Mister Moneybags(80)
“What’s wrong?”
“It feels real. I wish it was.”
Fuck. This was backfiring.
“Maybe I took this too far.”
“No. No, I just got a little emotional when she wrote down the date.”
Before we could say anything further, the woman returned with my card and a receipt. “All set, Mr. Truitt. You can call us anytime with the venue location so that we can arrange for a delivery time on the morning of.”
Bianca remained quiet as we walked out of the shop. I couldn’t take it anymore. I pulled her into a tight embrace on the sidewalk and whispered in her ear, “We have to stay optimistic.”
“It’s hard not to want to prepare myself for disappointment. It just seems too good to be true that we could dodge this bullet.”
“I have to believe. It’s all that’s getting me through today. I have to believe that this time next year….I’m gonna have my cake and eat you, too.” I laughed, because the funny thing was, I hadn’t even meant for it to come out that way. Eat you, too. It just did. Must have been subliminal.
She smacked my arm playfully. “I’m glad you’re still finding humor in all of this.”
“Gotta laugh so I don’t cry, beautiful.”
I meant that.
We spent the rest of the afternoon on the private stretch of beach off the guesthouse.
As the sun set, it felt like the curtain was slowly closing on our time together. Bianca was still wearing her white dress, which was now covered in dirt, water, and sand. I wanted to burn the image into memory.
“I don’t want to sleep tonight,” she said. “I feel like I just want to stay up all night.”
“Who needs sleep?” I grabbed her hand. “May I have this dance?”
No music was required as we slowly swayed to the sounds of the beach. We rocked back and forth until the sun completely went down then stayed up and talked, vowing not to fall into slumber.
Sleep eventually won out, though, as we later crashed in each other’s arms on the sand.
The sound of the seagulls woke us up the next morning. Looking like we’d washed ashore, we’d slept in surprisingly late; we must have both been exhausted from forcing ourselves to stay up.
As we sat up on the sand, I wrapped my arms around her body from behind.
“So, you never finished your sentence,” I said.
“What?”
“You know, before we flew down here. You started telling me about your sexual fantasy. You said it started with me opening something. I need to know the rest.”
“I should’ve known you wouldn’t forget about that.”
“Not a chance. I have to live vicariously through the fantasy version of myself right now. My jealousy in regards to fantasy Dex is worse than it was for that tool, Jay.”
“Okay. So, anyway…it starts with you opening—”
My phone rang, interrupting her.
“Are you fucking kidding me?” I groaned.
“I think you’re destined not to find out, Truitt.”
“I’d better get this…in case…you know.”
She sat up suddenly. “Take it.”
I answered, “Dex Truitt…”
“Hi, Mr. Truitt. This is Erika Raymond from Leominster Laboratories.”
My heart began to palpitate. “Okay…yes?”
“Your results are in.”
I thought I might throw up. Or pass out. Maybe even one right before the other. Oh God. What if I passed out first and then vomited while I was unconscious? I stood and started pacing in the sand. My skin was clammy, and from the look on Dex’s face, I must have turned pale. He spoke into the phone. “Can you please hold for a moment?” Covering the receiver, he asked, “Are you okay? You should sit down. I don’t like the way you look right now.”
“I don’t like the way I feel right now, either.”
Dex returned to the call. “Erika? Did you say your name was Erika?”
I heard the yes even though the phone was pressed to his ear.
“Listen. I need to go somewhere more private. Would it be possible for me to call you back in, say, five minutes?”
He was quiet for a moment, then said, “Okay, yes. The number came in on my caller ID. I’ll ask for extension two eight three. It’ll just be a few minutes, and I’d appreciate it if you could stand by for my call.”
Silence again, then finally. “Okay. Thank you very much.”
After he swiped to end the call, Dex put one hand on the small of my back. “Come on. Let’s go inside. I think we should talk for a few minutes before we do this.”
In a fog, I let Dex guide me inside to our room. I’d been so sure of myself, so anxious to know the truth, and now that it was within reach, I suddenly wanted to run in the other direction. I need more time.