Page 7 of Gemini
We ordered food, something with tofu and some of their homebrew drinks, a kombucha of sorts.
Jennifer was one of those friends who you might not see all the time, but when you do, it doesn’t feel like much time has passed at all. And I reminded her that I did message her with pictures from my travels.
“Where are you off to next?” she asked, pouring condiments all over the food in her bowl.
“Paris on Monday, then I’m there overnight, back to New York on Tuesday, then a break before Mexico, overnight there, maybe two, not sure yet. Then to LA, a break, not an overnight. And then back to New York.”
“Damn. When do you have time for yourself?”
“Long haul flights usually have enough crew for someone to sleep,” I told her. “But I like it. It’s not like I’m doing anything. I’m traveling, I’m saving money, and I’m meeting a lot of hot guys.”
“Jealous.”
“You should be. We could’ve been doing it together.”
“You know I was always going to school for something medical related,” she said. “So, let’s go back to the hot guys. Are you seeing anyone?”
“No, I’m getting laid, which is enough,” I said. “I don’t think I could get into a relationship with anyone. New York is my home base, but I don’t spend enough time here to get involved with anyone.”
Jennifer eyes me, up and down, shaking her head. “Just because you’re not here twenty-four seven, that doesn’t mean you have to forego finding yourself a man. I know many relationships that work because the couple aren’t together all day, every day. Sometimes that’s the most healthy for a relationship.”
“I’m just—” I caught myself pausing to catch my breath and really think about her words. “I haven’t been in a relationship since I was nineteen.”
“Seven years is a long time,” she said. “But it’s your life. You’re like one of those people who say collect memories, not money, or whatever.”
“Whoa. I love money. It should be collect memories, not phone numbers.” I nearly bit directly into my tongue, calling myself out like that, which she had no clue about. I’d only met Spence earlier, and he was beginning to feel like a big regret not getting his phone number when I could. “And what about you? Are you seeing anyone?”
“Yes, I am, actually. His name is Frank, he’s purple, and he’s a vibrating rabbit toy,” she said.
I gave her a slow applause. “And I am very happy for you.”
“He’s a great lover as well,” she added. “But in all seriousness, I’m actively dating, or at least trying. Have you been on some of these apps lately?”
“No, and I’d like to keep it like that.” I shuddered at the idea of being on any dating apps. Everyone there wanted the same things as me, to hook up, but I much preferred the sex when it happened organically, like today, in the gym shower room. I couldn’t stop thinking about it.
“Boring,” she said. “Gimme your phone. I’ll set up a profile for you.”
“No. I don’t want random people around the city knowing my business.”
“Nobody wants to know your business, they just want to get laid.”
She probably had a point, but I didn’t want any part of the online dating scene. Too many talking stages and not enough on your knees giving and getting ahead stages.
Updating Jennifer on my dating life reminded me how I didn’t have one. I’m sure it would’ve been nice to have someone to come home to, but I didn’t feel like I was missing out on anything by not having someone. I knew people said when you find someone, you’d know, and I just didn’t know yet.
“You have something in your teeth,” she said. “We really need to get our schedules sorted so I can book you in an repay you for all those times I was broke.”
I nodded at her, slowly, sucking at whatever it was had caught between my teeth. “I figured that’s the angle you were getting at,” he said. “I’ll take the free cleaning, but that was years ago. You don’t owe me anything, except maybe a night out.”
“I’m still pretty broke,” she laughed. “So, you’ll take the free cleaning or nothing.”
“I’ll definitely take it,” I said. “Wait. Is it true, because I heard that dentists can tell when you’ve been giving head.”
She nodded, stabbing at the leafy bowl of food. “It’s all about the bruising of the soft palate. It could be from any number of reasons, but unless you’re going ham on a sucker, or really pushing it there, it’s usually from oral.” She looked me up and down, once more, her eyes filling with curiosity. “So, tell me about your latest hook up.”
“I’m a virgin, Jen,” I said. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“If you’re a virgin, then this is a parallel universe.”