Chapter 35 – “Even Better Than The Real Thing” — U2 #3
Saoirse, on the other hand, is pissed when I’m not the slightest bit contrite, and that makes the lecture worse.
Kait tries hiding her smile behind her hand, gives up, and sends me a salacious wink.
I wink back, then smile so hard my cheeks hurt.
The busybodies have the courtesy to pretend they aren’t straining to hear every word, but they seem tickled by our wink thing.
The place practically goes silent, aside from the steam of the espresso machine, at yet another spectacle.
I try to listen but fail. I keep sneaking peeks at Kait.
She’s delighted at my predicament. There is no pain, no anger, and my soundtrack abruptly changes to “I Wanna Be Adored” while I peek at her over Saoirse’s shoulder.
I have no idea what Saoirse is saying because Kait and I are flirting and maybe a wee bit of eye fucking.
She bites her lip, blushes a little, and I’m filled to bursting with more happiness than I can remember, aside from being a kid with a new puppy.
Could life be any better?
Yes, it could be. We could be at home, and Kait could run her fingers through my hair while I’m sliding inside her, or maybe she can’t play with my hair because I have her pinned down the way she likes. But her smile has my heart expanding. She’s the most important win of my entire life.
I grab Saoirse’s cheeks and kiss her on the forehead, her rant slowing to a halt with surprise. Two of the three women I adore most are right here. It’s like a dream, except one is bitching me out, one is quietly amused at my expense, and the other is my mom, so it’s real.
Saoirse tries to finish her list of reasons why I have failed as a human, but I walk back to Kait.
“Henry! Henry, I’m still speaking to you!”
Kait plays innocent, stirring her tea, looking vaguely bored, as though she didn’t hear a single thing. She gives me a quick conspiratorial smile and a tiny nod. Good. We’re in agreement. I sit down next to Kait, take her hand, and kiss it before interlacing our fingers. Another wish made real.
“Saoirse? I’ve changed my mind. No shopping. I’ve decided to trade you both in on some nice girls.” I make a show of freeing my hand from Kait’s. “I’m going to put an ad online. Wanted: nice girls who won’t humiliate me in Christian Dior, saying ‘cum gutters.’”
I drop into a whisper at the end since the nosiest people on the planet drink coffee here, and Saoirse’s mouth hangs open, shocked at my words.
Kait is wiggling in her seat like she has a spring for a tail, ready to burst with excitement.
Saoirse is speechless for what may be the first time ever.
She looks at me, then at Kait’s enormous grin, and in the least expected move of the day, Saoirse bursts into tears and starts hugging me so hard it hurts.
I don’t even protest when she gets my neck all wet.
She hugs me so long it’s getting awkward when she finally lets go.
She grabs a chair from an adjoining table and sits down, wiping at her tears but trying to salvage her eye makeup. “Oh, Henry, I knew she was the one when you said ‘fuck’ and ‘shit’ in her presence.”
I roll my eyes. So romantic.
“Wait, why are you sitting down? No uninvited Sterlings allowed. You have places to go and things to do. You need to go to them. Today. Now.” Then Kait’s eyes start to look a little moist, and I cave. “Okay, fine, you can stay.”
She stays, they hug, and we laugh like we used to; they gang up on me and make plans for how to make my life difficult.
Of course, Julian strolls in three minutes later, wandering up to our table and trying to play it cool, but he’s out of breath.
Can’t a guy catch a break? Pretty sure Kait had something she wanted to tell me.
“Uh?” I say. “What are you doing here?”
“Uhm, wanted a tea since you weren’t at the office to fetch,” he says, lying through his teeth.
Frigging Saoirse. The second Kait clocks the accent, she’s squealing and on her feet, flinging herself into Julian’s arms. I can’t even be jealous when they hug and laugh.
Julian pats her on top of the head and pretends to use her head as an armrest. It’s… beyond adorable.
“You told him?” I ask Saoirse, who’s looking beyond pleased with herself.
“Who, me?” she says. She would have made a good lawyer if she weren’t a fashion addict.
“He knew who she was without being told and ran here to meet her.”
“I merely invited him for a round of caffeinated beverages with someone he might enjoy meeting.”
Kait settles back in her chair, and the three of them chatter while I sit back and take it all in. Kait’s soundtrack from Friday is still playing overhead. I know because “Sleep Like a Baby Tonight” ends and “Lucky Man” begins.
Lucky Man. That’s me.
Kait hears it, too, and leans closer to whisper in my ear, “Hey, Henry?” There’s no hesitation in her voice now. My name rolls off her tongue.
“Yes?” I say, eager to hear anything she has to say.
“I love you.”
I can’t believe this is my life.
“I love you, Kait,” I say.
“Thanks for calling, Henry.”