She was seeing him again. The very thought of it made her body flutter with nervous excitement. She felt giddy again, the way she had been feeling every time he would call or text her, or during the moments before meeting him at the carnival last night.
The carnival…
When she awoke this morning, she wasn't sure if it had all been part of her dream. The night with Bill blended into her sleepy thoughts, almost seamlessly. He had touched the small of her back, lightly, briefly, merely to steady her in the wobbly Funhouse. It blazed through her like wildfire, and even all this time later that same spot still smoldered like burning coals. She couldn't believe she had kissed him last night. Was the second date too soon? But it felt so natural, so right, there was no hesitation or doubt to give her pause. And he kissed her back, and it felt so good and pure, just the two of them under the streetlight, the rain drizzling on their skin.
She got ready for the morning, wearing shorts and a V-neck t-shirt, her long wavy hair rippling down over her shoulders. The restlessness that rattled through her body annoyed her; she couldn't make it go away. She was nervous to see him again, nervous she was going to say or do something stupid or weird. Nervous he wouldn't be interested in seeing her anymore. Nervous he might be seeing someone else he liked more…
She shook it off, trying not to let her thoughts and misgivings get to her. It was time to leave for the diner and get focused.
Mia stopped by her kitchen counter before heading to the door. "Hang on, Pierre," she told her prize goldfish, who was drifting in a clear vase, "I'm getting you a new house today!"
The diner was on the other side of Arlen, away from the restaurant they met at over a week ago. It was one it turned out they both had frequented. Mia always got the pancake special and was dead set on ordering it again today. The bell dinged as she pushed open the diner's door. Inside was all chrome, linoleum, and formica countertops, a little retro and a little nostalgic. The food served was greasy, yet incredibly delicious. She saw Bill immediately, instinctively drawn to the corner booth he was sitting in. He smiled and waved, lighting up upon seeing her.
"Hi," she greeted as she slid into the booth across from him. She wasn't feeling as anxious and vulnerable as she did at the beginning of last night. Still nervous, but also more at ease just being in his presence.
"Hi," Bill replied. His eyes fixed on her, marveling. He had only seen her in the evenings so far, when the sky was darkening and the lights were dimmed, when the day had settled and was lowering off to sleep. It was a renewed experience entirely to see her in the morning, lit entirely by sunshine, at the very beginning of his entire day.
The server came by with two cups of coffee and the menus. However, they both already knew what they wanted and placed their orders right away. Mia requested the pancakes, Bill asked for the meatlover omelette.
"I'm so hungry," Mia said when the server left, "I love breakfast food."
"I love all kinds of food. I mean, obviously," Bill motioned toward his stomach. Might as well be self-aware of it. His weight and the way he looked hung so heavily on his mind. How on earth was that not enough to turn her away? How could she want to be seen with him?
Mia shook her head and laughed lightheartedly. The truth was, Mia thought his soft body was attractive. Paired with his strong, hairy forearms, she felt almost...debauched, if she thought about it for too long.
"How has your morning been? Did you sleep well?" he asked.
"Very well. It was so nice falling asleep to the rain."
The mention of the rain reminded him of their kiss last night, her lips grazing his, the cool drops of water falling all around them. He couldn't have asked for a more perfect way to end their time together. And here she was now, her beautiful eyes gazing into him like they always did, the same lips that kissed him last night only a short distance away. It was surreal to be here with her, her full attention on him.
They talked and smiled and laughed together, warming back up to each other again as their nerves slid away. Bill was still in awe of how easy she was to talk to. And how earnest she seemed, like there was no ulterior motive behind it. She seemed to truly enjoy being around him.
"When's your birthday?" Mia asked him out of nowhere.
"Um...the 22nd."
"Wait, what?" She quickly calculated the days in her mind. "This Saturday?"
"Yep."
Mia groaned, "Oh man."
"What?"
"What do you want?"
"What?"
"What do you want for your birthday?" she clarified.
"I don't want anything."
Most of his birthdays throughout his life had been simply another day. His friends would usually treat him to something special, like a night out or at least a dinner. He didn't often receive gifts and had long since grown to not expect them.
Mia tilted her head, squinting her eyes in an attempt at studying him, trying to delve into his mind and figure out what gift might suit him.
"What?" he asked again, half-laughing.
"Why didn't you tell me your birthday was coming up? I'm not prepared!"
"It's not a big deal…" he shrugged. "When's your birthday?"
"January."
"Oh good. I have lots of time to plan."
After they finished their breakfast and the check was dropped on the table, Bill once again insisted on paying. "And no, you don't owe me anything, Mia. Can't I just treat you to a meal?"
"You paid for all the carnival stuff. And you won me my fish! I have to repay my gratitude for that somehow."
"You agreeing to go somewhere with me is repayment enough," Bill declared with finality, as he drew out his credit card. "How is your fish doing, by the way?"
