Ava bursts out laughing. “Who told you?”
A frown settles on my face. “Told me what?”
“That I’m gay.”
“Oh.” I fumble my hands together on the table. Ava’s the first friend I’ve made here, and I may have already offended her. “Coach Bro, but it’s not like it matters. I mean, I’m sure it matters to you, but not to me. I love lesbians. Well, not love like love, you know.”
Ava cuts off psycho-babble round two by squeezing my arm, tears of laughter standing in her eyes as she tries to swallow her giggles. “Of course it was him. The funny thing is he only thinks that because I turned him down. I didn’t want to sleep with him, therefore I must be a lesbian. I mean, he’s right, but for the wrong reason.”
“Are you serious?”
“Yes. I’ve never said anything to him.”
We laugh together. “I should’ve known. He thinks I’m gay because I’m a female gym teacher.”
Ava grins at me. “If you want my advice, go with it so he leaves you alone. Although, I’m not sure that’ll work for long with Toby’s uncle eye-fucking you every day.”
“I’m meeting him tonight,” I confess.
“Good for you. He’s got that sexy nerd thing going on.”
It’s true. He has an amazing body and he rocks those black framed glasses. “We went to school together, and I had a crush on him back then. He was a nerd then, I guess. He ran the A/V club, and that’s what he does for a living now, produces ads for an advertising firm. He sure has grown into his looks.”
“You never hooked up?”
“No, I think we were both too shy to make the first move.”
Ava slides another drink across the table to me after the waitress drops it off. “Not too shy now?”
“Apparently not. What about you? Are you seeing anyone?”
“No, I’m only a couple months out of a four-year relationship. I’m just trying to have some fun.”
“I hear that.” I hold up my glass, and we clink them together.
My phone beeps with a message from Simon.
Simon: So sorry, but I have to cancel tonight. Have to take Toby to St. Vincent’s. I’ll call you in the morning.
“What is St. Vincent’s?” I ask Ava.
“It’s the closest hospital. Why? Is someone hurt?”
I turn my phone so she can read the message. “He doesn’t say what happened. I hope he’s okay,” she says.
“I’m going to call him.” His phone just goes straight to voicemail. “He’s not picking up.”
“We can go check on him,” Ava suggests.
Would that be overstepping? Toby is one of my students and I’m going to worry all night if I don’t find out if he’s okay. “You don’t have to go if you don’t want to.”
“Don’t be silly. Let’s catch a cab.”
“Hi Lydia! Hi Ms. Green!” Toby sits on the edge of a gurney, swinging his feet. “I stuck a bean up my nose!”
Ava chokes back a giggle while Simon looks up at us in surprise.
“Hey, you didn’t say what was wrong. We wanted to stop by and make sure he was okay,” I explain.
“He’ll be fine. The little genius stuck a bean up his nose, and we can’t get it out.”
“It’s not a real bean,” Toby interjects, as if that makes it better. “It’s plastic. We were playing Don’t Spill the Beans.”
“Why did you put it up your nose?” I have to ask.
“So I could be out of beans and win,” he explains, looking at me like I must be dense.
“Oh, of course.”
“Does it hurt?” Ava asks.
“No, but Uncle Simon says I have to get it out.”
“Of course, you might want to play the game again sometime.”
Simon just shakes his head, a reluctant grin on his face. “I felt silly bringing him for this, but I didn’t know what else to do. Sorry, I should’ve told you it was nothing serious.”
“My cousin stuck a bunch of Legos up his nose when he was four while my Mom was babysitting. She took him to the emergency room,” I reassure him.
“How did they get them out?”
“The first couple they removed with tweezers, then he sneezed and the rest flew everywhere.”
Ava and Simon laugh. “I’m serious! He could’ve built a house with them.”
“Well, I’m going to go,” Ava says. “I’ll see you in school on Monday, Toby.”
“Bye, Ms. Green!” Toby waves, then goes back to fiddling with the action figure toy in his hand.
“I don’t think it’ll be much longer. We could still hang out tonight if you want. Bean Boy here is going to bed as soon as we get home.”
“Sure.” I shrug, like I haven’t just made plans to get laid for the first time in forever.
Shouting seeps in from the hallway, and the emergency room suddenly becomes a bustle of activity. A nurse approaches and tells us, “We have a car crash to deal with, so it may be a bit of a wait.” She jerks a curtain around our little area and rushes off.