Mondays with Missie: Surprises

Missie strummed her nails against the wood laminate tabletop. She’d waited three days later to answer Tommy’s text. She lied of course, saying it hadn’t come through until the day before. She suggested he meet her for lunch at Juan’s down the street from the complex.

“Hey!” Tommy slid in across the booth from her and offered a smile.

“Hey yourself!” Missie grinned and got their waiter’s attention. Once they had placed their order she leaned against the table.

“So what is going on?” She asked.

Tommy shrugged, “Nothing anymore. Kendra and I fought. I thought it was over but we patched things up, so.”

He was fidgeting, playing with the white paper that had covered the straw now floating in his tea. She heard what he wasn’t saying. He’d been mad at Kendra, and hoped to hook up with Missie.

She leaned back in the booth and sighed. She wanted to ask why he was still with the girl that drove him to the point of insanity on a monthly basis, but she knew better than to question a friend’s relationship. That always backfired. So she took a side approach.

“I’m glad you are happy Tommy. You deserve to be happy.”

He shrugged in response and dismissed the conversation with a wave. He asked about work and Gina. Even though she was his cousin he didn’t keep up with her. He knew she was with Josh, but he probably didn’t know how serious they were.

They chatted until their food arrived and then ate in a companionable silence. Tommy finished first and talked to her about his little brother’s football team while she finished. Bobby went to the same high school Missie had attended and it was fun to hear about the kids that were there now.

“Hi Missie,” She heard the voice off to her left and felt a large hole where her stomach had been five minutes ago. She glanced at Tommy first and his expression confirmed her gut was on target. She put a smile on her face and turned to face the only boy who had ever broken her heart.

“Hi, Brian.”