Page 81 of Please Don't Leave Me

By the poor performance I put on today, I’m assuming she has to know I still feel something toward her. I kept telling myself that she was nervous too, but if she was, that doesn’t mean it’s for the reasons I hope it is.

I answer and put the phone up to my ear. At first, all I can hear is music that is way too loud.

“Hello? Lou, are you there?”

Maybe she called me by accident. No, how could she do that if she hasn’t called me in months? She had to intentionally call me, right?

Her voice is faint and muffled, so I can barely make out what she’s saying. “Sam, can you hear me?”

“I can barely hear you. Are you at a bar?”

“Club. One second.”

There’s some shuffling on the other end, and then the music fades slightly. Her voice comes in only slightly more clear.

“How about now?”

“Better.”

I can’t tell if she’s not saying anything or if I just can’t hear her.

“Lou, do you need something?” Shit, that came out harsher than I intended.

“Do you ever think about me? Like,think thinkabout me?”

I can tell by her slurred words that she’s drunk.

“Lou, I don’t want you to take this the wrong way, but are you okay?”

“I’ll take that as a no. Okay, I’m embarrassed now. Goodbye.”

“No, wait! Don’t hang up.”

“So youdothink about me?”

“Of course I do.”

I can’t tell if she heard me or not.

“Did you know it’s my birthday?”

I remember her telling me it was sometime in July, but it didn’t even cross my mind today when I saw her at the spa. It makes sense.

“I did not…Happy birthday.”

“Thank you.”

“Lou, are you with B right now?”

“No, she’s in the bathroom. I got tired of waiting, so I went to find our friends again.”

“Did you find them?”

She laughs. “No, I did not. Those sneaky bastards keep hiding from me.”

“So you’re by yourself right now at a club, lost?”

“I guess you could say that. Oh, look, I found the entrance! See, I’m not lost.”

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