When my phone rings I am in the middle of a starring contest with Desi. Both of us narrow our stinging eyes at the sound, but don't flinch. I say cockily, "You know you're going to lose."
She narrows her eyes further, but I can see the tears starting to form along her waterline. Her dark hair is in its trademark braid, except for a few strands falling against the sides of her face.
Desi was the first to notice a change in my attitude when I showed up to work grinning yesterday. After facing my fears at the amusement park and over the weekend, the pep in my step had returned. This of course came in stark contrast with the grey cloud permanently parked over her forehead. Her eyes were narrowed on me all day, scanning me up and down like a security guard for TSA. We danced around it that afternoon and evening talking about Maizy, the book, and other things. But I knew she knew something was up.
Today was the day she decided to confront me. However, when I refused to disclose any information until she admitted that she missed Henry, Desi was quick to throw her guard up. Regardless, she refused to let me leave her office without knowing what's been going on. Of course, the adult solution was to have a starring contest and grill the loser for every detail of information there was.
Tears leaked from her eyes and the mascara and eyeliner she applied this morning was in danger of being smudged. A detail that I was counting on to make her lose. It must be waterproof because Desi doesn't baulk, "I'm not the one with dry eyes. It's only a matter of time before you break."
I clench my jaw to combat the instinct to blink at her pointing it out. With the renewed awareness of it, my eyes feel like their burning out of my head. "If I win you confess you miss Henry and apologize to him for being a chicken. No exceptions."
"Hah!" She sniffs, the tears now blurring the bottom half of her eyes. Desi grins with a feline expression, her eyes cut straight through me to my weak spot, "If I win, you confess to me that you have a crush on Robin and tell him during your road trip trope this weekend. No exceptions."
My resolve hardens despite the water now leaking down my face. My eyelids twitch, "I don't know what you're talking about."
"So, you don't care that he's the one calling you right now?" She smirks.
My eyes break from the stare and find my phone in anticipation. Instantly losing the battle, and seeing that it's my mom calling me, makes me groan in disappointment. Then I glare at Desi, who is still smirking victoriously. "I knew it. You like him! Something happened, didn't it?"
I blink my eyes frantically trying to work some moisture back into them. Desi continues her crowing for a moment, and I grumble bitterly, "You're a cheater and not everything is about Robin, okay? My mind does revolve around other people. Other things!"
"I'm sure you think about many other things when it comes to Mr. Moon-Eyes Moore." She grins suggestively.
My cheeks flare, and I gape at her, "That is not what I meant!"
"Leah, you have two friends, both of which you work with. That means there are only two other people on your mind other than your family at all times." She laughs, not bothering to deny her cheating while dabbing her eyes, "Besides, I know you. I know when you like something because you fixate on it, and since meeting Robin you've spoken about little else. Your brain couldn't pass the Bechdel test if it tried!"
"Does contemplating your murder pass the Bechdel test? Because that's what's on my mind right now." I retort, but it only makes Desi laugh harder. Then I bite back, "And anyway, I know you fantasize about Henry too. He's your PowerPoint Prince, coming to rescue you from your witchy publication tower. So there. We both failed!"
This sobers her, and I realize I must have hit the mark because Desi blushes a deep red, "I do not fantasize about Henry!"
My phone rings again. Ignoring Desi's denial, I pick up, "Hi, mom."
"Oh, bad time?" she says, taking in my disgruntled tone.
I glared at Desi again before standing to leave the room, "No, just swimming in the river Denial with Desi over Henry again."
Desi shoots up, "Don't tell her that!!" Then she shouts so my mom can hear her, "Lilly! Your daughter is a pathological liar! She's just mad because I called her out--"
"Ah!" I cover the phone so my mom can't hear, "Don't you dare!"
My mom laughs, and I hear her adjust the phone. Leaving Desi's office, I walk to my desk and sit down. Mom comes back, saying with that sort of amused tone you get when smiling over the phone, "I just wanted to remind you that you're bringing the fruit salad tomorrow, and wear something nice, Leah. Your aunt and uncle are here from California, so try. You can wear sweatpants after they leave! Oh also, there's going to be a bit of rain over the weekend, so I would rather you stay until Sunday afternoon if you can."
"Tomorrow?" I say distractedly, playing with a pencil on my desk and watching Desi grin at me from her office. She holds up a sign in black marker that reads:
I WANT DETAILS ON YOU KNOW WHO. ;) BECHDEL BE DAMNED.
Rolling my eyes at her, I shake my head. My mom sighs over the speaker, "You forgot... didn't you?"
