what I want.”
He climbed out of the pool, his white T-shirt translucent, his jeans sopping wet, his sneakers squishing with each step. “I’ll go in and make the call. But we’ll take the Charger. It might be twenty-five years older, but it’s more dependable.”
“Thanks, baby,” I said, smiling, as he walked away. Once he was out of earshot, I turned to Abby, all emotion gone from my face. “You’re an asshole.”
Abby cackled.
Travis looked from Abby to me and back again. “What? What’s so funny?”
Abby shook her head. “I’ll tell you later.”
“No, you won’t!” I said, kicking water at her.
With his hand, Travis squeegeed droplets of water off his face, and then he kissed Abby’s temple. She left him, swimming to the side of the pool and climbing up the ladder. She took her towel off the lounger and dried off. Travis watched her like it was the first time he’d ever set eyes on her.