“Just dealing with assholes all day today,” she said.
“I’m sorry. I got dumped today.”
“What?” Miranda asked. “By who?”
“Jon.”
“You were still with him?”
“Yeah. He kind of came in here and screamed it in front of everyone.”
“Oh, that’s embarrassing. I would have closed up and gone home to cry. Liam was being clingy this morning… just annoying…”
“Clingy?” I asked.
“Yeah. Worried about that wedding quiz I told you about. Talking about the past all the time. I don’t know. I just wasn’t in the mood.”
“Well, you two are supposed to be talking about the past,” I said. “The past makes the future. Or something.”
“Bullshit,” Miranda said.
“You’re enjoying the wedding planning, right?” I asked.
“I will soon,” she said. “I’m working on a case and then it’s time to focus. I wish Liam would hear me when I say that.”
I knew Liam. He was eager, jumpy, and wanted it all done in advance. He wanted everything laid out in front of him.
Trust me, I knew Liam all too well.
Again, another joyous thing I did with my life mostly by accident.
I ran into him in college while visiting Miranda. And when I saw him and felt all those crazy old feelings, I got spooked and not only introduced him to Miranda, but all but threw her at him.
Like I wanted to protect myself from my feelings. Or from whatever Liam felt or didn’t feel.
Next thing I knew, they were dating… and then more…
I looked at the diamond ring on her finger and I smiled.
I was genuinely happy for her. And him.
They were great together.
They belonged together.
“Hey,” Miranda said. “At least you’re single now. So get out there and have some fun.”
“I don’t do that,” I said.
“You should come out with me,” Miranda said. “I have plenty of lawyer guy friends who would love one night of fun.”
“Thanks,” I said with a smile.
“Anyway, I have to go,” she said. “Back to the office. More heads to stomp on.”
“Yeah,” I said. I stood up. “It was good to see you.”
“You too,” Miranda said. “Don’t forget those new charges, okay? Don’t fuck me on this.”
“I won’t,” I said.
Miranda took a call and walked out of the bakery.
I grabbed the papers and looked at the number again.
Things were getting tight.
I wanted to cry.
But I’d save that for later.
“And you’re all set,” Henry said. “No more annoying buzzing.”
“Thank you,” I called out from behind the counter as I wiped it down.
“Now that bitch Miranda won’t complain,” Lucy said.
Henry looked down at Lucy.
“Sorry,” Lucy said. “That was bad of me to say.”
“Dirty mouth,” Henry said.
“Sometimes,” Lucy said.
I felt like dumping cold water on Lucy’s head.
I cleared my throat.
Lucy looked at me and winked.
I shook my head.
Last thing I needed on the day I just got dumped was to see two sixty-something-year-olds flirting.
Henry climbed down the ladder and leaned against it. “So how are you, Lucy?”
“Better now,” she said. “I kind of wish more bulbs were burned out.”
“Want me to break one on purpose?” Henry asked.
“Get a room,” Ember called out as she walked from the back.
“Hey,” Lucy said. “There’s miles on the car but the engine runs just fine. Okay?”
“Oh, that I didn’t need to hear,” Ember said.
“Lucy, I don’t think you realize what you just said,” I said.
“Yes, I do,” she said.
“No, you don’t,” I said. “You just called yourself a whore.”
Henry chuckled.
Lucy touched her cheeks. “I’m not a whore. I’ve only been with… wait a second…”
“Oh, now this is getting good,” Ember said. “Keep going.”
“Don’t listen to them,” Henry said to Lucy. “I knew what you meant.”
“Thank you, Henry,” Lucy said.
“Now, I want to hear about this knucklehead that broke your heart, Emily,” Henry said.
“There’s nothing to tell,” I said. “What’s done is done.”
“He shouted it front of everyone here,” Lucy said.
“That was my fault,” I said. “He left a note and wanted to talk back at the apartment. I kind of gave him no choice.”
“He sounds like a punk,” Henry said.
“More like an asshole,” Lucy said.
“Again, with the mouth,” I said.
“I think Lucy is right,” Henry said.
“And I think it’s time we all get out of here,” I said. “I’m going home to unwind.”
“Don’t go home alone,” Lucy said.
“I’m not alone. I have myself.”
“That’s what alone is,” Ember said.
“Goodbye,” I said. “Henry, thank you for your help. I’ll see you other two tomorrow.”
Before leaving, I packed up a large bag of baked goods that we hadn’t sold and that were still fresh.
On my walk home, I stopped by the corner where a small group of homeless people hung around.
I had gotten to know them a little.
Barry, Rich, and a guy they all called Jenkins saw me and they all smiled.
“Treats,” I said.
“You’re too good to us,” Barry said.
“Hardly,” I said. “Don’t eat too much at once, you’ll get a stomachache.”
“Got a burger in there?” Rich asked and laughed.
“No,” I said. “But I can get you one if you’d like.”
“No,” Rich said. “I was just joking. We’re fine. Even this is too much.”
“Are you sure you don’t want this?” Jenkins asked. “This is a lot.”
“My treat,” I said.
They thanked me again and I kept walking home.
I hated the idea of anyone living on the streets. Whether it was self-inflicted or not, it bothered me.
There were a lot of things I hated… a lot of the world’s problem I wore like a cloak of honor. When in reality it just brought me down.
But that was just who I was.
My eyes filled with tears and I wiped them as quick as I could.
I didn’t plan on crying while walking home.
But I thought about Jon… what he had done…
Seven months down the drain.
He used to get mad at me for giving the homeless food.
I always laughed it off though.
Wasn’t anyone able to see the good in the world…
Or the good in me?
Chapter Five
Liam
I begged my body for one more rep, shrugged the bar up and then dropped it.