Chapter 38
CHAPTER THIRTY-EIGHT
SEVEN VIRTUES, NORTH CAROLINA
If holiday colors start appearing in stores any earlier, we may as well ignore the fall season. If that happens, I will not be pleased.
—Eva Henn, Fashion Blogger
It’s unusual for me to have any time to myself, let alone any spare money. But after a restful night’s sleep, I woke up to an email where Becca had gifted me with a Visa gift card and ordered me to spend the day pampering myself instead of racing hither and yon trying to be all things to everyone.
Tears welled up in my eyes. I’m not quite certain what I stammered out, but she took pity on me. “Fallon, you’re doing a great job being primary caretaker.”
“But, Becca…”
“Each week, everyone here goes home with enormous paychecks. You come in here with an incredibly heavy load on your shoulders. You don’t judge any one of us. You bake the best chocolate chip cookies for Bryndle’s little girl because she had a bad day at school.”
“How did you know about that?” I ask. Bryndle, one of the other phone operators, offered me some advice on making my phone calls more realistic.
“I know everything that happens here. Now, go treat yourself. Nothing good happens if you get sick on your mama.”
Unable to respond, Becca ordered, “Go, Fallon.”
After calling and chatting with Austyn during a manicure and pedicure, she convinces me to splurge on something decadent, “Something you wouldn’t normally buy yourself, Fal.”
“You know that’s not what I should be doing with the money.”
Her disdain was evident when she replied, “It was a gift. No one is going to be saying, ‘Oh, Fal. That electric bill looks so hot on you.’”
I burst into laughter. “Okay. I’ll go shopping.”
I ended up in a lingerie boutique in Seven Virtues by virtue of the fact they had a silk robe in the window that perfectly matched the green of Ethan’s eyes. Wishing my mother could be with me, I take a picture of the sets I’m debating buying and hit the first face that pops up.
Fallon:
Which set do you think I should buy?
I attach two photos and press Send. Figuring it will take my mother a few minutes to reply, I move into a different section of the local boutique and flip through racks of lingerie.
Ethan:
Christ, Fallon. Are you trying to give me a heart attack?
Fallon:
Oops. Wrong text. Sorry. My bad.
Ethan:
Your bad?
Ethan:
Why the fuck are you taking pics of yourself in lingerie?
Ethan:
And just who the hell did you mean to send those pics to? ??
Fallon:
Mama.
Ethan:
Oh.
Fallon:
Oh? That’s what you have to say?
Ethan:
Hi to your mother.
Fallon:
Not, oh sorry? Not oh, you look hot? Not oh, yeah, I was a jealous ass?
Ethan:
Take your pick.
Ethan:
Christ, Fal, when the hell are we going to be in the same room again?
Ethan:
I know it’s been my work that’s kept us apart
Fallon:
I’ve had other commitments as well, Ethan.
Ethan:
I want to hold you in my arms, baby.
Ethan:
I miss you
Fallon:
I miss you too.
Ethan:
Soon, Fal.
Fallon:
Soon, E. I’ll look up flights for you when I get home.
Right after I stop by and see my mother, make sure her port line is clear and that she’s eaten, and try to eat something myself before my shift at Devil’s Lair. Still, it’s worth it when I get back his text.
Ethan:
Thank fucking God.