“Yeah, I am. My coworker and boss are awesome, and I’m getting really good at the machines and how the front is run. I’m even considering full-time after graduation or college—” I tried to continue, but my mom interrupted.
“You’re planning on working at a coffee shop for your career?” she questioned, judgment thick in her words.
“I don’t know what I’m going to do,” I reiterated. “I want to get a degree that’ll be versatile, business or marketing, and then narrow down my concentration when I get into classes. Working full-time would be beneficial to getting experience for when I’m out of college. A few months ago, Ms. Rogers even suggested using my degree to help expand Coffee Grounds to another store, or to look into management positions.”
“Sounds like you have a very ambitious daughter, Erin,” Sam praised proudly.
“You do too,” I added, then realized what had just come out of my mouth. “I mean... since you’re my biological dad and... yeah... you know what I mean... Ninjas actually wore blue. Black stands out in the moonlight, and blue hides just as well in the dark,” I rambled awkwardly. The tips of my ears and face burned, and I knew if I looked in a mirror, I’d be beet red. Good job there, Emma, A+ on the communication skills.
“She’s right, Sam,” my mom cut in, thankfully saving me from myself.
“I know, but I didn’t want to try and insert myself and make things weird,” he told her, finishing his last bite of lasagna. “This was delicious. Thank you for making it, Emma.”
“You’re welcome.” I beamed, the compliment almost compensating for just making a fool of myself.
“So, before you go running off to do whatever things seniors do,” Sam joked, “do you have an idea of where you want to go to college?”
“My first choice is probably University of Nebraska-Lincoln,” I said, pushing my final few bites of leftovers around now that I was full. “I enjoyed their campus and what was around it as well as the marketing and business program. The tour guy was a business major, so he talked to me about some of the teachers and things. I know that it’s the one the guys are looking at too, which is a big factor—”
“Ah yes, that would be wonderful for you to continue schooling here in Nebraska,” my mom cut in, her overly sweet tone as fake as her small laugh. I could see right through her façade, knowing she didn’t want me to talk about the boys to Sam. It irritated the heck out of me, but I didn’t want to fight in front of my biological father the first time I’d ever met him, so I bit my tongue.
“We can get this cleaned up, can’t we, Erin? Let’s let her get homework done,” Sam prompted during the lull between us, looking at my mom with love in his eyes.
“Of course,” Mom cooed with a nod before dismissing me from the table, but it had become a habit to clean off my plate and put it in the dishwasher, so despite the awkward air permeating the room, I only went downstairs after I had done that. As I reached the middle of the stairs where it turned to go to the basement, I glanced up to the main floor and saw Sam smile then kiss my mom softly on the forehead.
My stomach twisted. Part of me was glad that my mom had her happiness after the hurt I know the divorce had caused, but the other portion of me warred at the thought of someone other than my dad being in my life. It was silly to feel that way since I had really liked Sam, but almost eighteen years of life had been tilted on its axis, and I knew it would take time to adjust. A sliver of me wished she could see and accept that what she had with Sam, I had with Reid, Kingston, and Jesse. Really, the sliver was more like a very large piece of me, but I was trying not to think about it and ruin the sense of contentment that had settled over me as I sank into my office chair.
The first meeting with my biological dad had gone way better than I anticipated, and I couldn’t wait to see him again. Maybe he’d help alleviate some of the issues with my mom, but I wasn’t going to hold my breath. I had the feeling I’d be waiting for quite a while now that I was expecting her to make the first move.
But right now? Time for studying... oh, joy.
5
February 13th
“One friend with whom you have a lot in common is better than three with whom you struggle to find things to talk about.” -Mindy Kaling.
#HappyGalentinesDay #PamperDay #ThankfulThursday
“Hello, ladies,” the woman at the front desk greeted when Zoey, Aubrey, and I walked into the salon and spa. “What can we do for you today?”
“Appointments for Zoey Gardner,” Zo stated with a smile. The woman nodded when she checked the salon’s computer, waving us farther into the building.
“I still can’t believe you booked me a mani-pedi and hair appointment,” I whispered excitedly. “You guys are the best.”
“You’ve had a rough time lately, and we always go out for girls pamper sesh the day before Valentine’s Day. A Galentine’s Day, if you will,” Aubrey explained. “And that includes you since it’s your first V-Day here.”
“If you three would like to take a seat here,” the woman requested with a hand gesture when we reached the pedicure chairs. “What mani-pedi would you like? Express, simple, or deluxe?”
“Deluxe for all of us,” Zo cut in, smirking at me when I narrowed my eyes at her. I wasn’t sure I could swing that much on top of getting my hair done. “Don’t worry, Emma, it’s all taken care of,” she said, as if she knew what I was thinking.
“Who’s paying for this?” I questioned as the woman started filling the little tub with water and essential oils.
“It’s a surprise,” she told me happily. “Now, just chill out and relax. Time for pampering!”
“Ugh, you two are such trouble.” A chuckle bubbled out as I shook my head at their shenanigans. “Can’t say I don’t love it though.”
“Exactly. So, have any ideas what color you want to do for your nails?” Zo asked, looking through the ring of nail polish samples. “I’m probably going to go with a nude color. Like a nice gray beigey color. Greige? Is that a word?”
“It can be now.” I shrugged, not seeing why it couldn’t be.
“Is there a difference between gray and beige?” Aubrey asked. “Well, I know there is for those two, but is a ‘greige’ much of a difference between the original colors?”
“I don’t know, ask the fashionista,” Zo redirected, and two pairs of eyes fell on me.
“Uh, gray is more of a ‘cool’ color, with more of a white base to it than a beige, which is more of a ‘warm’ color. Granted there can be cool toned or warm toned for each depending on the undertone, but when mixed together, it makes more a neutral nude. Kind of like taupe, but a bit different,” I struggled to explain. “If you put the colors next to each other, you’ll see the differences. I just suck at explaining color theory.”
“Hm, I don’t think I’ve ever really thought about undertones and warm versus cool before,” Aubrey mused. “Makes sense though. So, yes, Zo, greige can totally be a word.”