Page 50 of With This Lie
Dani
After Lucas leaves,I clean my apartment and get ready for work. I’m working a double shift today to cover for someone and have to go in extra early. I lock my apartment and head downstairs. I walk in and wave to Quinn.
“Are you okay?” she asks.
I look around. “Yeah, why?” I ask.
“Well, you’re not late, for one,” she says.
I laugh and shake my head. “Yeah, I’m fine. Just Lucas on the brain,” I admit.
I’d filled Quinn in every chance I got and she could tell I was smitten. That’s what she called it. She enjoyed teasing me. Since I was early I stepped to the back and texted Lucas.
Me: Just got to work and already dreading the day. I’ll be thinking of you.
I wait a few minutes but don’t get a text back before I have to put my phone away and start my shift. It wasn’t like him. He’s usually pretty quick to respond. He’s probably just busy, I tell myself. I tie my apron around my waist and get busy behind the bar with the lunch rush. I’m always surprised at how many people actually indulge in alcohol with their lunch. But I’m not complaining. They keep me busy.
“So, what’s the plan for your birthday?” Quinn asks.
“Well, I think it’s going to be at this place a few blocks over that Lucas picked. He says it’s really fun,” I reply.
“Can I bring the guy I’m seeing?” Quinn asks.
“Of course!” I say.
Quinn’s been seeing the same guy for a while now, which is a relief. After a string of duds, this one finally seems to be worth keeping around. I’m happy for her.
The shift begins to slow down after lunch and before dinner so we take turns taking our breaks. Quinn comes back and I step outside to check my phone. Still no response from Lucas.
Me: Everything okay?
Lucas: Yeah, just really busy. Hope your night is going okay.
Me: It could be better.
I wait for more but get nothing. He’s unusually quiet today and it worries me. Maybe whatever my mother had said to him is bothering him. I couldn’t be sure. Maybe he really is busy with work. Just then, a rustling interrupts my thoughts and my eyes dart across the alleyway to the dumpsters. The lights above them went out months ago and have yet to be replaced so they’re hard to see. I wait for more movement but hear nothing else. I squint to try to see more but I can barely make out the edges of the dumpsters themselves.
Me: Well, my break is over. Gotta get back in there.
Lucas: All right. Don’t work too hard.
His words are short and nothing like the warm and flirty Lucas I’m used to. I try to brush it off, to not let it bother me too much but I can’t help it. I come back in to the very beginning of the dinner hour starting and see a few familiar faces. Part of me can’t help but hope that maybe Lucas will show up and surprise me. Maybe he’ll apologize for his shortness or offer some sort of explanation later. He did mention he wouldn’t be able to stay the night this week though so I doubt he’ll be showing up. My mind begins running wild with thoughts. Thoughts I don’t particularly care for. It wasn’t enough that I had actually fallen for a married man, something I thought I would never do. But now, he might actually be starting to push me away and while I should have expected that, I just didn’t see it coming. And with my birthday coming up? I just didn’t see that from Lucas. He wouldn’t do that. There’s definitely an explanation for this. I’m sure of it.
I finish up the dinner rush and take another break out back. This time one of the dishwashers is out there too.
Me: This day is almost over! How about yours?
Lucas: Finishing up too.
I hesitate and then take a chance on calling him. It rings twice and then he picks up.
“Hey you,” he says. He sounds a bit more like himself.
And I exhale, realizing I had been holding my breath. “Hey, how are you?” I ask.
“So tired, honestly. I had a long day at work. Plus, finalizing some birthday things, of course. I’m going to send you the name of the place and time of the party for you to pass on to the people you want to invite. Sound good?”
“Yeah, that’s fine.” I say.