‘Hey, Leo. Happy birthday!’ he said, with enthusiasm. Probably expecting a hug.
I nodded and sat down.
‘Is this for me?’
‘Yeah, thought I’d order it so you wouldn’t have to wait.’
‘What are you doing in London?’
‘I just wanted to spend a weekend to catch up with friends.’
‘I see.’
‘I also wanted to see how you were doing. We left things on a sour note last time.’
I sipped my wine, hardly making any eye contact.
‘Yup,’ I said.
‘How are you?’
‘I’m excellent. You?’
‘I’m okay. Did you get tested?’
‘I did. You’ll be delighted to know you didn’t pass the virus.’
‘That’s good! I thought the worst when you stopped replying to my texts,’ he said.
‘I just didn’t want to talk to you.’
‘That’s fair,’ he nodded. ‘I really want to apologise. I didn’t want to hurt you. It’s just…the gay community can be really vicious. Whenever I would tell guys beforehand, they’d want nothing to do with me.’
‘So you decided to lie?’
‘I guess I was scared. You’re a really attractive guy, smart and funny. As soon as I saw you, I was completely in awe. I didn’t want you to run away.’
I felt like I could really see Jimmy for what he was. An extremely insecure guy who just so happened to make some serious money. He enjoyed sex, but that same passion is what bit him in the arse. I almost felt pity for him.
‘Look, I had to let it go. I learned that dwelling on things that could have happened is stupid. At the end of the day I was really lucky, and that’s all there is.’
‘You’re being very cavalier about it all.’
‘It’s my birthday, it’s lovers’ day. I don’t really care about it anymore. We’re good, Jimmy,’ I said while giving him a pat on his shoulder.
‘Amazing. Maybe we could still see each other sometimes. We could go on another weekend away,’ he said, with his eyes lit up.
‘Oh, no. That ship has long sailed. Find someone else. Just be truthful. You don’t have to pay for sex. Just be a decent human being.’
‘I think part of me likes paying. I find it kind of sexy.’
‘Then do whatever you please. I have to go now,’ I said while getting up. ‘Thanks for the drink.’
‘Wait,’ he said, all of a sudden. He opened his wallet and started grabbing notes. ‘For your time.’
‘Keep it, Jimmy. This is on the house,’ I put my hand on his hair and messed it up. ‘Take care.’
That was the last time I’d see him. Or hear from him.
I felt good.
Sara was being the usual diva. We’d agree on a time to meet, but she’d always be late. Most of the time I’d end up meeting her at her place, and she’d still be drying her hair. To be fair, she did come to my place in the morning, and she’d hardly ever do that.
It was a weird day. I had spent so much time in my twenties dwelling over the day I’d turn the big three-o and now that it had arrived…it wasn’t anything special. There were definitely a few things I was happy to leave behind. My marriage to Jake, which took such a big chunk of my twenties, had officially come to an end. Back then we’d make plans for children, more dogs, a farm even. But it all fell apart with a mental condition and one single dog.
‘I’m here.’ I texted Sara.
‘Come up.’
Of course. She wasn’t anywhere near ready.
I wasn’t mad. I had brought a bottle of wine exactly for that reason. At least I’d get to have a few drinks while she’d do a full montage of trying every garment in her wardrobe.
I walked up the stairs and her main door was open.
I walked in and everything was dark.
‘Dude, you doing a satanic ritual?’ I shouted.
Then they all came out.
Surprise!
Fuckers. They gave me a heart attack.
‘Oh my god. I’m dying,’ I said while holding my poor heart.
‘Sorry,’ she said. ‘We didn’t time the lights right.’
All of my friends were there. John, Abigail, Dominic and Andrew.
‘Welcome to the dirty thirty club,’ said John, giving me a hug while holding a beer bottle.
‘Sara, you’re the last one,’ said Abigail.
‘Don’t remind me,’ she said. ‘Let’s focus on this little shit.’
‘Thanks, guys. I was not expecting this at all.’
I didn’t even know Andrew was in town.
‘Did she grab you from New York herself?’ I asked him.
‘I wish,’ Sara said. ‘He was planning to celebrate you all along.’
‘You didn’t think I would have left you crying alone while drinking wine, right?’
I gave him a big kiss on the cheek.
‘Thank you.’
‘Right, who wants cake and booze? Because that’s why I came,’ said Abigail.
The room was heavily decorated with balloons and all of the stuff I liked. Pokémon, animals, video games. It looked like a party for a five-year-old—if they were into drinking whiskey, that is.
I grabbed a glass, and I stared at all of them, being there for me. It truly warmed my cold, messed up heart.
‘Where’s the groom-to-be?’ I asked.
‘He had something to do with some coworkers. Didn’t really ask, didn’t really care. It’s your night,’ she said while pinching my cheek.
She looked amazing. She was wearing a long-sleeved black dress, which really made her physique look incredible. Her hair was down, and she had already done her make-up. That woman was banging.
‘Right, so what’s the plan, birthday boy?’ asked Dominic. ‘Are we going out and celebrating?’
‘Yeah, I left that for you to decide, Leo,’ said Sara. ‘Didn’t know if you wanted to get your gay on.’
‘I’d be more than happy to get our gay on,’ said Abigail. ‘Name the club and I’ll get us a table with champagne and all the rapper crap you can imagine.’
‘So much for my quiet ethylic coma I had in mind,’ I said, with a giggle. ‘If I get to wear some sort of balloon hat the entire evening, I’m down for a club.’
‘Well, it’s still early and you have all of this booze here to go through. No way we are dancing sober,’ said John. He had also dolled himself up. His hair was newly cut and bleached. He was wearing a sleeveless top and some sort of skirt-trouser concoction. A £2k outfit, for sure.
‘Dom, how does it feel to be out of retail?’ asked Abigail.
‘Really fucking great. I can’t believe I don’t have to deal with those arseholes,’ he responded.
‘John and I worked there as well. We know damn well what you’re talking about,’ said Sara.
‘Amen. Fuck that,’ said John while sipping his beer.
Then the doorbell rang.
‘Did you also order pizza?’ I asked Sara.
‘Actually, I hope you don’t mind, I invited my sister as well?’ she said.