Looking around, I notice, to Preston’s amusement, that I’m the only one left standing. The private pep talk had gone on too long. I sit down then yelp as the pencil I had broken earlier is pointed directly up onto my leg. The jerk! I’ve never thought of physically hurting a person more in my life than in the past twenty-four hours that I’ve known Preston. Correction, the new and improved Preston.
As if it wasn’t bad enough, now I have little youth group girls turning around and giggling in our direction. Please take him! True entertainment would be to see him fight off a whole bunch of hormonal sixteen year olds. Oh shoot, did I actually say something about the calendar to him? I hope I didn’t. I wouldn’t want him thinking...
Church ended and I must admit it was the longest service I can remember. Kristin had to get the boys and Brad then she would meet me at the little café in church for bible study.
Running past Preston without saying goodbye, I find a seat in the café. Decaf isn’t an option, so I get a double caramel Macchiato. Note writing, and all around immaturity, can be draining, plus the cinnamon rolls look good. Grabbing my latte and roll, I scan the room for a seat and spot Brad and Kristin.
“Hey!” they shout, a little loud for being so close.
I still have food in my mouth so I wave then open my mouth for the boys to see chewed food. They laugh. Then I hear another type of laughter. Man laughter, or let’s just call it maughter.
My nemesis. Is he stalking me? And why am I kind of flattered? Mutinous emotions, I press the disturbing thoughts from my mind and try to behave maturely for a change.
“Amanda, you’ve met Preston, right?” Brad pushes him forward, obviously not reading my body language of “hate” well enough to understand that yes, I did, indeed, know Preston.
Preston is the first to interrupt the awkward silence. “I actually knew Amanda in high school. Isn’t that right, Amanda?”
The cinnamon roll is like glue to my tongue, so I nod my head and smile with my mouth closed.
Brad laughs. “Well isn’t that something? Wow, did you guys ever date or anything?”
And that’s when the food flew out of my mouth onto Brad’s nice Armani shirt. I gasp and quickly grab napkins, while Brad keeps telling me not to worry and to “remember, I do have two kids under the age of three”. But still, I feel awful. Well, that and just angry that Preston seems to be enjoying himself so much at my expense.
“So,” Brad says as he puts the napkin down. “I guess that’s a touchy subject, I’m just glad you guys know each other so well, especially for what I have to tell you next.”
I look at them with genuine happiness that maybe Kristin is pregnant again. Maybe they want me to babysit. Oh no, no babysitting! In anticipation, I look between the two of them waiting for their secret to be revealed.
Preston looks equally pleased and sticks his tongue out at me while we wait. I stick mine out, too, then am ratted out by one of Kristin’s kids, the little traitor. Preston laughs lifting his hand in a thumbs-up sign as if to say, “good job getting caught by a three year old, genius”. The temptation to slap the smile off his face nearly overwhelms me.
“We won a trip to Hawaii!” Kristin squeals with delight as Brad kisses her on the mouth.
I couldn’t be more thrilled, except what does it have to do with me and Preston? No! They are going to ask us to babysit! Kristin knows how I feel about babysitting. I saw a shrink for two weeks after that incident. Oh no, then the thought occurs. I’m going to be an awful mother, and this solidifies that statement. I’ll be stuck with them for a week, and then I’ll rule out children forever. But I want kids. Life is so unfair.
Preston gives Brad a high five. Since when did they become best friends
“I’m so happy for you guys. How great is that?”
“Sorry to interrupt, but Brad, how do you and Preston even know each other?”
Preston blushes for the first time I can remember, rendering me, yet again, speechless and confused.
Brad answers, noticing Preston’s sudden embarrassment “Well, the church has a series of meetings and counseling that each new member has to go through. It’s all kept private, so I couldn’t share it with Kristin. Preston was paired with me, and we hit it off. It might sound weird and maybe too feminine, but I’m glad to have a good guy friend.”
“Aw shucks, mate.” Preston replies, punching him playfully in the arm.
This is too much to swallow. I cannot handle them being best friends. Kristin is going to have to fix this. I look at her sternly and communicate with my eyes, via giving her the stare of death, “Fix this now!” And I think she heard me, because she nods her head and leans in as if to say something to the entire group.