Chapter 9

Nine

LUCY

The entirety of my Sunday is spent trying to distract myself from the infuriating interaction I had with Henry this morning. It’s none of my business if he decided to spend the night with one of those women and do a very proud walk of shame the following morning. But did he really have to do it in front of my apartment? I would have rather assumed that’s how he spent his evening rather than have proof first thing in the morning.

Now, I’m left wondering which of the women did he leave with, or it could have been multiple women. I know who he is, and he has never denied it. In fact, he has bragged about it. It shouldn’t bother me at all who he spent his night with, after all, I did encourage it. There’s just some small part of me that enjoyed him speaking into my ear with my hand on his leg last night.

This is why I stick to fictional men!

What was he insinuating by saying I would have had a great night?

Who knows how things could have ended ?

Was he suggesting I could have found someone to go home with? Surely, he didn’t mean I may have gone home with him.

I could call Ellie for her opinion, but she would run wild with that exchange and even more if I shared our close conversation from last night with her.

Instead, I end up on the phone with my mom and little does she know, the call is greatly appreciated. I think she begins to be suspicious when I am far more interested in the Thanksgiving Day preparations than I have ever been before. I ask and debate each and every option of pie and sweets from our favorite local bakery, contemplate the shopping list for our dinners, and review the flight schedule multiple times.

When I finally end our call, my head feels a little clearer, that is, until I see a text message from Finn and notice a new number has been added to our group chat.

A photo and link to an article fill the text box. The photo is of Henry leaving the bar last night hand-in-hand with one of the blondes from the bar. Well, at least I don’t have to wonder which one it was anymore. Under the photo comes another text.

Finn

Is this our new mom?

A couple minutes of silence pass then a message comes in from Oliver. It’s a photo of Henry on his walk of shame this morning.

Oliver

I’m going to guess no. I bet she tossed him out when she learned she’d have to deal with the two of us as sons!

That text received multiple laughing emojis from Mia and Hannah. Still no response from the unknown number, but I am starting to suspect it could be Henry. Then, the conversation turns to me.

Finn

Makes me wonder if Lucy truly had a headache last night. Could it be that she also snuck off on a secret rendezvous with a mystery lover?

Mia

*big eyes emoji*

Lucy

I shouldn’t admit this since there isn’t any photographic evidence, but yes. You figured it out. I spent the entire evening thinking of one man, and I rushed home to get in bed with him!

I quickly snap a photo of my well-read copy of Persuasion on my pillow and send it to the group. Everyone, including the unknown number, adds a laughing emoji reaction to my photo.

The beginning of the week goes by fairly quickly as my students are submitting their midterm papers. The assignment they have is to watch a movie that features a particular topic we cover in class. Most students decided to focus on trauma and connected it with war movies and some stretched it to horror movies. Other students who are studying education write about the connections within children’s movies. Most of my colleagues voice their complaints about grading at the monthly department meetings, but I find it fascinating. I check daily for early submissions and grade them as the students turn them in so I don’t get too overwhelmed. Thankfully, I wasn’t worried any of them would use one of Henry’s movies for their papers. No, jumping into my work has been a welcome break from thoughts of him.

Tuesday evening at the coffee shop is entertaining, as always. Mia goes on about the drama taking place in her office between various coworkers. Hannah shares a new recipe she wants to try for us. Finn and Oliver gush over their ladies as always. To my surprise, Henry selected the chair next to me even though he arrived later than the rest of us. Which I may have kept empty for him.

We don’t talk much. I assume there is still some lingering awkwardness between us from his walk of shame. I will never judge the actions of consenting adults, which he and his lady friend surely were. It does, however, hurt when the first man you’ve felt something for since your ex displays similar tendencies. Not that I would accuse Henry of cheating or deceiving women without evidence like the parasite. But it does appear that he enjoys the company of many women.

He is an adult and has every right to do so.

Henry lost the guessing game for my current book, and his sons didn’t let him lose discreetly. He confidently guessed that I was reading Persuasion , which they immediately mocked him for after. Finn tells him, “You’ve already lost.”

Henry argues, “How can I have lost? She was just reading that less than forty-eight hours ago.”

So, I was correct in assuming that the new number belonged to him in our group chat.

Mia jumps, “Yes, and she probably finished it that night.”

Then Oliver says, “Rookie mistake.”

Hannah and I keep quiet with smiles on our faces.