Friday: 7:33 a.m.
It’s freaking cold. I’m on a sidewalk strolling toward my brother’s apartment. I want to think more about Esther, but my phone is buzzing. I pull it out quickly. Justin is going to be mad; he’s always worried. I smirk. If possible, I think he worries more than I do.
“Hello?”
To my surprise, it’s not Justin’s voice that meets my ears; it’s Matt’s. “Hey, we’ve been waiting for ages for you to call. How’d it go?”
“It went well, really well in fact. She is a fascinating woman. Sorry I didn’t talk to you sooner. After picking up our bags, we went for coffee.”
“Coffee, huh? Nice. Sounds like it’s working out. Is she super into you?”
“Yes.” Saying this pleases me. “We talked for an hour or so, and then I walked her to the hotel. I’m on my way to your place now. Are you there?
“No, I’m with Justin.” His voice drops to a whisper. “I spent the night here with the girls. Paul should be there though. He still has crap to pack. Did you set up a date for tomorrow?”
“Not yet, we’re doing dinner tonight. I’m taking her to Richie’s Place. She’ll enjoy it—she’s crazy about Italian.”
There is a short pause on the other end, then, “Dinner? Really? You think that’s wise? It’s a little soon. Will she want to see you again tomorrow?”
To my surprise, this response annoys me. Dude, come on. My reply is short. “Yeah, it’ll be fine. I told you she was into me. This isn’t my first time, brother.”
“Fine. Whatever. That’s just not what you normally do. Don’t screw it up.” I’m glad to hear that he sounds more tired than hurt. “I’m going back to bed. Want to talk to Justin?” Why am I so edgy? Relax.
“Sure, put him on, and . . . bye Matt.”
“Here he is.”
I hear the sound of the phone being shuffled before Justin’s voice finds the receiver.
“Hey.” It has always amused me how soft his voice is in the morning.
“Hello, brother. I’m sorry I didn’t call. Were you worried?” I try to sound repentant.
“A little, I always do. Is everything ok? It go as planed?” He doesn’t sound too concerned, so I relax.
“Yeah. Yes, it went perfect. There definitely was a connection. She’s a pretty interesting woman: sweet, with a wonderful sense of humor. I actually enjoyed her company. Everything will be ok.”
“Hmm.” Justin sounds skeptical. “Perfect, huh? You sound confident.”
“I am—really confident. It will be smooth. Don’t worry about a thing. I’ll make sure it works out.”
“Good, I love it. Take care of yourself. Get sleep or whatever. I’ve got to go wake up Jen. The kids have a dentist appointment.”
I smile. “Ok, I love you, bud. I’m going to see Paul.”
“Excellent. Take care, bye.”
I close the phone. The time flashes up at me. It is 7:37, and all is well in my world.
Friday: 7:46 a.m.
It only takes eight more minutes to reach the boys’ apartment. I’m glad that it is within walking distance of Esther’s hotel. It is already starting to warm up, so I take off my coat and stand in the sun for a moment. Even though I hate the fact that it has been an especially hot summer, I love the way that the morning rays play against my cold skin. It’s invigorating, and I feel a compelling sense of peace. I wonder again briefly why I am in such a good mood and then move my hand toward the buzzer. I have to push this several times before I hear a groggy, “Hello.” It is Paul.
YOU ARE READING
In the Tears of My Saints
Spiritual"I cry. That's all. And as I cry, the tears fall from my heart and change the world around me. They take pain, they take fear, they take horror and they destroy them. They gather up the bodies and blood, carrying them away toward the pit, flinging t...
