Page 17 of The Weight Of It All
Anika looked at Sean and melted. She kissed him on the cheek. “Awww, that’s so sweet.”
I gave him a smile. “Maybe. But if he called me right now and apologised and said he wanted to come back, I’d say yes.”
“And that’s why you shouldn’t talk to him right now.” Anika held out her hand. “Can I have your phone?”
I looked at her dubiously. “Why?”
“I’ll text him on your behalf.”
“I’m pretty sure I can do it.”
“I know you, Henry. You’ll stare at your phone for two hours, write out a hundred texts, and delete them all. You’ll overthink it and you’ll end up keeping his stuff and making a shrine out of it. We’ll come to visit and you’ll have a prayer corner devoted to him.”
“Remember the time withSex and the City?” Sean added softly. “With the whole shrine to Samantha Jones?”
“That doesn’t count. I was sick with fever and possibly delusional. And Samantha Jones is like my idol, so shut up.”
Anika raised her eyebrow at me and stuck her hand in my face, palm up. “Phone, Henry.”
I handed it over, and watched her as she said out loudwhat she was typing. “Hi, you left some things at my place, like your balls and your backbone, you gutless fuck.”
“Anika!”
She showed me the screen and had, thankfully, not typed in the last part. “Let me know by Friday if you want to collect them. Thanks.”
“Why Friday?” I asked.
“You’re giving him a deadline,” she explained. “It tells him, one, you’re not waiting forever, and, two, no explanation of what happens to said belongings if he doesn’t collect them. That tells him you hold no sentimental attachment, because fuck him.”
“Oh.”
She gave me a bright smile. “Then by this time next week, if he still hasn’t collected them, I’ll bring around the petrol for that ceremonial burning I was looking forward to.” Then she made a thoughtful, somewhat sad face. “We might give him two weeks. That way, with a bit of luck, if or when he does call around, you’ll have realised you’re better off without him.”
I sighed. “I’m trying to remember why I ever thought your blunt-force honesty was an endearing quality.”
“Two weeks is for your benefit, not his,” she said, typing away on my phone. She held it out and showed me. It was a short and direct request to come and collect his things, asking him to reply to the text first. I assumed that was so I could let Anika know when he was coming around so she could be at my place when he turned up. “Happy for me to send him the text?”
I thought about it for a moment and nodded, and before I could change my mind, she pressed Send. She slid my phone across the table to me and the wait staff cleared our plates, and not a moment later, my phone beeped with a message.
I startled and went to grab the phone, but the sudden movement jarred the sore muscles in my arm. “Ow.”
Anika snatched up the phone and read the screen.
“Is it him?” I asked, unable to hide the hope in my voice.
She shook her head. “Reed Henske,” she replied. “Wants to know how you’re feeling today?”
“Oh.” I couldn’t help but smile and held out my hand for my phone. “Can I have my phone?”
Anika shook her head. “No, I got this one too.”
“Anika, please don’t.”
But she was already typing.
Hi Reed. This is Anika, Henry’s best friend.
She hit Send and gave me that daring smirk that made me and Sean both sigh. My phone beeped almost immediately. Anika read his reply out loud. “Is Henry okay?” She made a sappy face. “Awww, he’s sweet!” Then she replied to his text.
