Page 64 of The Luck of Finding You
This. Cannot. Be. Happening.
“At least I have my book.” I hold up the brand-new hardcover and see my pale face in the mirror. If anything, this makes me feel worse.
I don’t think I’m going to actually puke. But I really want to.
I splash some cold water on my face and take a deep breath.
How on earth am I going to get to Tally in time if I have to wait in that line again?
* * *
Once I stop panicking,I rinse my face with cold water. “You can do this,” I tell myself in the mirror. I take a deep breath. It’s now or never.
I go over to the door and turn the knob. I hear the click of the automatic lock unlock and I pull. Nothing happens. I twist and pull again. The only difference the second time is there’s no click. I rattle the door, but it doesn’t open.
I’m locked in.
“No. No, no, no, no,” I moan as I bang on the door. Maybe someone that was standing in line will hear me. Or that useless security guard. “Hello! HELP! I’m stuck.”
I don’t have my phone, and I’m stuck in the bathroom. I guess now is a good time to remember that I’m not claustrophobic. It doesn’t help my predicament, but at least I’m not stressed about that.
“TALLY!” I yell against the door and hit it with my hand again, even though I know she won’t be able to hear me. Dread fills my stomach; I’m not going to make it to her in time. She’s going to think that Mo stood her up. “Crap. HELP!” I yell again and bang on the door.
Stopping to listen, I realize that the chatter I heard when I first came in the bathroom has completely stopped. The line has moved enough that most people are in the main event hall.
“Okay. It’s fine,” I tell myself. I try to figure out what time it is, because of all days to forget to wear my watch, today is apparently that day. “I came in here at what, 5:40? It can’t even be six yet, right?”
I bang on the door again until my palm is raw and then sit down against the door. No one is coming. I am officially stuck. I catch a glimpse of the book that I brought in here with me. I wonder if I stare at it long enough, it will turn into my cell phone.
When that doesn’t work, I stand up again, trying to be as quiet as possible to see if someone outside will help me.
There’s no sound coming from the hallway. I have no way of knowing for sure, but at this point I’m guessing that the event has officially started.
I sink back to the floor, leaning against the door so that if anyone walks by, I’ll be able to hear them.
After what feels like fifteen minutes, I stand up and grab my book, resigned to the fact that I am officially stuck in this bathroom. I’m full of guilt because I can’t stand Tally up, even if it is on accident. She’s the kind of woman you fight for and try to be the best person you can be, if only to actually deserve her. She makes me want to be a better man, to settle down and have a huge family and live in a big house with a wraparound porch where we drink hot chocolate together in the mornings.
And I might have ruined it all by not telling her the truth—and by taking a detour to the bathroom and getting locked in.
23
TALLY
I watch countless people walk from the line into the conference room. Men, women, even a few teenagers. No one stops to talk to me. A few offer me an awkward smile after I make eye contact. I’ve been standing there for fifteen minutes when a security guard walks by. “You waiting for someone, miss?”
I nod.
“You’ll want to go in soon to get your seat. We close these doors five minutes before the event starts, and I can’t guarantee you’ll get a seat once they do shut,” the guard says, but what he says doesn’t make sense. This is a ticketed event; shouldn’t they have seats for everyone who bought a ticket?
I nod politely and he moves on.
I’m thankful for the heavy book in my hands that’s keeping me from fidgeting too much. I pull out my phone at 5:47. Do I message Mo? I wonder if he’s said anything. I open Twitter. Nothing.
I don’t want to sound desperate. But this was his idea. He’s the one who suggested we meet and that we meet here. The unsettled feeling I’ve had all day falls on me in full force. What if he doesn’t show?
TheNoraReview:I’m at the main entrance, are you here?
At 5:54 I put my phone back in my pocket, with no response. “I will wait three more minutes, and then I’ll go in,” I say out loud, which earns me a side-glance from a mom and her teenager walking in the doors. Watching them, my heart pangs in my chest, followed by an ache that fills my entire body. I bite my bottom lip in an effort to hold back the tears that I know will come.
