BOOMBOX KIND OF WAY
"I can't believe you didn't tell me you little shit," I say, staring at Travis.
"I'm still just shocked you didn't know," Travis says.
"How would I?" I ask.
"How wouldn't you? What, did it not come up during your midnight moon-landing unicorn phone call?" Travis looks at me with eyes narrowed.
"Yea, our bad, Brooks. We all knew," Alex says, slapping me on the back.
We're all at Back Bay, sitting in the sunroom with baby Isla. Trix, Meg, and Emmy are in town having lunch. And I've JUST discovered that Emmy and Josh are no longer together.
"Oh, you all knew?" I fold my arms. "Some friends you are."
"Maybe she didn't tell you on purpose. Ever think of that?" Nate asks, swigging his Gatorade.
"No," I lie.
Of course. Why Emmy failed to mention on our six-hour phone call that Josh dumped her... It's weighing on me.
"But this changes, everything!" I insist.
"But does it?" Nate asks.
"How?" Travis looks at me. "Really how?"
"Unless there's more to the Cece break-up you're not telling us?" Alex raises his brow. "More than just not feeling it anymore."
Alex uses my own words -my own excuse -against me. Stings.
"Fuck off." I throw a pillow off the couch at him.
"Hey!" Travis shouts. "Baby ears."
"My bad," I grin.
I stand from the couch and start pacing across the covered patio. It's a beautiful fall afternoon and there's a definite sense of beginning in the air.
Travis follows me onto the back deck, leaving Isla on her jungle mat next to Nate.
"Watch her," he says, shouting behind his back.
Nate nods while lifting his mini 5 lb weights.
"So really, how's it change things?" Travis asks, leaning against the railing beside me.
My eyes fall to the channel behind his house, to the boats cutting lines into the glassy water, and to the birds soaring above the trees. I've always loved Cape May in fall. It smells different. Especially now. It smells like hope. And I cling to hope. Not because I'm hopeful, but because it sure as hell beats the alternative.
"Brooks?"
"It just does," I answer him. I can't keep the elation from seeping into my voice. "I need to get her back. I just -I do. It's like there's no other option."
"And you just decided this? Just like that?" Travis asks, skeptical.
"Yea," I nod. I flip my finger like I'm playing with a light switch. "Just like that."
"Do tell."
Travis turns to face me, waiting for me to divulge. Maybe it's my new invincibility, but I'm all the sudden happy to oblige.
"Truth be told, if you must know," I begin. "It all started when I thought Cece was pregnant."
Long before that, if I'm really being honest with myself.
"Panicked? Not ready for that?" Travis asks.
"No, it wasn't that," I say, shaking my head. "In fact, I was almost excited at the idea. Just.... It felt wrong. And in that moment, I knew I never wanted that with Cece -Never envisioned growing old with her or having a family, not like with–"
"Emmy?" Travis finishes for me.
"Yea." I admit, rubbing my hands through my hair. "I think, part of me just thought we'd always end up together, like I was waiting for it to happen. I know that sounds fucked up considering I asked someone else to marry me."
"At least you're self-aware," he jokes.
"I mean it. And that call -Ah!" I scream with glee. "And now she's single and there's no Josh to fuck things up."
"No, just a Brooks to fuck things up," Travis says.
"Ouch," I groan.
"Sorry," he smiles. "Okay, so it's different this time. What are you going to do about it?"
"Something -Grand," I say. "You know, like they do in the books and old films. Huge gesture of sorts."
"I don't know, man," Travis says, shaking his head. "Is that Emmy's style?"
"It's not not her style," I say, deflating slightly. "I'm not talking Megatron proposal or airplanes in the sky. No. But I need something."
"Something," Travis repeats. "Something could be anything."
"Very true. But I don't just want anything. I need to show her how much I love her, need her. Prove my love."
"In a boombox kind of way," Travis suggests.
"Yes! Exactly." I laugh.
"I heard boombox," Alex says, walking onto the deck.
"You did," I confirm.
"This one's talking about grand gestures like some lovesick puppy," Travis jokes.
"About fucking time," Alex laughs. "What'd you come up with so far?"
We spend the rest of the afternoon polishing off a six-pack and laughing about insane ideas -ways for me to get Emmy back. So far, a lot of their suggestions have been inspired by romcom movies.
Alex and Nate grill some burgers for us. I bounce Isla up and down on my knee and she absolutely loves it. She's a giggly queen and my heart almost skips when I think about if she were mine, mine and Emmy's.
I have no doubts that I made the right call with Cece. My unicorn call (as Travis named it) with Emmy was everything. Last nail in the coffin if you will.
But it's not lost on me that I'm a piece of shit. That I have continually broken Emmy's heart for sport. Now it's a game I finally want to lose. But it must be done correctly.
Nate brings up a fair point, asking me if I know if Emmy even wants to go there again. After all, she's newly heartbroken by Josh probably. I don't know what type of state she's in.
You do.
I think back to falling asleep on the phone together, to the hours before that spend reminiscing and laughing and just talking and debating about life. I wonder how many people share these same types of nights with people. How many of them just friends?
There's no way Emmy can't feel something for me, right?
YOU ARE READING
Never Really Over (Bremmy 3)
ChickLit*THREEQUEL* Even when they're done, all things are never really over. It's been one year since Emmy left for the airport, two tickets in hand. A long, eventful year. Brooks has successfully launched the flagship Edge and snagged a model girlfriend...
