Page 39 of D.I.E.T. (Did I Eat That?)

Billie had no problem going back in her carrier. I brought Billie’s food and a puppy pad in a plastic bag but with my pretty girl being a posh pretty girl, I stopped back off at the pet store for a stylish over-the-shoulder bag, an extra carry-along litterbox and clumping litter.

She met us standing in her doorway, the door wide open, her arms outstretched, as she flapped her hands in that ‘gimme, gimme’ way. When we got close enough, she snatched Billie’s carrier from my hands.

“Hey, precious,” she cooed to my girl. “Auntie Lu can’t wait to hold you, baby.” I rolled my eyes. She needed to remember that Billie went home with me.

As I set Billie’s food and litter up, Lu let her out of the carrier. “Something smells good,” I said. “My mouth’s watering.”

“I know you’re done with bootcamp now, so I made fried chicken, but it’s all breasts and it’s oven-baked, not actually fried. I used broth in the mashed potatoes instead of oil. There’s a little fat in the gravy, but I didn’t know how to make white gravy without fat. You don’t have to eat it, though.”

I shot her the ‘really?’ look. “You know darn well I’m eating the gravy. Portion control. I won’t eat too much of it.”

While she finished up the salad and pulled the chicken and biscuits from the oven, I set the table. “How’s Sinjin?” she called from the kitchen and I knew it was too good to be true for her not to ask about him. She threw me off my game, waiting this long to bring him up.

I sighed. She double-timed it out of the kitchen with a platter of chicken. “That sigh sounded ominous. What happened? He was all about you at Gram’s house.”

“Work has him going nonstop. He was stressed to the max, Lu. Instead of letting me help with that, he pulled away. He’d come home eleven, twelve, one o’clock at night and go to sleep. Wouldn’t even cuddle me in the night. The man hasn’t kissed me in a week.”

“Yikes,” she said, walking back in the kitchen. I followed her to help bring the rest of the food to the table.

“I felt stupid being at his place all the time when he wasn’t. He doesn’t need the stress of having me around when he doesn’t have the headspace to deal with another person there.” I shrugged. “I packed up the few things I brought over to his house and I left him his key along with a note.”

She stopped mid-scoop of potatoes, the spoon dangling in the air. “You left his key, Geet?”

“I didn’t need it. He only gave it to me because I was staying there. Since I wasn’t staying anymore, there wasn’t any reason for me to keep it.”

“Sweetie, did you stop to think that giving the key back looks like breaking up?”

“I left him a note.” I plucked a chicken breast off the platter, using my finger to get it off my fork, letting it drop on my plate. I plated myself a big helping of salad before continuing. “I told him in the note that I was just giving him his space back until he finished with the merger. He needed it.”

“Then what was that sigh about?”

“Well, he called me at like one this morning, presumably when he finally got home, and yelled at me for moving my stuff out. But, Lu, he hardly spoke two words to me last week and that’s not an exaggeration. No hugs, no kisses. Definitely no nookie. To me, that says I’ve outstayed my welcome. Then he asks, ‘You’re breaking up with me?’ and I told himno. I told him I was just giving him some space and if he wanted to call me at lunch, I’d love to talk with him. He hung up on me and never called.”

I kid not, tears rimmed her eyes as she silently cut into her meat. What else was there to say? Finally, after consuming half her chicken fillet and a quarter of her potatoes, she asked, “Can I watch Billie while you’re in Chile?”

“I was hoping you’d ask. I didn’t want to leave her with just anybody.”

“No. She needs to be with family. Maybe I need a kitty so we can have play dates,” she said.

Right then, my phone sitting on the table next to my plate rang. Sinjin? I picked it up to answer it. “Hello?”

“Hey, Geet, how are you?”

“I’m okay. I’m eating dinner with Lu. How are you?”

“Not great. There’re all these hang-ups with the contracts and I’m pissed my girlfriend won’t be at the house when I get there.”

“Sinjin, those hang-ups are exactly why I’m not there. Your mind needs to be on work right now. I get it. But think about it. You haven’t seen your girlfriend for a week and she was staying in your house. Your merger is more important than me right now.”

“Don’t say that. The damn merger isn’t more important.”

“Honey, it is. That’s billions of dollars and hundreds of jobs on the line. I’m one person. Our timing was just a little off. Do what you need to do—get that weight off your shoulders. I’ll be here.”

“That’s not good enough, Geet. What’s your Saturday like? Can you get off early? I want to take you out. I know Sundays are better, but the place I’m thinking of isn’t open on Sunday.”

“Let me see what I can do and I’ll call, okay?”

His voice dropped to a sad whisper. “The merger’snotmore important, Geet.”

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