I usually eat breakfast food in the morning, but Maira raved about the fish and chips, saying it’s the best thing on the menu. I’m easily persuaded, so I ordered it and she was right. We caught up while I ate, and she told me of her ranching adventures. She’s learning to ride and enjoying it. Her goal is to get good enough to compete one day. I asked about how she’s enjoying the married life, and she lit up. I’m glad to see her still excited about Oliver and sharing life with someone. She talked about how much more work the house took vs. her apartment, especially since they were about the same size. She never had to worry about broken pipes, clogged toilets, and busted refrigerators before. All she had to do was call the landlord, and he came running. Between the house and the ranch, her life is very full, so she quit her job to help Oliver full time. Because she’s from Henford, she already knew farm life, and spending more time with him was a bonus. By the way, she could finally tell me what she did for a living. She was a secret agent! All those times she called me stressed out about work; all those times she bit my head off for asking about her job; it all made sense now. I don’t think I could live that way, hiding a big part of my life from loved ones, or worse yet, lying to everyone about it. I’m glad she’s free now.
“So, what’s the big secret?” she asked.
“It’s not a secret, but… I just wanted to talk to you, if that’s okay.”
“Of course it is. So, what’s up?”
“I never told you this, but we had trouble getting pregnant.”
As expected, she looked shocked. I told her the entire story from Sophia’s concerns early on, all the way to IVF. I described the agony of starting adulthood, burying both parents while still needing parental guidance. She tracked with me throughout the entire story, and I knew she understood why I’d not shared any of it with her. I gave her the same speech I gave Sophia and Alessia, and she was down for it, asking no follow-up questions, just like I knew she would. Naturally, she wanted to speak to Oliver about it first, but she knew their age parity would thrill him and he’d urge her to take the potion. With the deal sealed, we needed to celebrate. Just as I prepared to order a drink, the bartender slid me a very expensive one and nodded toward the woman on the other side of me.
She sat there, staring at me like she was trying to see through my clothes. No one had ever bought me a drink before, and I didn’t know what to do. On one hand, I was flattered someone was interested in me at my age. But I’m also not the age I think I am. I guess being temporarily rid of my graying hair is both a blessing and a curse. It’s been a long time since my dating days, but not long enough for me to forget the rules. I knew what the drink meant, so I smiled, thanked her for it, and told her I was happily married. Watcher knows I don’t need anymore gorgeous female friends.
She was embarrassed, of course, and apologized while laughing nervously. I told her it was all good. A well-dressed man who’d been hovering nearby walked up to me and introduced himself. Jared Wright was his name, and he could tell I wasn’t from around there. To be honest, he struck me as more like a suburbs guy, but I guess it would be bad form to assume everyone who lived in Chestnut Ridge dressed like a rancher. He asked where I was from, and we got to talking about our lives and families. Turns out we both have new teenagers starting high school this week. Desiree and his son are the same age, and to be honest, this potential friendship didn’t spark as much joy as the thought of her meeting Frankie Ocampo’s daughters. But the fact is, she’s gonna meet this boy and many other boys, and I need to prepare myself for that.
Jared had to leave, and Maira had wondered off while speaking to him, so I prepared to leave as well. With my bestie on board, and a full belly, it was time to head back to San Sequoia to speak to Chi Chi. Is it bad form if I drink my admirer’s drink? I think I’m going to need it.
