“Is that all?” Anderson asks after the silence becomes too stuffy. He’s frowning slightly, and I notice his posture slightly worsen.
In my head, I’m thinking, What else? After all, when he arrived, he had no clue about my fight with Ryan. Does he even know today was our anniversary?
For some reason, as I continue to stare at the man, I feel a sense of something. Is it…disappointment? Why?
Instead of probing him with more questions, I nod my head up at the tall man. His eyes, dark and honestly somewhat mysterious, crash against my skin like a hot laser burning into me.
“That’s all, yes,” I finally reply.
I look at Anderson, and then my eyes drift over to Annie and Lily in the corner of the bar. They’re watching so intensely you’d think they've never seen two people interact before. I feel severe discomfort with their daggers.
“Very well,” Anderson says, straightening his suit jacket. “Your time off is approved. If there is anything else I can do for you, please let me know.”
“Thank you,” I say to him, wanting to give a smile but struggling to let myself give one away. He’s a kind man, and I appreciate his understanding.
“Of course. Though, I have one more question, Esme.”
I turn my head to the side at the statement.
“Are you here alone tonight?” Anderson’s voice seems to warble a bit, and it throws me off for a moment. Did it matter if I’m here by myself or not?
Not wanting to lie but still feeling a bit nervous, I nod my head again. “Yes, I am.”
Anderson stands back up to depart, wiping something off of his jacket. As he does this, a waiter comes up to me and deposits a drink in front of me.
“Oh, no, I didn’t order—” I start to say, unsure where this mystery drink came from.
“Charge it double and put it on my tab,” Anderson deadpans, handing over his card to the waiter, who quickly swipes it through and gives it back.
“Sir, I don’t think—”
Before I can speak, Anderson returns the card to his pocket. “Goodnight, Esme. I hope your paperwork is sorted out shortly.”
“But sir, you don’t have to—” I’m sputtering, but he holds up his hand to stop my sentence again.
“Enjoy your night.”
Anderson then walks out of the bar alone, and I can’t help but stare in disbelief at the man as he disappears behind the walls. What the hell just happened?
That was all so weird, and I’m struggling to find any words to say now that I’ve been left alone at the bar.
It takes another few seconds, but Annie and Lily come rushing over with bright eyes. I can tell the two are ready to start interrogating me for what happened between us, but in truth, I don’t have any words for them.
Instead, all I can do is gesture with my hands at what is before me. The necklace, the drink, and my confusion are all present.
I want to tell them I don’t know what happened, but I think my face is saying that enough. Because I don’t know anything. This was all just…random?
Lily, snickering to herself, mimics Anderson under her breath with her large smile. “I’ll pay double.”
“What did you say to him?” Annie pushes, and I just shrug.
“Oh, come on! He walks in here and hands you some fancy jewelry and then hands over his card without even knowing what you’re drinking. That was him clearly flirting!” Lily says dreamily.
“Hardly,” my voice croaks.
“How many men would come into this bar and do the exact same thing, though, Esme?” Annie insists. “That man just swept you off your goddamn feet!”
I look at the door where Anderson exited, wanting to ask him what is going through his head. But that’s the issue. Now he’s left again, and I’m left wondering what this day has turned into.
A fucking fiasco, for sure.
Later, after finally getting Lily and Annie to let me leave the bar and return home, I climb into my empty bed.
Alone for the first time in years, I feel helpless over my foreseeable future. It’s hard to judge whether things will be good or not with Ryan already pushing and shoving his way out the door.
What am I supposed to do about all of this? Today should have been perfect. Ryan could have swept me off my feet, and we could have had a romantic dinner together, shared gifts and kisses and laughter, and enjoyed ourselves. Instead, here I am, holding back tears against my pillow.
I got a promotion, and on my wedding anniversary at the age of 30, I’m about to lose my marriage. What’s worse is I’m still childless, which causes my heart to strain. I don’t want that label. I don’t want that hell.
Now, I’m going to be the divorced single woman everywhere I try to go.
Or, maybe, a single, divorced career woman.
Though, that seems to be even more stressful than the divorced woman label.
I shake my head out on the pillow, throwing my face into the sheet. This is all happening so damn fast that I’m unsure what else to do.
And on top of everything bad that’s happened today, I can’t stop replaying Anderson’s facial expressions and kindness toward me. He’s a genuinely kind individual, so having him attempt to comfort me was sympathetic.
I can’t imagine Ryan doing the same for me, even if we are still married. His compassionate side has never been his strong suit.
Then again, maybe I’ve just been wearing rose-tinted glasses the whole time, and he was never a good husband to begin with. I guess it’s possible to be lost in a world of love.
Groaning and rolling over to get out of bed, I realize that sleep shall continue to evade unless I do something about it.
Grabbing my wallet and a light jacket to cover my pajamas, I finally exit my place, trudging downstairs and out into the world to fix this incredibly horrid headache and insomnia.
Around the corner from my place is a 24-hour convenience store. Maybe the clinic will have the meds I’m looking for. Regardless, I’m so over this day, and I just want to sleep and have it be tomorrow.
The best way forward is through, after all.
I shuffle into the clinic, making my way to the medication section. I tend to pick up whatever the strongest medications happen to be on the shelf.
At this rate, they’re going to need to make a simple medication to calm my anxiety, too.
Maybe I should go back to the doctor. My insomnia hasn’t really corrupted my sleep and made me this tired in years. But clearly, I’ll be struggling for the foreseeable future.
I shuffle into the next aisle to grab a large bottle of water to take with my meds. As I get to the front of the store to pay for my supplies, I hear a voice I recognize.
“Is this the right one, you think?” He asks another person nearby.
I stretch my neck, seeing the one person I’m desperately trying not to think about.
I see the short haired blonde first, and I’m surprised to see Ryan standing in the aisle just to the left of me. Then, I hear a second voice.
“Maybe we get this one,” she replies.
I narrow my eyes, and as I thank the man at the counter, I walk over to the two people.
It’s Ryan alright, but the person he’s with?
My cousin, Melinda. With her picture-perfect beauty and her short black hair pulled into a pathetic excuse for a ponytail, I look at the two of them down the aisle.
And the object they’re talking about is a fucking pregnancy test?
