How to Steal Your Best Friend's Fiancé - London Casey Page 0,92
I can’t commit to that. That’s not me. That was me being someone else and it ended up getting everyone hurt.”
“We’re pissed at you,” Faye said. “A story might help.”
“You two are amazing,” I said. “You don’t need me.”
“We want you though,” Carla said.
They both sat down on the couch.
They really weren’t going to leave.
Lucy and Ember were easy to handle. I just told them to leave me alone and they listened. I hung up on them. I told them if they didn’t want to run the bakery then just close it. Fuck it.
Carla and Faye were different.
They were real friends to me.
Friends I had because of Liam.
Because I rekindled my love for music. But that revolved around him. It was stained with him.
“You look like hell,” Carla said. “Want me to brush your hair?”
“No,” I said as I touched my hair.
“She likes the breakup look,” Faye said.
“She won’t get any rebound dick that way though.”
“I don’t want any rebound dick,” I said.
“You say that now,” Faye said. “But you need to do it.”
“I don’t know what’s actually going on,” I said. “With Liam and I.”
“How so?”
I took a deep breath.
And I spilled my guts.
When I finished, Carla and Faye ended up arguing over the ice cream.
“I’m stressed out,” Carla said.
“I want to fight Miranda,” Faye said. “Like full on punches.”
“She should have stayed in Boston,” Carla said. “Bitch.”
“She’s…”
“A horrible human,” Faye said. “And I never took you to be like that, Emily.”
“The kind of person who steals their best friend’s fiancé?” I asked.
“No,” Faye said. “You were so good to her. And such a pushover. We met you and you were a badass.”
“That’s the point I’m making,” I said. “I changed who I was. And everything exploded.”
“I don’t think you changed at all,” Carla said. “I think you just became yourself again. You were ripped apart by your family and by this Miranda bitch. You knew all along you loved Liam. I think you knew he loved you too. And you both tried to do the right thing. Hey, that’s all fine and dandy, but sometimes life requires you to take a stand.”
“And this is my stand?” I asked.
“Why not?” Faye asked. “You love music. You’re good at it. You found a man you love. You two get to write your own love story. Screw the rest of the world and anything they think.”
“Let me ask you this, Emily,” Carla said. “You forget about Liam. You forget about us. Then what? You said your bakery probably won’t survive no matter what you do. You know that Miranda will keep fucking you over. What’s the plan? When do you get something for yourself?”
Faye stood up and walked to my guitar case and took the guitar out.
“This, Emily,” she said. “This is your true voice. And the way you were with Liam, that was true too.”
“And if I tell him everything I’m feeling and he doesn’t want the same thing?” I asked.
“Then Carla will cut off his dick,” Faye said.
“Chop, chop, asshole,” Carla said as she made a scissors gesture with her right hand.
She scooped a big spoonful of ice cream and stuffed it into her mouth.
She cringed from the brain freeze.
I turned and walked to the window.
“I have to go talk to Ernie,” Carla said. “Smooth things over with him.”
“On your knees?” Faye asked.
“Sorry for messing up our gig,” I said.
It was dark out.
I was supposed to be on stage.
“Don’t worry about it,” Carla said. “You belong on that stage. Ernie still wants you to sing a set on your own.”
“We do too,” Faye said.
I nodded. “Thank you. I have a lot to think about.”
“We can spend the night,” Carla said. “Let’s get drunk and strip down to our panties and have a pillow fight. We can take pictures and send them to guys we like and tease them.”
I laughed. “You’re crazy.”
“That’s tame for her,” Faye said.
“Thank you both. I’ve known Liam for so long… I don’t know if I can handle losing him again and then seeing him. It’s a lot.”
“Don’t lose him then,” Carla said. “Either way, we’re here for you. Remember… chop, chop.”
“Chop, chop,” I said back with a smile.
“Come on,” Faye said to Carla said. “Let’s go find that bright red lipstick Ernie likes so much on you.”
“I think if I’m naked, he doesn’t care what color my lipstick is,” Carla said.