REM // Van McCann

73. Last-Minute Trip

"You didn't want me to find out, did you?" I questioned. "How come?" Florence swallowed and then spoke.

"I didn't think you'd care," she answered honestly. "Like I didn't think you felt the same way and I've annoyed you enough so I didn't want to annoy you further."

Her honesty was quite hurtful. Am I really that bad that she feels like she can't tell me it's her birthday? Our relationship has always been a strange one. There were times we got along and times we'd bicker but we weren't enemies!

"I do care. Birthdays are important milestones to celebrate and you're not annoying me at all," I told her. "Do you like to celebrate your birthday?" Florence's eyes lit up and she smiled.

"Of course! I'll take any opportunity to treat myself."

"What do you usually do?"

"I usually go on a trip somewhere. January and February are usually miserable here so I go somewhere warmer."

"Oh," I replied. "So where are you going this time?" I haven't heard her mention a trip of some sort. Maybe she has one planned but never thought to tell me.

"I actually don't have one this year."

"Why not?"

"I'm trying to save money, remember? If I wasn't dealing with the housing crisis, I'd go but since things are uncertain at the moment, I'd rather play it safe and not go anywhere this year."

My curiosity caused me to temporarily forget that she was short on money and I felt guilty for asking such a question. And I even told her I'm going to Portugal as well at the end of the month like I was rubbing it in her face. And then I had an idea.

"Do you want to go to Portugal with me?" I offered.

"What? No! That's your trip. I couldn't possibly intrude." It was clear she wasn't expecting me to offer.

"I honestly don't mind. All you need to do is buy your plane ticket which isn't that expensive seen as it's the low season. I've already got hotels booked but I can update the room size and it's not like we have to do things together. I just thought I'd offer."

"I don't know...." She was hesitating but there was a part of her that wanted to go and I had to convince her.

"If you're worried about the money, all you need to worry about is your flight. I'll pay for the hotel and train tickets. And if you need to stay at my place longer than a month, I don't mind extending your stay. Take all the time you need. You've proven to me that you're not an awful roommate." Florence laughed at the last bit.

"Oh, I could be worse! That's me on my best behavior," she teased and I laughed. It got quiet again.

"I can give you my itinerary so you can think it over. You don't have to decide right away but just know that I leave soon."

Florence was starting to panic and truth is, I'd panic as well. No one likes to plan a last-minute trip but it's nice when everything is laid out for you already. It's not like I'm focusing on Clara the whole time. I've got a few days in Porto and Lisbon each. She can make the most of her time there. And when we're in the Algarve region, she can lay on the beach all day. There's plenty to do and Portugal is relatively cheap compared to other countries. Plus the weather will be much better than here. It might be too cold for a swim but there's still a lot you can do.

We spent the rest of dinner talking about the trip. She wanted to know every detail and I didn't mind telling her. I brought out my laptop so she could see what I had planned. She's never been to Portugal before but she was intrigued and glad her passport wasn't expired. The price of flight tickets had gone up since I bought them but the increase was still worth it considering she's not paying for accommodations. It wasn't until it was almost 11 PM that she turned to me and said she wanted to go. She couldn't buy the tickets just yet because she still had to ask her manager for approval.

"It shouldn't be a problem though," she said. "There are people who can cover for me."

"What do you do exactly?" I asked, curious. "I know we work in the same building but I don't know who you work for and what you do."

"I work for the City of Seattle. Many people don't think about how much it takes to keep a city running. We provide programs and services to Seattle's people and businesses. Like for example, we deal with public utilities, transportation, and so on. I work in the public transportation department as a financial analyst. I keep track of our expenses and budget and guide them to make decisions that are sustainable and profitable."

Never in a million years did I think she'd be a financial analyst but it makes sense. Although she is a carefree person, she can be analytical at times and I can see why she's being very particular about where she lives next. Florence took note of my expression and continued.

"You must find it funny that I'm good at managing other people's money but not my own," she laughed and I appreciated her sense of humor. "I love spending money a little too much."

I always thought she worked in business. Her work attire is business casual and she always dresses well, paying attention to her appearance. She must have tons of meetings with stakeholders where she presents her ideas to them. And for some reason, I found that attractive. I don't know anything about finance and she doesn't know anything about computer science but we're different enough to keep things interesting.

"It's your money. Spend it how you want," I told her. My wine glass was empty so I grabbed it and stood up. "Do you want more wine?" Florence shook her head.

"No, I should be going to bed. Thank you."

It was getting late and past Florence's normal bedtime. I usually retreat to my room after dinner so she can have time to herself but this time, we lost track of time. She wakes up earlier than I do so I'm sure she'll be tired tomorrow morning. Instead of having another glass of wine, I decided to call it a night. Florence packed her lunch for tomorrow and offered to pack mine but I told her I'd take care of it. Then she grabbed a change of clothes and went to the bathroom to get ready for bed.

She came out in her pajamas and her face makeup-free but she still looked beautiful. Trying not to stare for too long, I went to my room to change and to get ready for bed. When I got out, Florence plugged her phone in to charge overnight and pulled the blanket over her.

"Did you have a good birthday?" I asked. Florence craned her neck to look at me.

"It was great. Thank you." She gave me a sleepy smile. "Good night, Van."

"Good night, Florence."

I went back to my room. It wasn't until I closed the door that I felt like I could finally relax. I turned off the light and crawled into bed, laying flat on my back, staring at the ceiling. I'll buy her a cake and get her something tomorrow. I tried to think of what she'd like and eventually fell asleep.