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Chapter 6

"I want a bagel," I groan into the phone, squeezing my Caramel Flan Latte, which is resting safely in my Starbucks cup, with my fingers. My only contact with the real world. "Greasy, yummy, salty bagel," I close my eyes, imaging the deliciously fattening taste of buttery dough, melting in my mouth.

"They don't have bagels in Darling?" Bonnie asks with her mouth full. I barely recognize her voice. She's probably munching on a cinnamon sugar doughnut from Doughnut Plant. Just thinking about all the delicious food they don't sell here hurts. I must stop inflicting pain on myself.

"They do," I furrow my brows, "But they sell them in a plastic bag, dry and flat. Have you ever had a dry and flat bagel, Bonnie?" I ask with a serious voice, as if a dry, flat bagel is the worst thing that could ever happen to a person.

"No, I can't say that I have," she sounds genuinely horrified by the thought. "Speaking of dry and flat, has Katherine e-mailed you the poll results on your draft?" I can hear her sucking her fingers over the phone. She's definitely having doughnuts, and now she's cleaning her fingers from the leftover cream on her skin before she turns everything around herself greasy.

Her comment makes me chuckle. "Yeah, I have," I take a sip of Heaven from a cup, allowing it to steam off in my mouth a little before letting it go to warm up my tummy.

"I know you proposed it because of your ulterior motives," she makes me seem like I'm some evil mastermind, "But people seem to dig the idea. Something great might come out of it," I can imagine her nodding her head excitedly.

"I don't know.." I say wearily. It's not something I've imagined myself ever doing or writing about.

"You can write a book about how your divorce launched your career!" she squeals, but then the sound disappears, and her voice adapts a more normal tone, "Speaking of, how's the whole divorce thing going?"

"Um, good, it's going good," I say awkwardly, not sure how to react, since getting a divorce isn't really an achievement I should be excited about. "He's going to sign the papers.. Actually, I'm headed over there right now."

"Oh," she lets out disappointingly, "That's it? I kinda hoped he would fight you on it," she sighs.

At that, I laugh nervously. The idea of it makes me.. "I didn't marry Hugh Grant, Bonnie."

She exhales a silent whatever. "Look, I got to go before Katherine catches me doing everything but my actual job. We'll talk later, okay?" the sentence sounds like a question, but I very well know that it's a command.

"Yeah, for sure."

"Love ya."

XXXX

I drink my Caramel Flan Latte and throw the cup before entering the Empire. There's something tacky about consuming one product in another place of business.

It's lunch time and the place is packed again. There's not one booth available - some people are even sitting by the bar, munching on what seems to be a hefty, rich sandwich. It's like no one eats at home around here anymore.

"Elena!" I can see Caroline waving at me from across the room, followed by her overly excited voice shouting my name. No one looks up at the mention of my name. I either became old news already, or the food is that good here.

I smile at her - God, I've missed her bubbly, always cheerful personality. One of the rare things I actually miss when it comes to this town - and wave back, walking over to her.

She takes her apron off and hangs it on a hook under the counter, still smiling widely. "Is this a normal look for you now, or are you trying to make me insanely jealous?"