Chapter 2
Chapter Two
Emilia
I grew up in Chicago, Illinois. After I graduated high school, I wanted to start over somewhere new. Not to get away from my family, but to try to stand on my own two feet. So I travelled around for a bit and landed in Starlight Bay, Massachusetts. I’ve been living in Starlight Bay for the last five years. And I’ve been a waitress at Starlight Pi for a year. It’s a fun pizza joint that makes you love math. I already love math, so it’s perfect.
I have two brothers—River, who’s three years older than me and Blaze who is a year younger than me. I also have an older sister, Courtney. She’s my best friend and will be coming to visit me soon. I’m so excited. My family keeps asking me to come back to Chicago. But I’m not ready yet. I make enough money here to live and enjoy my life. If I moved back to Chicago, I’d have to depend on my parents or my siblings. And I don’t want to do that.
My whole family has come to visit me in Starlight Bay and they love it here. It’s a small town that makes you feel warm and cozy. So they understand why I don’t want to leave. But that doesn’t stop them from asking me all the time. One day I’ll move back to Chicago, I just don’t know when that will be.
Today is a normal day for me. I get up, get my workout in and head into work. It’s the time of year that more tourists start coming into town. I wasn’t supposed to work today, but my boss, Oliver, called me last night and asked if I could open. Of course I said yes, Oliver is one of those bosses that’s a friend and a boss. He’s never said no to me when I’ve asked for time off. Even if it’s a last minute ask.
When I open Pi, the first thing I do is wipe down the tables and chairs. I like the opening shifts, I get to see the town waking up and starting to get busy. I wave at some of the people that I know, they always make it a point to say hi.
My boyfriend, John, is coming home in three days. I can’t wait. He’s been back in Michigan visiting his family. It’s been a long month of just phone calls and texts. We’ve been together for almost a year and I was supposed to go with him to meet his family. Then we were going to see mine. But I realized I couldn’t take the time off right now. It’s busy season here in Starlight Bay and this when I make the most money. John is a journalist. So he can basically work from anywhere. I wish I had that luxury.
As I’m wiping down the tables down by the windows, I look up and I swear I see John across the street. But it can’t be. He’s supposed to be in Michigan still. As he crosses the street I’m no longer in doubt. That’s him. And well, that hand he’s holding? It’s obviously not mine. What the fuck?
I walk out of Pi and stand out front as he looks up. The look of surprise almost makes me laugh. Almost.
“Hey…Mia…I thought you were off today?”
“And I thought you were still in Michigan?”
The girl he’s with steps up and puts her hand out.
“John is always so rude. I’m Kali, John’s fiancée.”
I feel like I’ve been punched in the gut. Fiancée? What the fuck kind of twilight zone did I fall into? Maybe I’m dreaming? Yeah, that has to be it. I’m dreaming and I need to wake up.
Wake up, Emilia.
Wake the fuck up.
Nope, not dreaming. He’s still in front of me with his fiancée, Kali. And I’m staring at them like an idiot. I’m pretty sure my mouth is hanging open. I slowly close my mouth.
“Nice to meet you, Kali. I’m Emilia.”
“Oh! You’re the friend that John talks about! I’m so happy to meet you! And you’re as cute as he said you were!”
I’m so fucking confused right now. And hurt. I need to get back inside Pi and finish getting ready to open.
“Hey Mia, are you done setting up?” Frank, our cook pokes his head out to ask me.
“I’m almost done. I’ll be right in.”
I turn to look at Frank and he’s glaring at John. Who hasn’t said a word since that first sentence.
“It was nice meeting you, but I have to get back in,” I say to them.
“Maybe we’ll come in for lunch. I’d love to hang out while I’m here,” Kali says smiling.
The worst part about this is she seems genuinely nice.
“Sure. How long are you here for?”
“At least a week or two. Maybe three.” She laughs.
“Cool, well I’ll see you soon,” I say as I turn and head inside Pi.
I want to hide in the bathroom and cry. But I can’t. I have to do my job. Being a grownup sucks.
The morning goes by fast which is good for me because it doesn’t really give me time to think about what happened. But the lull between breakfast and lunch is where I start to feel all the feelings. How could he do this to me? How did I not see any of it? I mean I did bring up living together about six months ago and he said his lease wasn’t up yet. And when I suggested I could move in and help with rent he kept changing the subject. But I just thought that he wasn’t ready. And that was okay too. I never saw any signs that he was with anyone else. We’ve never hidden our relationship here. So why would he bring her to Starlight Bay? This is my town. My home. I just don’t understand.
The worst part about all of this is that I love him. Or loved. I don’t even know how that works. I can’t just shut off my feelings. Even after what happened.
“I’m gonna take my break,” I say to Frank. “I’ll just be outside, so if you need me come get me.”
“Okay. Are you okay, Mia? I don’t exactly know what happened this morning. But I know it’s John’s fault. Do you need me to ‘talk’ to him?”
I smile and hug Frank.
“I’ll be okay. I just need to process some stuff. But I know where to find you if I change my mind.”
“If he hurt you, we’re going to have problems.”
“Thank you.”
I head out back and call my sister. As much as I don’t want to say this out loud to anyone, I have to.
“Hey, Mia,” Court answers.
“Hey…”
“What’s wrong?”
“Why do you think something’s wrong?”
“Cause you sound like a sad sheep.”
“I’m not a sheep.”
“You wanted to be.”
Courtney started calling me a sheep because when we were little, I saw one and wouldn’t stop talking about it and how I wanted to be one. I even dressed up as a sheep for halloween that year.
“You’re never gonna let me forget that, are you?”
“Nope. Now, what’s wrong?”
“John’s back early. And he brought someone back with him.”
“I’m getting the feeling that this someone isn’t a ‘YAY!’ Someone.”
“Her name is Kali and she said she’s his fiancée.”
“Holy shitsnacks. Are you fucking kidding me? What did he say?”
“He didn’t say anything. Not. One. Word. He just stared at me. Oh wait. He did say something. He said, ‘I thought you were off today.’”
“What a cock-sucking douchecanoe. I’ll be there in two days. I’m gonna kick him in the balls.”
I laugh. I can’t help it, I love my sister. Even if I had been the one to cheat, she’d still have my back.
“You don’t have to kick him in the balls. I’m just trying to figure out how I didn’t see this. How did I miss the part where he had a whole life I didn’t know about? At least him not wanting us to move in together makes sense now.”
“You know what? Fuck John. He’s not worth your tears or your time. You’re going to find the man for you. And he’s never going to hurt you. Ever. I’ll be there soon to hug you.”
“I love you, Court. I have to get back in. I’ll text you later.”
“I love you too, sheepy.”
I chuckle as I hang up. My sister is right. Fuck John.