Page 29 of Nathan
Apologies
Nathan
“Just pick something already,” I told River. She was always slow to make up her mind when going over a menu. “You order the salad every time anyway.”
We were in one of my favorite cafés close to my flat in the center of Dublin. I’d chosen this place because it was small and in a basement, which made it more private. The décor was rustic, with wooden tables and chairs that didn’t match. On the walls hung art pieces by local painters, with small price tags in the corners. It was Sunday and Dubliners were meeting for brunch with friends to nurture hangovers from last night. Several looked over and whispered among themselves, but so far, no one from the other seven tables had addressed River or me.
“I’ll have the mixed garden salad with their freshly pressed apple juice. Would you ask them if it’s made from organic apples, please?”
I got up and went to the counter to make our order. As I did, I felt eyes burning on my neck. A quick look over my shoulder showed that a group of women in their mid-thirties kept looking at me, whispering among themselves and sending me displeased looks.
I didn’t like it and tapped my foot while ordering our food.
“I think those women recognize me from the photos,” I said with a small nod in their direction when I returned to River, who sat with her legs crossed and her eyes on her phone. “Stop reading all those comments. I can tell they hurt you.”
Lifting her gaze, River handed me her phone. “You’d better see this for yourself.”
“What is it?”
“Serena tweeted.”
I took the phone and read the tweet aloud.
Let anyone among you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone.
Tilting my head, I gave the phone back to River. “Sort of fitting, I guess.”
“Right? I should have used that quote when Isaac’s ex accused me of sleeping with him while they were still together. It didn’t matter that he denied the rumor; his fans were still vile to me.”
Isaac Graham was a famous American singer whom River had dated a few years ago.
“I’d forgotten about that fool. Why did you have to remind me?” The one time River brought Isaac back to meet us all, he’d ended up overdosing in Liv’s and Charles’ bathroom. “Have you heard from him lately?”
“No, he finally stopped texting me.”
“I saw that he came out with a new album.”
River looked down at her phone and sighed. “I’m aware. Every time his songs are on the radio, I change the station. Not only did the bastard cheat on me, but he also stole my favorite pair of underwear.”
“As a memory of you?”
She shrugged. “That’s what he said, but I wouldn’t be surprised if Isaac prances around in them himself.”
I shook my head. “For fuck’s sake, River. We’ve got to find you a decent guy instead of all those flaky celebrities you keep dating.”
“That would be nice, but first, I have to navigate this media storm because of Storm’s lies.”
I half snorted, half chuckled. “A storm because of Storm. His name should have been a warning to you.”
River kept an eye on the people preparing our lunch in the open kitchen. “Did you ask if the apples are organic?”
“Mhmm.”
“And were they?”
“Super organic. They told me the apples came from a local farmer who sings his apples to sleep at night and care for them as if they were his children.”
“Very funny.”
