“I’m very familiar with Ryan Aaron’s reputation. We all are. And everyone knows he doesn’t go back. Ever. He gets with a woman, and that’s it. He recycles them like water bottles. But he didn’t do that with you, Emma. He kept going back time and time again. And not just with romantic things. But other things, too. Like when the kids were sick.”
“And the Friday pizza nights,” I said.
“All I know is that’s not like the Ryan Aaron the public knows. And I think that should be taken into consideration.”
“You really are a terrible friend sometimes.”
“I try my best,” she said with a grin.
“So you think I should tell him.”
“I think you should.”
“What if he wants to help or something? You know, try to take custody from me?” I asked.
“I think he’s got his hands full with three kids right now. If anything, he’ll be relieved that there’s someone else to help. Hopefully.”
r /> “Yeah,” I said with a snicker. “Hopefully.”
The entire week dragged on like that. Catherine would stop by my room and have lunch with me, somehow working whether or not I’d told Ryan into the conversation. And every time, I’d tell her ‘no’. Because I hadn’t. I didn’t know how to. I’d dodged his calls to a point where he wasn’t calling anymore. He wasn’t texting anymore. He wasn’t leaving voice messages anymore. And by Thursday night, I was exhausted. I used my lunch break to take a nap at my desk and didn’t wake up until the kids came running back into the classroom. Between the nausea in the mornings and the utter exhaustion that chiseled away at my body throughout the day, I was in bed by six in the afternoon and dead asleep ten minutes later.
But I couldn't do that Thursday night.
There was a school meeting that required as much attendance as possible.
“Ready for the meeting?” Catherine asked.
“Is that decaf coffee you’re offering me?” I asked.
“Yep. I know how this baby thing goes. I might not have any of my own, but I’m very familiar with what pregnant women can and can’t have.”
“I figured, with the way your sister keeps pumping out children,” I said.
“She just announced her fifth pregnancy.”
“See? That’s a hard pass for me.”
Catherine giggled as I took the coffee from her.
“What time is this meeting again?” I asked.
“It’s in ten minutes. Right at six.”
“And how long is it supposed to run?”
“No more than an hour?”
“So at least an hour and a half.”
“Right,” she said.
“I’m going to fall asleep and start snoring. I know it,” I said.
“You snore?”
“No clue. But after tonight, I’ll know if I do or don’t.”
I leaned back into my chair and took a sip of the mocha goodness my friend had brought me.