Ellie is Cool Now

Chapter 17

"Mark's secret is safe with us." Roxy mimes locking her mouth and tossing the key over her shoulder. Liz smiles gratefully.

"I should go back," she says. I start to open the door so we can all leave this goddamn bathroom, but Roxy claps a hand over her mouth and heads for a stall. Liz asks me a question with her eyes. I shake my head and motion for her to go on.

I close the door behind her and spin around to face Roxy with my arms crossed over my chest. She sits fully clothed on the toilet with her legs crossed, laughs maniacally, and claps her hands together.

"Could you please?" I ask, worried that Liz will hear.

"He's not gonna marry her."

I ignore the fluttering of hope in my chest. Bad heart. Bad.

"The ring on her finger claims otherwise."

"Oh. My. God." Roxy counts on her fingers. "They've been engaged for over a year, Mark's parents just split, and there was never a date. Fuck, Ellie Bellie, you were always so good at math. I'm surprised you can't add it up."

"Love isn't mathematical," I say. "Plenty of people wait to set a date."

"Psh. No, they don't." Roxy makes a face. "This is Ohio. Biological clocks tick double time here."

"I'm not rooting for this woman's life to be ruined. "

"Oh, please." Roxy stands up. "You've already played tonsil hockey with her fiancé. That ship has sailed and sunk."

I run my hands through my hair. "I am an asshole."

"Yep." She puts a hand on my shoulder and squeezes. "Welcome to the club, babe."

Roxy winks at me and throws the door open, strutting through it dramatically. "Garçon," she says with a quick snap of her fingers. I'm sure there will be a giant loogie in Roxy's next drink, and I'm sure she doesn't even care.

+

After brunch is over, Brock Crawley picks up the bill for the rest of the table. Fortunately, I already paid for our drinks before I got lost in the bathroom. Number three is done. I'm going to check off those items, come hell or high water.

Roxy's finally had enough Bloody Marys to start slurring her words. She digs through her purse to find her keys, and as soon as she has them in hand, Brock snatches them away from her.

"Come on, Foxy," Brock says, putting an arm around Roxy's shoulder. I take note that he's just a little too friendly with the gross nickname, and Christine looks none too pleased about their new companion for the ride home. I'm just glad she's with them; otherwise, I'd feel responsible for getting her home. And shit, that guilt is so not what is supposed to be happening right now.

Roxy's slightly dilated eyes find mine. For some reason, I know this isn't goodbye.

Not yet.

Mark drops Liz off at the elementary school where she volunteers coaching fourth-grade cheer squad because of course she does. She waves as I climb into her seat, buckling up. And then she turns away, just as a little girl with a giant gold bow in her hair marches up with her parents. The girl launches her tiny body at Liz like a rocket and I watch as Liz laughs and squats down for a hug.

"She's gonna be the best mom," I say without thinking about it first.

"Yeah," is Mark's only reply. He takes the long way home. The leaves streak by in a colorful blur.