I folded my arms over my chest. “Well then, if you know, fill me in, because I’ve no fucking clue what you’re rattling on about.”
Calliope squinted at me. “What did you do to Bridget?”
“Let’s see. I cleaned up her entire house after a grease fire and then I took her out to dinner on her birthday. Oh, wait, that’s not it. Might it be because I was a perfect gentleman when she rubbed her ass up against my dick half the night?”
“If you didn’t do something, then why is she leaving?”
A sudden panic came over me. “Leaving? What are you talking about?”
“She came in for a class this morning and looked like she’d lost her best friend. When I asked her what was wrong, she said nothing, and then told me she had just booked a trip down to Florida.”
“Okay…”
“So I know you did something.”
“I didn’t do anything.”
“So why does she look so sad, and she’s running down to Florida all of a sudden because she needs to get away.”
I took a deep breath and exhaled audibly. “It’s not what you think.”
“Really? What is it, then?”
“Bridget and I…” I searched for words to explain what the hell was going on, but since I didn’t understand what we had myself, it wasn’t easy. “…it’s complicated, Calliope.”
Suddenly, my friend’s face changed. Her anger morphed into wide-eyed shock. “You have actual feelings for her?”
“I like her. Yes. She’s a good person.”
“Of course, she is. I’m not friends with assholes.”
“I’ll take that as a compliment.”
“You’re falling in love with her.”
“No, I’m not.” I’d answered so fast, it made me even question if I was lying. Was I falling in love with Bridget? The thought seemed ludicrous. “I can’t be falling for her.”
“Why not?”
“Because that can’t happen.”
A huge smile grew on Calliope’s face. “Not wanting love to happen doesn’t make it not happen, Simon.”
I’d have to think on that one later. There were more important things to discuss. “When is she going to Florida?”
“Tomorrow morning. Brendan is off of school next week for break so she booked a last-minute flight for tomorrow morning. She’s taking him out of class for a day and was able to get the week off by switching shifts with some other nurses.”
Was she even going to tell me? “I gotta go.” I leaned down, pecked my friend on the cheek, and headed for the door.
She yelled after me. “Don’t hurt her, Simon!”
I was starting to think her warning should have been the other way around.
“Going somewhere?”
I jumped hearing Simon’s voice at six in the morning. He wasn’t supposed to be off shift until hours after we were gone. I had been so lost in thought as I packed, I didn’t even hear him come in.
“What are you doing here?”
He smirked. “I live here, remember?”
Simon walked into my room and sat down on the bed next to my open suitcase. “Taking a trip somewhere?”
I busied myself folding some shirts, trying to seem nonchalant about the whole trip. As if it was everyday I made rash decisions to fly down to Florida. “Brendan and I are going to go down to Florida to visit my mom. I’m sorry I forgot to mention it. I guess it slipped my mind.”
Simon looked like he didn’t believe a word I was saying, although he didn’t call me out on it. “How long will you be gone for?”
“A week.”
He said nothing, preferring to wait until I looked up at him. When I did, he spoke into my eyes. “Should I move, Bridget? Will that make things easier for you?”
I sighed. “I don’t know, Simon. My head is really confused right now. I know I don’t want you to leave. I really enjoy you being here. But would it make things easier for me in the long run? Maybe? Would it make things easier on you if you moved?”
Unlike mine, Simon’s answer was unqualified. “No. It wouldn’t make it easier if I lived somewhere else. But I’ll go if that’s what you want.”
“It’s not what I want.”
“Is it what you need?”
My shoulders slumped. “I don’t know the answer to that, Simon. I wish I were as certain of things that I wanted and needed as you seem to be. But I’m not. So, if I’m being honest, that’s the reason I’m taking this trip. The one thing I am sure of is that I need some time to think about things.”
“You shouldn’t have to leave your own house to do that.”