Page 56 of Say Something
“Oh my gosh, you’re not even thirty yet.”
“I’ll be thirty soon enough.”
I rolled my eyes. “Seriously? Don’t tell me you’re buying into that?”
“I already told you I’m not. I ignore them.”
“You’re the one who mentioned your upcoming birthday. It is a big one.”
“It’s more than six months away. And I’ll hang out at The Bar like I do for every other birthday.” She shrugged it off, but I could tell it was a bigger deal than she was ready to admit.
“Why don’t we plan something fun? We can go somewhere...do something big?”
“We can have a good time here in Oak River, Jess. We don’t have to go somewhere.”
“I didn’t mean-”
“Yeah, I know,” she interrupted. “Look, I’m not having a mid-life crisis or anything, okay? I’m fine with hanging out at The Bar with my family and friends.”
“All right,” I told her, leaving it at that. I didn’t want to argue with my sister over her not making a bigger deal out of her thirtieth birthday. Not like I could say much since I did absolutely nothing for my own thirtieth birthday. I was probably projecting my own regrets onto her anyway. It would have been nice to live vicariously through her party, but that was my issue, not hers.
“So what are you going to do about Danny?” she asked, and I sighed. I knew this was coming.
“I honestly have no idea. Sometimes when I’m with him, it’s like we were never apart. Like we never had problems, got divorced...none of it. It feels like it did before everything went wrong. Other times, it feels like we’re worlds apart.”
“And when you’re not together?”
“I get so stuck in my head about everything that went wrong. I don’t know how to let it go.”
“Did you ever think that maybe he’s feeling the same way? Maybe he is having the same conflicts?” I shrugged. “You two really need to talk, Jess. You’re still in love, it’s only stubbornness keeping you apart at this point.”
“It’s notonlystubbornness.”
The waitress arrived with our plates and we paused our conversation, eyes wide, as the delicious mess was placed in front of us. There was meat, potatoes, and fried vegetables slathered in cheese and gravy. If it tasted as good as it smelled, I would be a happy camper.
“This is the last thing I’m going to say about it,” Melissa began, and I set down the fork I’d just picked up.
“Okay, go for it.”
“Some people wait their whole lives and never findthe one. You found him, and now you have a second chance. I think you’re afraid—no, I know you’re afraid. And that’s okay. It’s life, Jess. It’s scary sometimes. Just hash it out with him. Get it over with. I promise it won’t be as bad as you think, that man loves you too much. Then you’ll be together again and everything will be right in the world.” She picked up her fork and dove into her mashed potatoes. “This shit is good,” she said with a mouthful of food.
I picked up my own fork and scooped up some potatoes.She was right, I thought as I chewed.
And not just about the food.
