her love life.
“No, he’s a perfectly nice man but—”
“Right.” I chuckle.
“My mom’s lecture after everyone left included the sentence, ‘Isn’t being Jewish hard enough, why do you have to add being a lesbian?’”
“No.” I shake my head gingerly. “No, she didn’t.”
“Oh yes. The sad part is it’s not my worst birthday. Not even close.”
“God, I’m sorry, Simone.”
“Two peas in a pod.” She sighs. “So when you’re free from all this work, let’s get drinks and lament about our lives.”
“Deal.” I get up from my desk and give her a hug.
She hugs back gently. “If Rod makes a huge ass of himself, I’ll record it and save it for when you’re in the mood to laugh at him.”
“Thanks, girl.”
She squeezes and walks out, waving back at me. She’s right, love is a traitorous bastard.
I grab my things and sneak out of the building through my sneaky exit, hoping no one notices me. When I’m halfway home, regretting walking in the cold rain, I get a text from Liz.
Drinks at Public House?
I almost say yes but stop myself. I’m still having headaches and dizzy spells. Keeping my drinking to a minimum is necessary for my brain to heal.
I send her a text back, deflecting. It’s Valentine’s, don’t you guys have plans?
Yeah, we were going to get drinks with you.
No. I text back. If you want to, we can eat at my place. I’ll make you dinner. Make Mom watch the girls and bring James.
She texts a thumbs up and I detour to the market to buy some things to throw together a quick pasta. It’s cold and wet and bleak and I’m drenched in icy rain by the time I arrive home. I am tired of winter.
When they arrive at my place, I have a baked spaghetti in the oven and am just spreading the garlic butter over the potato bread I got.
Liz knocks and I hurry for the door, opening it with a smile as James hurries from the elevator. “Hi.”
The door across the hallway opens, drawing both our stares to a stunning young woman with tousled hair and no makeup left, leaving Sam’s apartment. She beams at us as she makes her way to the elevator.
“Sam’s so gross,” I whisper as I drag them inside and close the door.
“This happens a lot?” Liz gasps as she removes her coat.
“I get the impression he’s one of those people who shies away from real relationships.” I walk back to my Texas toasts.
“Liz said you had the biggest crush on Sam in college,” James teases as Liz struggles to open the bottle of wine she brought for me. “Maybe you could get a little side action. Friends with benefits.”
“I’ve retired my vagina for the rest of my life and will not be seeking the company of men, thank you very much, James. Besides, friends with benefits isn’t my style.”
“I can’t believe he’s like that. He’s almost forty,” Liz adds.
“Wow.” James laughs. “You girls shouldn’t ride poor Sam too hard, and no pun intended.” He gives his wife a stern look. “He is a single guy,” James defends him. Typical James. “And he has the worst heartbreak story I’ve ever heard.”
“What?” Liz and I ask at the same time. “He dated someone?”
“Married her.” James nods. “Right after he graduated from medical school he got married to a nurse from Ontario. They came here for him to finish his residency. After that was over, they wanted to have kids. She went into a private practice so they thought it would work out.”
“He married someone?” Liz shakes her head, as stuck on that detail as I am. “How do I not know this story?” Her eyes dart to mine. She’s one of two people who know the secret I have about Sam and me in college.
“Because I don’t gossip like you two.” James sips his wine and winks as if to say the shot fired wasn’t at me.
“Then what happened?” Liz demands. All humor and fun are gone, replaced by our discomfort.
“He found out he couldn’t have kids. He’s sterile, sadly.”
“Sterile?” I cut him off. A chill runs over my body.
“That’s impossible,” Liz whispers.
“Why?” James asks.
“He’s—so handsome,” Liz says the dumbest thing she has ever said to cover for the truth she nearly let slip.
“Okay, that’s oddly stereotypical.” James furrows his brow. “Anyway, his wife was upset about not being able to have kids and slept with his best friend. He caught them, she left him for the friend. She’s remarried to the guy and is