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I cherish the memory of the time when Lewis and I were in sync. Our days were filled with lively exchanges of text messages and the sharing of spontaneous snapshots from our daily experiences. It truly brought us closer together, bridging the gap that our busy lives had created. But as time passed, the frequency of our picture-sharing dwindled, and our conversations became less frequent. It became evident that Lewis was engrossed in numerous social events and engagements, as indicated by his active presence on social media, where he was pictured attending glamorous events and enjoying the company of various people. Witnessing his bustling lifestyle left me feeling disheartened, as it seemed that he couldn't spare a moment to respond to even one of my texts. Gradually, I found myself withdrawing from reaching out to him entirely.
After some time had passed, I made the decision to return to Japan. I eagerly anticipated immersing myself in the familiar surroundings of the café where I worked and finding solace in the comforting embrace of my own space. This move provided me with the opportunity to contemplatively examine my emotions and delve into my translation work, which had accumulated during the months when I was unable to fully commit to it.
"Is he seriously ghosting you? I didn't expect this from him. Maybe there's a reason behind it," Nara commented, deftly preparing a cappuccino for one of the mothers seated in the café. During my absence, "Cafe Schmootz" had experienced significant growth. Nara had initiated a partnership with a children's after-school program, which brought in an influx of mothers and consequently contributed to the café's success. Nara was currently in the process of recruiting new employees, considering the expansion of the café. I occasionally helped out with looking after the children because I have always enjoyed spending time with them.
"I don't know, but a few texts wouldn't hurt, right? I mean, after everything we went through," I said as I placed the ordered cakes on the plates.
"Omg, right? You didn't get to tell me, how was the fuck with him?" Nara asked, wiggling her eyebrows.
"Nara, I don't really want to—"
"Millie, could you come and help me for a bit?" Harito interrupted, calling for me.
I nodded in response and told Nara with my eyes that we would catch up later. "Could you sit with them over there? I need to look after this table," Harito said. I complied and joined the kids at the other table, placing my phone down and making myself comfortable.
"So, what are we doing today?" I asked, smiling at the children. Their unanimous response was "Drawings," which made me chuckle. "If anyone needs help, just let me know," I offered, before picking a drawing to color alongside them.
As we all immersed ourselves in our artworks, my phone started ringing. Glancing at the caller ID, I saw it was Lewis. I hesitated, torn between answering or giving him a taste of his own medicine. Just then, I felt a tug on my shirt. It was Akio, one of the sweetest kids, asking for help with coloring the corners. I couldn't resist his request, so I chose to leave the phone vibrating on the table and joined Akio in coloring his car.
As Harito and I finished up for the day, we made sure all the kids were safely sent home and the room was closed. "See you tomorrow, guys," Harito called out as he headed for the door. Both of us waved goodbye and then began tidying up the space. Suddenly, I broke the silence by saying, "He called me." Nara, completely taken aback, asked, "What? What did he say? Wait, don't tell me you picked up?" I quickly responded, "No, of course I didn't," while continuing to mop the floor, my actions reflecting my mixed emotions.
"That's good, I'm proud of you, Millie! You can't seem desperate for attention; let him think about his actions," Nara said with a reassuring smile, which made me laugh.
"Exactly, you need to stay strong for me, alright! Let the men come to the other side of the world to apologize to you eye to eye, otherwise, he does not deserve your forgiveness," Nara advised firmly, her words resonating with determination as we talked about my situation with Lewis. It was a bumpy, emotional road, but having a friend like Nara by my side made it a little easier.
"Let's go out for dinner tonight, we made a lot of extra money today," Nara suggested.
"But it's your treat," I said, giving her a playful look.
"Of course," she replied with a sassy grin.
As I was getting ready in the back room to go out for dinner with Nara, I received another text message. Expecting it to be from Lewis, I almost ignored it, but I checked it anyway. To my surprise, it was from my brother. As I opened the message, I was filled with a mix of emotions, unsure whether to be nauseated or to scream out loud.