"He's hanging in there. I put him in an old vase I had. I need to go to the pet store after this to get his stuff, if you wanted to come with me..."
"That sounds like fun. Let's go."
They went to the register and Bill paid the check. They had barely turned around to leave when Mia heard a familiar voice call her name.
"Mia? Is that you?"
"Oh! Hi, Laura," Mia said, stunned. It was an old friend of hers whom she hadn't seen since before breaking up with Aaron.
"Wow! It's been ages! How are you?" Laura was cheerful and bubbly, but it was legitimate if not a little naive. She wasn't one for those fake niceties, which Mia liked about her.
"I'm doing well, how are you?" Mia was still reeling from the surprise of seeing someone from what was basically her old life. She stood there almost in a daze, starting to feel something akin to panic creeping in.
"I'm great! I'm meeting some friends here for breakfast! Hey, did you hear about Aaron and Carly?"
Mia's stomach dropped. "No…"
"Oh! Well, they're having a baby!" Laura looked positively delighted at the news.
"That's...great. Um, good for them." She tried to fake a smile, which was no small feat for someone who felt like puking on the linoleum floor.
"Yeah! And they're getting married, too! I'm going to be a bridesmaid!" she squealed, jumping up and down with glee.
"That's awesome, Laura, you must be so excited." Mia shifted around, trying to find a good opportunity to leave. The diner was starting to blur around her and her chest felt like it was constricting.
"Thank you! I think you might be getting an invite too, Mia! Carly sent them out a few days ago!"
Mia sincerely doubted she was getting anything. "That's nice, Laura. Well, it was good to see you." Mia made to leave, grabbing Bill's hand beside her.
"Oh, who's this?" Laura asked curiously.
"My friend. We have to go now, bye Laura." Mia tried mustering up another smile, and even managed a small wave, before dragging Bill out the door.
She felt panicky, like her heart was a bird in a cage, she felt pressed in on all sides. Leaving the small diner and getting out into the open air helped at least, but...Aaron and Carly were having a baby? After all those years Aaron swore he never wanted kids. He even made sure to inform Mia that she would have been a shit mother anyway. And he was marrying Carly, too. He had always said that getting married was just a pointless piece of paper and a waste of time...
"Mia?" Bill said beside her. Mia was standing in the middle of the sidewalk, trying to collect herself and get her breathing down to a normal rate.
"Sorry. I didn't expect to see…" she trailed off.
"Was that a friend of yours?"
"Not really. She used to be. We sort of um, well, I fell out of her social circle."
Bill put his hand on her back, which was comforting. She wanted to bury herself into him. She knew it was stupid to get so worked up over whatever the hell Aaron was doing. It was just difficult to learn that Aaron was living the life he never would give her, and with her ex best friend, too.
Aaron most probably cheated on her with other women before cheating on her with Carly. But it was with Carly that Mia actually caught him with. Her best friend since middle school. On her bed, on her own fucking bedspread. Mia always expressed her unhappiness and her mistreatment to Carly, therefore she'd thought Carly had a good understanding as to how awful of a person Aaron was. And yet Carly fucked him anyway, for who knows how many days or weeks or months before Mia came home from work early to find them.
Carly cried and begged for Mia's forgiveness, bed sheet wrapped around her. Aaron stood stoically off in the corner, saying nothing. Mia silently grabbed some things and left, shaken and full of burning adrenaline. A few days later she enlisted Tom and her cousin to accompany her while she got the rest of her things. She was on the other half of the lease, but it was easier to just cut and run. Whatever had her interacting with Aaron the least was the way she wanted to go.
"Are you okay?" Bill asked with gentle concern.
"I will be. I'm sorry for being weird. I just wasn't prepared for...that."
"You're not being weird. I just hope you're okay. Do you want to sit down?"
She could see the worry in his eyes. "No, let's walk. I need to keep moving." Mia held his hand and they set off down the street towards the pet store. After a moment she spoke, figuring it was best to tell Bill why she was acting oddly. "That was an old friend of mine. But when I broke up with my ex, she and I stopped talking. Just one of those things…" Mia trailed off. Bill said nothing, but was listening, waiting for her to continue. "My um, best friend at the time...my ex cheated on me with her. And that girl, Laura, was friends with her too. But I don't think she knew Carly was cheating with him."
"Wow, I'm so sorry. Your best friend?"
Mia gravely nodded.
"My ex-wife cheated on me, too. A lot. So, that part I can relate to. But not the friend part. I can't imagine any of my friends ever doing that."
"Fuck cheaters," Mia said darkly.
"Fuck 'em all."
Mia smiled.
Lenore cheated on Bill many times. Probably before they were married, but the first time he caught her was only two weeks after the wedding. She even cheated on him flagrantly after that, openly leaving the house dressed up in sexy outfits to meet God knows who. When Bill expressed how much this was hurting him, even crying to her, she would coldly step over him and leave. And yet...he stayed. She basically just used him for his money and a place to live and got her rocks off elsewhere. And he let her do it. She would yell at him and fight with him, she called him every name in the book, and he apologized for it. When she left him, he begged for her to come back. He dreamed and ached for the day she would knock on his door and come home again.
