Page 104 of Tomorrow Belongs to Us
Lance is no good for me, but now I’m in deep because I think I love him. Because he’s the best friend and lover I've had.
My phone rings and I rush to answer it, expecting to hear Lance's voice. I'm momentarily confused when I hear Arla's instead.
“What are you doing? You look miserable sitting by yourself.”
She's here?
I look around, searching for her in the crowd of people swarming around the mall. “Where are you?”
“Around,” she says, in her teasing way. I cling to the warmth and familiarity of her voice. I need that, right now. I've missed her.
“Come on over,” I tell her.
“Are you sure you're not waiting for a date or anything?”
“My date left me ...” The declaration feels dramatic, as if I’m feeling sorry for myself. The line goes dead and a few moments later, Arla is standing in front of me.
“He left you?”
“His wife needed him. His ex-wife,” I say in air quotes.
“Oh, sweetie.” She sits down beside me, her arm around my shoulder.
“I've got a spare ticket to the cinema. Want to come?”
It's like we've never argued. It's like we never had weeks of not getting in touch.
“Sure.”
“I have other news.” The movie is due to start so we head towards the movie theatre.
That catches her attention. Then I tell her about my new job, and that I’ll be moving out of town in a few months. A rather theatrical response follows, with Arla throwing her hands around me and hugging me. “You can’t leave me. You can’t.”
“I have to. It’s too far to drive to.”
She pouts.
“We’ll talk about it later,” I tell her as we take our seats. She hasn’t asked more about Lance and why he left and I am glad. The movie is about to start so we head into the theatre. In the darkness, enveloped in my own misery, I pretend to watch the film, but I keep checking my phone for an update from Lance. There's nothing. He hasn't even read my message to him asking if everything was okay.
I enjoy my evening with Arla, and it’s the distraction I need. When the movie ends, I still don’t feel like going back to an empty home, so I make a suggestion and soon we're sitting in an ice cream parlor. That’s when Arla asks me what’s going on with me and Lance.
“I know you don't approve,” I answer slowly, licking some chocolate ice cream off the back of my spoon. “But he makes me really happy.”
“Are all his parts in full working order?”
I suppress a smile and lower my head, remembering. They're most definitely in full working order. “He’s not that old,” I retort. “And anyway, age isn’t that important the older you get. It’s not like we’re at school anymore.” “
“It’s hypocrisy when people have such a hard time accepting an older woman with a younger man.”
I raise an eyebrow. Who cares? But, yes. If the situation were reversed, if I were the older one and Lance was the younger man, people’s attitudes would be different. Scathing. Disapproving. Loathsome.
I don't want to worry about such things, especially since it doesn't affect me. Our age now doesn't matter anymore. There's no Principal Fielding to warn us, but my family, on the other hand, are another matter.
“If he makes you happy, that's all that matters.” Arla smiles, her eyes lingering on my face as if she’s looking for something. In the back of my mind a niggling feeling grows. “But … why did he leave you?”
I explain in the briefest of terms, that something came up for him with his family.
“You’re going to have to get used to that.” She scoops out another spoonful of ice cream.
