Sidelined

“So everything is ok? She’s not lost?”

Ben chuckled on the other end. “No. You realize I’m a trusted member of our military. I’m not going to lose your mother.”

The tightness in Skye’s chest lessened. She smiled. “I know. I know. It just wouldn’t be the first time.”

“So you don’t need anything?”

“No, no I’m good.”

“I think you might be out of whipped cream.”

“Ben,” she scolded into the phone.

He laughed. “I’ll make sure to pick some up. Text me if you need anything.

“Ok, bye.” She smiled at Kari.

“You look happy. What was that all about?” Kari took a bite of her salad.

Skye slid the phone back into her purse. “Ben. He’s hanging out with my mom today. Kind of showing her around town.”

“Ohh, this is getting serious.” Kari moved to the edge of the chair.

“It is, isn’t it?” Skye leaned in her chair. “I didn’t ask him to stay with her, he just volunteered. Guys don’t do that unless they are serious.”

“How many days to go?”

“What do you mean?”

Kari laughed. “Don’t tell me you’re not marking them off your calendar. You have to counting until day thirty.”

“Kari! I’m not even—”

“Don’t give me that. I would be counting down the minutes if I was getting ready to roll in the hay with that guy. Whew.” She pretended to fan herself. “So when is the big night?”

“Thirty days would be Saturday night, I guess.” Skye bit her lip. Was it really that soon? She wasn’t starting the clock over. There was less than a week to go.

“Ok, so what’s the big plan?”

“Plan? We don’t have a plan. It’s not like that. We just got back together or reconnected. I don’t know how to define it. We haven’t actually sat down and said Saturday night we’re going to….”

“Then we need to start planning right now. You need lingerie. You need wine. You need a place. Where is this going to happen?”

Skye shook her head. “Whoa, whoa, whoa. I don’t even know—”

“If you’re going to sleep with him? You are totally sleeping with him. Because if you don’t, I will. Now what do you think about this?” Kari held up a lingerie set from Chloe’s Closet on her phone.

“You want me to wear that?” Skye didn’t know how she would even crawl into something with so many ties.

“Ok, not your style. What about this one?” She swiped the screen and showed Skye a picture with a girl leaning against a wall.

“No way. No leather.”

“Picky, picky.” Kari scrolled through the online pictures. “Ah-hah! This is the one.” She shoved the phone across the desk.

“Oh wow.” She zoomed in, examining the cuts. “You think I should wear this?”

“Definitely.” Kari beamed. “It’s the thirty-day special selection.”