He did see Lenore again, years later, and she flirted with him and cozied up to him, told him she missed him. But, as it turned out, her revived affections were only because he was dating a past governor of Texas. Lenore saw how happy Bill was, and how he upgraded so far to date an important politician. She knew what charms to turn on to get Bill back into her clutches, making him break up with the governor, so Lenore could feel powerful again, by being with someone who dumped a governor for her. Then Lenore left, her purpose fulfilled, and Bill was alone again.
He still missed Lenore, faintly, even after everything she ever said and done. He still would always say if she were to return yet again he would absolutely take her back. But since spending time with Mia he hadn't given another woman a single meaningful thought, not even Lenore. Being with Mia made him feel so significant, so important, she built him up and made him feel like he was actually worth something. And she was so beautiful, so smart and funny, so compelling...it was only a matter of time until she found someone better suited for her. Someone who wasn't a loser like him.
They walked into the local pet shop, dark walls and dark floors, passing by the bunnies and mice and birds, over to the far wall stacked floor to ceiling with aquariums and fish supplies.
"I'm glad you came with me," Mia said, pulling out a boxed aquarium tank, "I need your muscles to carry this stuff to my car."
"That's what I'm here for," he smiled, glad to be needed and useful.
He watched her browse the different shelves, piling up a stack of equipment and supplies for the fish tank. She had grabbed a heater, filter, substrate, and even live plants. They went to the register to cash out and left again back down the street to Mia's car. The weather was mild today, not as humid as the day previous, having been relieved from the rain. The sun was pleasant, the air warm.
"Pierre is going to be so happy when I set this stuff up," she said happily.
"Pierre?"
"My fish!"
"Oh. Cute name."
"I named him after that restaurant we met at."
"Even cuter than I thought."
They arrived at Mia's car parked at the diner parking lot and loaded up the trunk. "So...what else are you doing today?" she asked, as Bill shut the trunk lid.
"Nothing, I guess. I'm pretty open today."
"Do you...want to go somewhere with me?" Mia coyly looked up at him.
I would go into an active volcano with you.
"Sure, where are we going?"
She grabbed his hand and tugged him towards the sidewalk, the opposite way they had just come from.
"Have you ever been up here?" asked Mia, once they crossed the street and past some bushes, up a dirt path disappearing in between a forest of trees. The path was well worn, but the bushes hid it well.
"No, what is it?"
"Just a small climb. At the top is a great view of Arlen."
"Huh. Never knew about it. And I've lived here almost my whole life."
"It's funny how we both have lived here for so long but never met each other. Or maybe we have, but we just didn't know it at the time."
He had given that thought plenty of play in his mind over the past week. Their age gap was so large though that she would have been too young for him for a lot of it.
"I'm a lot older than you, remember. I don't think you'd have given an old man like me a second thought back then."
"Oh really? You don't think I'd have liked it?" She teased.
"I don't know," Bill said awkwardly, unsure how to flirt back properly. Mia smiled.
They pressed up the dirt path, curving up a hill. Bill was getting breathless, yet Mia practically marched up with ease.
"Almost there," she said effortlessly.
Finally they reached the top of the hill, which was surrounded by trees save for a small dirt clearing. A large fallen log lay across the ground, creating a makeshift bench. They sat down side by side while Bill tried to catch his breath.
"Sorry," apologized Mia, "I forgot how high of a climb it was."
"No, it's fine-I'm just out of shape."
They looked out at the view, high above Arlen, the beautiful scenery spilled out below them. Houses, buildings, even the water tower looked small where they sat together, secluded by the trees and nature.
"My house is over there," she pointed, somewhere east.
"Mine is over there," Bill pointed, somewhere more west.
It was calm on that hill, away from civilization, in the thick of nature, listening to the birds and feeling the gentle breeze. Sitting with Mia, just the two of them, high up and away from everyone and everything else. The trees provided a cover of shade, save for the speckles of sunlight streaming through the gaps in the leaves, sprinkling over Mia with a golden glow. Her smooth legs were so close to him, her body almost touching his, if only he were brave enough to slide over just another inch…
"I'm glad I got to see you today," Mia said quietly as she looked at the view below.
"Me, too. I always have so much fun with you. And you keep showing me new places I never knew about."
"You'll have to show me some of yours...next time."
"Absolutely."
He studied her, considering every contour and curve of her face. Her long, dark eyelashes, her high cheekbones, her enticing lips...
Mia turned her head and caught his gaze. Smoothly, without thought or hesitation, she brought her lips to his. And they kissed there, slowly and passionately, under the canopy of leaves and in the dappled sunlight.