This captured my attention again, "Sorry, what? What do you mean?"
"Thanksgiving, Emillia! Tomorrow is Thanksgiving."
Shit. I close my eyes and feel my stomach drop, "I didn't realize it was tomorrow, I've been preoccupied." Shaking my head, I look at the calendar on my desk and it's written in giant red letters THANKSGIVING. However, the calendar on my phone has something completely different written on it: Road trip/sightseeing trope. Desi was right, Robin is all I can think about...
Clearing my throat, I am quick to recover, "Don't' worry I will be there! I double booked without thinking, but I can reschedule. I'll be there, mom. Pasta salad and everything!"
"Fruit salad." She corrects, her tone motherly and stern. "And you better! We have been looking forward to seeing you all month. Your aunt and uncle are already here with your cousins and your grandparents will want to see you too. Make sure you service your car before you come and tell Desi and Henry that I better not see a single email come across your phone. I mean it, Leah, no work. This is our family time."
I wince at the no work demand. That might not be possible with edits and the deadline deciding my every move, but I don't say anything. "I know, I'll tell them! I promise, I will be there."
We say goodbye and I love you before hanging up. Then I am dialing Robin's number, rubbing my forehead as the line rings. He picks up on the fourth ring, and says warmly, "Hey, Leah!"
"Hey!" I am already smiling nervously, "Um, slight problem with this weekend. I forgot tomorrow was Thanksgiving and I promised my family I would go home to visit. Also, I'm sure you had plans with your family too and I didn't even think to ask. I'm so sorry, that was inconsiderate of me."
"Oh, no I'm not spending Thanksgiving with my family this year. My parents are in Europe and my siblings know I can't really travel east or be seen publicly right now. So, I didn't have any plans." He replies, and there's some shuffling over the phone before he speaks again, "Don't worry about the research stuff! We can do it when you get back."
But I am preoccupied with the beginning of that response, "You're spending Thanksgiving alone?"
"Yeah," he says, "But don't worry. Christmas is my family's big holiday, so the others usually take a backseat."
My mother's demand of no work interfering with Thanksgiving rings in my ears as a warning, but I don't like the idea of him sitting in his giant house all alone. "What about Drew? You could spend it with him."
Robin makes a hmm noise, "Drew doesn't really get along with his immediate family. He usually goes to visit his uncle in New York. Though I'm sure he'd offer if he knew, it doesn't seem like a situation for me to tag-along, so I don't ask. Besides, we spend every day together, he deserves a holiday."
I think it over carefully. I may have double booked out of thoughtlessness, but there was a reason. After a moment of quiet, I clear my throat and say tentatively, "Umm... well, I mean.... Do you want to come home with me?"
Robin goes quiet for a long time. After at least two minutes of silence have passed, he says cautiously, "Home with you?"
"I mean, do you want to spend the holiday with me and my family? They live a few hours away, but if you do it would work out perfectly. We could still take a road trip for the book, I could keep my promise to my mom, and you don't have to spend Thanksgiving alone."
There's another moment of silence and Robin's voice seems more uncertain than before, "You want me to come home with you? You want me to... meet your family?"
The way he says it makes me blush and I fumble for cover, "Is that weird? I mean, I just thought because we're friends, and the road trip, and you'd be alone... But if it's weird forget I asked!"
"No! No no, that's not what I meant!" He says quickly, "Uh, no. I just meant. I mean... I don't know what I meant. It's not weird, I'm just..."
He trails off and we both laugh awkwardly. There's another pause as I wait for him to finish his thought. Robin clears his throat, "What I meant was yes. I would like to spend thanksgiving with you. If it's okay with your family, and if there is room. I don't want to put anyone out."
"Not at all. They'll be more than happy to meet you." I say, slightly cringing at the idea of my aunts and uncles meeting Robin and all that comes with that.
Then it hits me what I've subjected us to by asking: the teasing comments from my uncle, the way my aunt will stare, the furtive looks I'll get from my mother, the incessant line of questioning he'll get from my dad, and every dirty comment my cousins can come up with....
"Just know." I admit hesitantly, "They're a bit.... much."
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Hello lovelies!!
So, the days are finally getting warmer, and I am living for the sunshine! Do you all have a favorite season or summer activity?
I love talking walks under the trees when they blossom and the way summer smells! I just can't get enough of the long days! :)
Stay tuned for Leah and Robin's road trip! Things are coming to a turning point, and I think Robin is starting to pick up on some things. Desi certainly is ahaha!
Please vote, comment, and share if you are enjoying it!! I will see you next time. <3
with love,
e.g.