The Art of Starting Over

Chapter 13 - The Ultimatum

The hot, summer sun pierces straight through the curtains spreading a painful glow over my eyes. I squeeze them tighter as I turn over and push my face deeper into the pillow. I hear my phone vibrating somewhere to my right.

Ugh no, Sosa! It's too early.

Maybe if I ignore it long enough it will stop.

It doesn't.

I reach blindly over the bedside table and feel around for the buzzing device. Lifting my head off the pillow I squint at the screen. It's half past ten in the morning on a Saturday.

"What do you want?" I croak irritably. I have a splitting headache and my voice is still hoarse from all the Vodka Burn Shaun and I drank yesterday.

"Good morning to you too, Sunxajn!" Her chirpy voice stabs straight through my throbbing brain.

"Why are you happy?" I groan.

"Because it's the day!" she cheers loudly. "You and Shaun have been dating for three weeks!"

I hang up and stuff my face back into the pillow. I should have expected this. Sosa has been tracking my progress with Shaun to the second. She even tagged along on one or two of our dates when Derek had to work. This was most welcome from my end since most of our 'dates' revolve around sporting events and marathons.

Shaun wasn't kidding when he said he runs professionally. What he failed to mention was that it's more of a lifestyle than a hobby.

My phone goes off again.

Jesus.

"So, what's your verdict? Do you like him? Will you keep seeing him?" she fires as soon as I pick up.

"Coffee first. Talk later," I grunt turning on my back and struggling to open my eyes against the bright sunlight. I can't even string words into a proper sentence let alone discuss my barely existent love life.

"No! I've been waiting long enough. Three weeks is a very long time," she protests.

Yes, it is.

She's been asking for details since the morning after the first date. 'Did he kiss you?', 'Did he ask for your number?', 'Did you give him your real number?' and was thrilled when I answered 'yes' to all three. But after that, there wasn't much to tell and she started to get antsy.

I sit up and rest my back against the headrest. "We're going out again tonight..."

Sosa squeals at the other end of the line. "I knew you'd like him. Am I brilliant? Or am I brilliant?"

I bite my lower lip hesitantly. I do like Shaun. He's nice and attractive. And he's sweet. Really sweet. Always considerate of the people around him.

The doorbell rings, interrupting my train of thought. I listen carefully to see if Millie is around to answer it. She is.

"Oh! Good morning, Stephanie," Millie's voice says over the phone.

"Are you at my house?" I ask Sosa disbelievingly.

"Aha. Come down!" she orders, "Millie's making coffee."

Really! This girl has no concept of boundaries.

I go downstairs rubbing my eyes thoroughly. The kitchen is bright and drenched in sunlight. Millie is humming happily to an old Beatles song as she pours a shot of anisette into each of the three cups in front of her. The smell of coffee mingles with that of Millie's cooking. Lasagne, maybe? Sosa is leaning over the kitchen sink and peering out the window.