I wish I could allow myself to fall in love with Dev; he’ll be an amazing husband someday. Whoever he marries had better fucking be good to him. I will cut a bitch if she ever hurts him. I have kicked ass for Dev before. My junior year of college he had been dating this slut named Toshi and she was such a flake. She always had excuses for not showing up for their dates. She was in a sorority and something always came, up, but she would make an appearance in his life when she needed help on a paper.
I caught onto her game quickly and one night at a party, I spotted her with her real boyfriend. The bitch laughed and bragged about using Devlyn to ace her classes. I’m not an overly violent person, but hearing her talk about my best friend that way when I knew how good he was, I snapped. I didn’t say anything at all. I walked over to where she stood and as she threw her head back howling with laughter, I grabbed her by the ear and twisted it like I would my little brother’s when he was in trouble.
At first, she was in shock and didn’t understand what was happening. Her friends thought it was some sort of joke until I smacked her across the mouth and split her lip. I dared her to contact Dev again.
To this day he still doesn’t know why Toshi dumped him without a peep.
The rumbling of my stomach interrupts my trip down memory lane. I was in such a rush that morning I forgot to eat. Luckily, I have a Snickers bar tucked in the side pocket of my purse. I never leave home without an emergency supply of chocolate. I feel a pair of eyes on me as I devour my sugar laced breakfast of champions. Looking over to the seat across from me, I find the wide as saucers starving eyes of a little boy. Licking his lips, he stares at the other half of my candy bar. His mom is busy on her cell phone arguing with the electric company about her bill. Smiling softly at him, I give him the last of my chocolate as my stomach cries in protest.
The small boy blows me a kiss, shoving the small portion in his eager mouth. The rest of the bus ride he sits next to me, and I share my headphones with him. His mother smiles weakly at us and whispers a silent, “Thank you.”
When I arrive at the precinct, Dev is in a meeting, so I leave the mug at the front desk. He worked so hard to get to where he is, I want him to know I am thinking of him.
Flattening against the wall, I inch toward the door as an irate woman enters, shouting about her son being arrested for murder.
Outside, I escape the woman’s depressing sobs.
“Fiona!” April shouts my name as she runs across the street, waving frantically.
“April,” I squeal in return, dropping my bag as she tackle-hugs me.
People are staring but neither of us care. We haven’t seen each other in weeks. She stays busy working in the emergency room at Bellevue Hospital.
“Fifi, I have big news. I think Randy is going to pop the question.”
We shout, “Eek,” in unison dancing like fools. She embraces me again before leading me to her car.
“Where is he taking you, you never said in your email.” I fiddle with the radio as she navigated us into the midday rush.
“He says it’s a surprise. Oh, Fi, I am so happy.” She smiles brightly, cooing about Randy and how wonderful he is, warming me with her excitement.
“I'm happy for you, April. I hope Randy and you get married, and still fuck like rabbits, and give me lots of babies to spoil. If I ever get a decent job,” I tease.
She grins. “Leave it to you to put things so tastefully.”
I wink as she switches lanes preparing to pull into her parking garage.
“So, how are things?”
Rolling my eyes, I make the “kill me now” face.
“That bad?”
“You have no idea. I don't want to spoil your excitement with my depressing, fucked up shit.”
She offers me a sympathetic pout but doesn’t press me. April knows how horrible my luck is. She’s helped me out of a few jams too, but nowhere near as many as Dev. April is my opposite. She has her life together and mine is scattered into pieces.
“Randy said that this interview with Lukas Cross is just a formality. You basically have the job already.”
I smile in relief.
Randy, April’s longtime lover, set up an interview for an assistant position for one of his clients at his firm. Randy is a shark in the courtroom. Lukas Cross is filthy rich and happens to own several night clubs in the city. I am so underqualified for the position, but Randy thought I’d be a perfect fit.
Randy is waiting upstairs for us. When we step off the elevator, he’s pacing in the hall, wearing holes in the tile flooring. April shoves me inside, hastily grabbing a few last-minute toiletries she forgot to pack.
“April, we have to go, babe,” Randy calls, nervously.
Oh, he is definitely going to propose. About damn time too.