“Very true. No, I’m staying in an Airbnb this week. It’s the cutest little place near the college.”
“That’s good. It’s nice that you’ll be here for her party.”
“Are you kidding? Bianca basically insisted. You know how stubborn that girl is. She gets that from you, you know.”
I let out a chuckle. “I’d say that’s probably something inherited from the both of us.”
“And what are we supposed to do at a party filled with a bunch of twenty-three-year olds? God, I’m going to feel ancient.” She gulps down the rest of her drink and orders another. I glance at the door to see if Bianca has arrived yet but she’s still MIA so I ask the bartender for a beer.
“It won’t be so bad, I know a couple of her friends. They’re nice and can be fun to be around.”
“Are you kidding me?” Amanda’s volume seems to have risen the with completion of her first drink. At least I think it’s her first. “They’re a bunch of children. What could we possibly have in common with those kids? It’s going to be a long night.”
“I don’t know, her friend Violet and I have a lot in common, we both read, watch the same movies...” I trail off when Amanda’s eyes narrow in on me.
“Yeah, Violet,” she says with disdain. “That girl is a stuck-up bitch. She never even bothers to speak to me.”
I feel my hackles rise and can’t help but defend Violet against the unwarranted viciousness of my ex. “She’s not a bitch. Violet’s just shy. Plus, you’ve only met her, what? Four times? Of course she’s not going to be comfortable around you.”
“Whatever.” She abruptly grabs her drink from the bartender’s hand and proceeds to suck down at least another shot of alcohol. “Besides, she rich. What’s she doing living with Bianca anyway? And on your dime no less! You should be making her pay through the nose. Her parents can afford it.”
“Look, Violet lives there because I asked her to. I asked both her and Hollie to live there. I don’t want Bianca living in that house alone and if I can afford to help all three of them start out their lives and not have to worry about paying rent then I’m going to do it. Why else have I been busting my ass all these years if I can’t afford to help the people I care about.”
“I’m just saying—” Before the two of us can get into a knock-down-drag-out fight right here in the middle of a busy restaurant I’m saved by the bell. Or rather, the buzz. I pull my phone out of my pocket and see Amanda sifting through her purse searching for her own. Because of that I’m not surprised by the message I’ve received.
Bianca:Sorry guys! Something came up and I can’t make it. I’ll make it up to you! Promise!
“It looks like we’ve been stood up,” I say just as Amanda is pulling out her own phone.
“You’ve got to be kidding me,” she mutters. “Since we’re already here should he just have dinner?”
I consider it for about a half of a second before deciding I’d rather eat the moldy cheese in my fridge. “Look, it’s been a long day. I think I’m just going to call it a night.”
I pull out my wallet to pay for my beer but before I can set the money down Amanda’s already getting up from her own stool. “You’ve got me covered too? That’s so sweet of you,” she says in that artificially saccharine tone that grates on my nerves. Instead of responding, I just toss down another two bills. It’s easier than arguing with her about it.
We make our way back outside where the rain is still coming down in sheets. “You can make it to your car okay?” I ask.
“I actually took an Uber from the Airbnb.”
I want to leave her to order her own ride, I really do, but my mama, God rest her soul, would whoop my ass if I left the mother of my child out here standing in the rain. “Come on, I’ll give you a ride.”
She gives me a grin and follows me, sprinting over to my truck. Once we’re both settled inside and I have the heat cranked up, I start to navigate through the slick streets as quickly as I can while still being safe. Amanda sits in the seat beside me jabbering away about Bianca’s party, but I mostly block it out, only paying attention to the GPS directions to where she’s staying.
It feels like an eternity but we finally pull up to her rental about twenty minutes later. I can’t wait to get home and put this entire day behind me. I put the truck in park and turn to Amanda who has suddenly gone silent. Before I can get out the words that let her know we’re here, her mouth descends on me, only catching the corner of my lips and my cheek in a slobbery kiss. I instantly push her away and use my hand to wipe the saliva she’s left behind on my face.
“What the actual fuck, Amanda?” I practically shout.
“Come on, Dante. We’re both single, I’m moving to the city. Don’t you think we owe it to each other to give us another try?”
“What the hell are you talking about? We haven’t been together in twenty years and that’s not changing anytime soon. We were together once and you cheated on me.”
She crosses her arms over her chest and starts pouting like the mature adult that she is. “C’mon Dante, can’t you let that go? We were young back then, things are different now.”
“You’re right, we were young. Definitely too young to have a baby. But together we somehow managed to raise a strong, independent, and talented young woman. That’s all that’s between us now and all that ever will be between us.”
She grabs her purse from the floorboard and exits the vehicle with a “fuck you” muttered under her breath before slamming the door, making me cringe. I wait until she runs to the front door and safely makes it inside the house.
I let my head fall forward, hitting the steering wheel, and take a deep breath. I don’t know what the hell is going on. I haven’t seen any action in years and now suddenly, in the span of a few days, I have two women throwing themselves at me. One of them I would give my right arm to kiss again, the other was like being facially attacked by a venomous snake. With the way things are going, it feels like I’m going to spend the rest of my life as a monk.