Tonight's not over

Chapter 9

I woke the next morning to the sound of the alarm. What sleep I'd managed had been fitful. I felt miserable and exhausted. I got out of bed, wandered to the bathroom, showered, dressed and then set about the task of trying to hide my puffy eyes with makeup. When I'd finished I still looked rough but it wasn't quite so obvious I'd spent most of the night crying. I couldn't manage breakfast so I grabbed a quick cup of coffee and headed off to work.

All day people asked me if I was alright but I just told them I wasn't feeling too good and they seemed to accept it. About midmorning my phone beeped to indicate a text and when I looked it was from Christine. "Hi Mia, do you fancy meeting me for coffee after work? x" it said.

I wasn't ready to face any of them just yet so I sent back "Not in the mood for coffee."

"Is something wrong?" she text back.

"No I'm just busy."

"Call me when you finish work then. Talk later. x" I sighed. I wasn't sure what I was going to say to her later but at least it gave me a few hours to think.

By the time I finished work I had decided that I would leave calling Christine until the next day. I figured I could just tell her I'd had a bad day and I'd forgotten all about it. But as I walked towards the bus stop my phone rang. I let it go to voicemail but she didn't leave a message.

Shortly afterwards I received a text.
"Mia I'm a little worried can you please let me know you're OK?"
I didn't like the fact that I was making her worry but I just wasn't ready to face her or anyone else just yet. All I wanted was to be on my own so that I could try to figure out what the hell had happened with Taylor. I loved being with him but I couldn't understand why he hadn't stayed last night. I'd thought I was getting through to him, that he was beginning to understand what I wanted. But then he just left and my heart felt like it had shattered.

I stared at my phone screen for a little longer before deciding I had no choice but to call her. I dialled her number and as I heard it ring I cleared my throat ready to put on the happiest voice I could muster.

When she answered I said "Hi Christine." hoping I sounded bright and breezy.

"Hi, are you alright?" she asked

"Yes I'm fine. It's just been a busy day and I'm a bit tired so can we do coffee another day instead?" I thought I sounded convincing.

There was silence for a moment. "Mia?" she questioned. "Look I can tell something's wrong. What is it? Have I done something?"

"No, not at all." I told her quickly. I didn't want her thinking that she was to blame for anything. She'd always been so nice to me. "I'm just having a bad day, that's all."

"All the more reason to meet me for coffee, a good chat with a friend always makes things better. So what time can you meet me?" she waited a moment before continuing "I'm not taking no for an answer so you might as well just arrange it now."

I smiled just a little "OK I give in." I told her.

Christine was already in town so I caught the next bus and joined her in the coffee shop we'd decided on. When I walked in Christine was already sat at a table with coffee and cake waiting for me.
"Mia!" she called "Over here." I walked over to her "I've got you a latte and cake. I hope that's alright? But cake is always called for on a bad day."

I smiled as I sat down. "Thank you. That's really kind and yes cake is definitely needed."

"Well you can tell me all about it while we eat." she grinned.

I looked at her a little shocked. All of a sudden I realised I hadn't thought about what I would say to her, I had no story prepared and I wasn't sure I was ready to tell her the truth. "Oh no it's pretty boring, you don't want to hear all that." I mumbled and then took a bite of cake so I had an excuse not to speak.

"Of course I do. It's what friends are for." She sat nursing her coffee looking at me expectantly.

"Honestly it's just problems at work and I've finished for the day now so it's all good." I shrugged trying to convince her there was nothing to say.

"Mia, I might not have known you very long but I still know that you're not telling me the truth. This isn't about work is it?" I dropped my head, embarrassed that she could read me so easily. "Did something happen between you and Chris when he took you home the other night? Did he upset you? Is that why you don't want to tell me?"

"What? No!" I exclaimed. Chris had only ever been nice to me and I didn't want Christine thinking any differently.

"OK so it's not Chris. Then who?"

"If I tell you, you have to promise not to tell anyone. Not even Rami, OK?"

She looked at me a little concerned as she said "OK"

I sighed "Taylor and I have been seeing each other since I met you all in the bar that night." I told her.

"Oh!" she said shocked. "I had no idea I just thought he'd been flirting with you. So is Taylor the problem?" she asked.

I took a deep breath and started to explain to her how things were between me and Taylor. I told her how he'd left the night before and how I didn't know what to do anymore. I ended my story with "He didn't even invite me to the barbecue at Dave's on Saturday." before taking a sip of my coffee to steady my nerves as I could feel myself getting upset.

"How did you even know about the barbecue then? Please tell me he didn't tell you about it and then not invite you to go with him."

"No. Chris mentioned it on the way home the other night. He was a bit embarrassed when he realised Taylor hadn't already asked me. In fact he said if he didn't I could consider myself invited by him." I laughed a little as I remembered it.

"So Chris knows about you and Taylor?"

"Yes. He asked me outright the other day and even though Taylor wanted to keep it a secret I couldn't lie to him. He's always been so nice to me."

"Right well then you can go to the barbecue with Chris."

"I can't do that." I told her "What would Taylor think?"

"Who cares!" I frowned at her not sure if she was joking or not. "Look Mia he's not treating you well at all at the moment. I know he's been through a bad break up but he can't behave like this. It's not fair. If Chris knows about you and Taylor and he's asked you as a friend then why can't you say yes? You never know it might make Taylor come to his senses and realise what he might lose if he doesn't change his ways. If he doesn't well at least you'll have had a fun night with Chris and the rest of us."

"I'm not sure." I said unconvinced.

"Why not? What harm will it do? You enjoyed your evening with us all the other night and me and Rami will be there on Saturday. Dave and his family are just lovely. In fact the whole band and their families are lovely. It'll be a good night out. Fuck Taylor.  You can say yes to Chris and come with your friends instead."

I sat for a few minutes thinking about what Christine had just said. Maybe she was right, maybe it would help sort things with Taylor. And if Taylor didn't want to take me why couldn't I go with my friends instead? The more I thought about it, the more I liked the idea. I smiled at her a little. "Maybe you're right."

"Of course I'm right" she told me and I laughed for the first time since Taylor had left me the night before. "So when will you tell Chris?" she asked obviously not going to let it go.

"I'll see him Thursday evening so I'll talk to him about it then."

"Make sure you do because I will check with him on Friday." she said and winked.

As we chatted I felt myself start to relax and by the time we came to leave I was actually beginning to feel much happier. This barbecue could be exactly what I needed to make Taylor see that a proper relationship with me would be much better than whatever it was we had right now.