**Claire POV**
It is 6:10pm and I'm standing in the parking garage of my apartment complex, waiting for Ali to pick me up for dinner. She's late, per usual. I wouldn't be surprised if I stand out here another 10 minutes even, she was never very punctual. I have thought about our evening together all day. I'm not nervous to see her, I'm not worried about how things will go. If I'm being honest, all I can think about is Reneé. I told her I was getting dinner with Jane and I feel so bad for lying to her. I have no intention of doing anything I will regret tonight, but just the fact that I am meeting up with an ex is sure to send Reneé into a spiral if she ever finds out. Ali finally pulls up at 6:13, only 13 minutes late.
"You're late" I tease as I get into the passenger seat.
"Are you surprised?" she replies, rolling her eyes at me.
"Not in the slightest" I giggle back.
"You look nice" she tells me. It took me an entire hour to decide what I was wearing. I wanted to look nice, but not too nice. I wanted her to think I look good but not like I tried too hard, ya know?
"Thanks, so do you" I smile.
The car ride to the restaurant was short, we made small talk the entire way. How have you been? How is work? How are your parents? Ya know, that kind of stuff.
"I have a reservation for Hartman" Ali tells the hostess when we walk inside the restaurant. She walks us to a small table set for two. I'm not going to lie, it looks pretty romantic for just a friendly dinner. We sit down and I take a sip of my water while glancing across the table at her. Her face is illuminated by only the glow of the lit candles scattered across our table, she looks beautiful.
"So, why did you text me?" I ask, finally addressing the elephant in the room.
"I told you I would" she replies quickly. It's almost as if she had rehearsed this conversation in her head already, I say that as if I didn't.
"Yeah, 8 months ago. Why did it take you so long?"
"I was waiting for the right time" she explains "and it didn't feel right until yesterday"
"Why yesterday?"
"I just missed you" she finally admits with a small smirk "and my mom asked about you"
"Ohhhh, I got it. So Cathy misses me, huh?" I laugh, I always loved her mom.
"She does" she says, avoiding eye contact with me now. The smirk on her face fades slowly into a frown.
"Grandma Hartman died" she tells me, looking up and locking eyes with me now.
"My mom thought you might want to come to the funeral" she finishes. I feel my heart shatter into a million pieces.
"Oh Ali, I am so sorry" I say, feeling tears start to well up in my eyes. Her grandma and I had gotten really close the few years were together, since both of mine had passed away before I was old enough to remember them. Ali's grandma Hartman became almost like an adoptive grandmother to me, I loved that woman dearly. I feel a single tear slide down my cheek, I use my napkin to dab it dry before she notices.
"It's okay, she was really sick. We're glad she isn't suffering anymore. I know how much you loved her, so I thought I should at least let you know"
"No, absolutely. Thank you for telling me. God Ali, I'm so sorry. When is the funeral? I would love to go with you if that's okay" I tell her. I think for a moment about what I just said and I know I'm straight up fucked either way. If I go, then I have to admit to Reneé that I met up with her and lied about it. If I don't go, I'm just an absolute piece of shit.
