Page 67 of Through the Snow Globe
The waitress slid another drink in front of Diana. Without thinking, Diana picked it up and took several large gulps. “You’re telling me that my life is spiraling down the drain because I don’t whine, complain, cry, and throw a tantrum about all the injustices I’ve been served in life? That letting it all out and having one big breakdown would save the world?”
Rochelle rolled her eyes. “Yeah. Basically.” She shrugged. “It would saveyourworld at least.”
Diana tipped her glass back and drank the rest of its contents. Her mouth tasted like alcohol. She felt nauseous and dizzy. “I’m not trying to save myself. I’m trying to save Linus, and I can’t,” she said, voice cracking.
Rochelle gave her a sympathetic look. “I don’t know what you’re talking about, Diana. I really don’t. But I do know that all Linus wants is for you to let him in. He loves you. If you’re going through something, tell him.”
Hot tears filled Diana’s eyes. She looked down at her empty glass, feeling suddenly sick to her stomach. Some little element of truth was waiting there in Rochelle’s words for her to realize, but she felt too nauseous to grasp onto it. “What time is it?”
“Time for you to stop drinking. I’ll drive you home.”
“No. I can’t go home. I need to go to the toy store.”
“When I said to talk to Linus, I didn’t mean after you’ve been drinking. Wait till you sober up, okay?”
Diana pushed back from the table and stood quickly. The blood rushed to her head and the room started to spin.
“Whoa. I’m not carrying you out, Diana. Slow down.”
“I need to get to him. He’s going to be in an accident,” Diana slurred to Rochelle. Those two drinks must have had a lot of alcohol in them. Had she eaten today? Maybe drinking on an empty stomach wasn’t such a good idea.
“Mm-hmm. Just like he’s been in an accident for the last several days in a row. I’m taking you home. You owe me, by the way, because I was supposed to meet up with this guy for dinner. It’s my birthday, and I’d much rather be having a steak than holding your hair while you puke.”
Diana leaned heavily into Rochelle. “The guy works in the office next to yours. He drops off your mail sometimes. Today, he saw the flowers I sent you, realized it was your birthday”—Diana hesitated as acid reflux burned the back of her throat—“and he went down the street to get you an even bigger bouquet. Because he likes you.”
Rochelle blinked. “I didn’t tell you that.”
“You did. You told me yesterday. No, not yesterday because I forgot to send you the flowers yesterday. It was the day before.” Diana turned toward Rochelle. “I’m not losing my mind. This is real. And Linus is going to ride his bike home from the toy store tonight and be hit by a delivery truck. Or if he takes a vehicle, he’ll still be hit because this universe is cruel and unforgiving.”
Rochelle’s lips parted just slightly. “I almost believe you.”
“Almost?” Diana’s head was pounding. She was such a bad drinker. Why did she do it?
Rochelle hesitated. “I can’t take you into the toy store drunk.”
“Then drive us there and you go in,” Diana said. “You can talk to a little boy on the doll aisle. His name is Dustin. He’s worried about being too naughty to be on Santa’s list. And all he wants for Christmas is a family of his own.” A tear slid down Diana’s cheek.Damn it.Since when had she become a crier?
Rochelle sighed, linked her arm with Diana’s, and helped her toward the exit. “Fine. I’ll drive you to the toy store. On my birthday. Instead of having dinner with a hot guy who bought me flowers. And I’ll talk to this kid. If he’s even there.”
“He’ll be there,” Diana said, her world spinning as she walked.
They stepped out into the cold and Diana took a deep breath. Then her stomach gurgled, lurched, and all its contents projected up and onto Rochelle’s boots.
Rochelle screeched in horror. “Well, happy birthday to me,” she finally muttered.
Diana groaned. “Sorry.”
“Come on, let’s go.” Rochelle tugged her toward the car. “Do not puke in my car or this friendship is called off.”
* * *
Diana held onto the door handle as Rochelle annoyingly drove one mile under the speed limit. “You have to drive faster.”
“So you can get sick in my car?” Rochelle asked. “I love you and all, but I don’t think so.”
“He’s going to be in an accident.” Diana pressed her eyes closed to bar the nausea.
Rochelle exhaled. “He doesn’t close up the store until six, right? It’s five forty-five. We have plenty of time to get there.”
