bellyconklin liked your photo.
I try blinking the sleep out of my eyes a few times, then check the notification on my phone again. Is this real?
I’m so busy wrapping my brain around the idea that Conrad’s Isabel found my Instagram account that I completely misjudge the distance between me and my bedpost. I walk right into it and stub my toe.
“Shit! Ow!” I cry out. I double over, resting my hand on my duvet. I take a deep breath and defeatedly sit on the floor next to my suitcase.
With one hand clutching my foot, I use the other to unlock my phone and pull up the post. My notifications show that bellyconklin did in fact like my photo. I tap on the image to see what part of myself was interesting to her.
I’m looking at an old photo of myself from high school. I’m crouched down next to Sonny, our family Goldendoodle. My hair is whipping around my face, despite it being pulled back into a low ponytail. Half my face is buried in Sonny, but you can tell I’m smiling.
Holy shit. She instagram stalked me?
My first instinct is to go back and screenshot the notification to send it to Conrad. I’d love to ask him why she’s checking out my instagram. However, as I return to the notification page, it refreshes and her name disappears.
I refresh the page again. Nothing. I go to my account and find the photo. I search her name in the likes and still nothing.
She… unliked it? Did I hallucinate it?
My phone lights up with a text from Conrad.
Morning! Let me know when you’re boarding your flight.
I heart the message and respond.
Okay, control freak. As if you won’t check my shared location on your phone anyway.
Three bubbles emerge and seconds later I have his reply: the middle finger emoji.
———————————————————————————
The air vent blows in my face as I walk through the automatic doors exiting the airport to the Arrivals section. I scan the cars lined up at the curb until I spot Conrad’s Range Rover. As I walk over, we make eye contact through the windshield. He smiles wide at the sight of me — Shit. Don’t look at me like that.
And then, I look beside him in the passenger seat… Isabel. The one and only. I do everything I can to act natural, but of course, that’s when the simple act of moving one foot in front of the other goes from being second nature to me, to an alien that is adjusting to life in their first human body.
Conrad gets out of the car to help me with my bags. Our fingers graze as he takes ahold of the handle of my suitcase.
Stars. Stars in my eyes and the swiftest full body chill that leaves the hair on my arms standing up right. He’s smiling at me. The crinkle of his eyes, his cheekbones high up on his face, the up-turned curve of his lips — it’s all enough to make me cry happy, salty, complicated tears because I want all the good things in the world for this person. And I know that one of the biggest, best, and important things that could happen for him is with someone who will be in this car. And it’s not me.
I let go of the handle and before I can say anything, he’s pulling me into a hug. I put my arm around him, too. Pang. A dull ache blooms in my chest. We pull apart and he turns away. I busy myself with my other bag. I take it off my shoulder and follow him around to the back of the car.
“I’m so happy you’re here.” He says as he opens the trunk.
“Me too.” I’m staring at my feet.
“Here, let me take that.”
I look up and step forward before we accidentally make contact again. “I got it.” I set my bag down next to my suitcase and try to catch my breath.
“Watch out for a second,” I turn and step back as Conrad presses the button that closes the trunk door.
We each hop in the car. I slide into the backseat and buckle into the middle seat. With nothing else to distract myself with, I brace myself and look at her. She has her arm on the middle console, her chin resting on her shoulder. She smiles at me. Ouch.
Her smile is like feeling the sun on your skin, warm and pleasant. It reaches wide across her face like a child’s unadulterated joy. All at once you feel at peace, welcomed, home. Her eyes are soft and genuine. A hug from a lifelong friend. I get it.
“I’m Agnes.” I say, smiling back.
“I’ve heard a lot about you.”
My eyes briefly dart over to Conrad in the rearview mirror. He doesn’t look back. He’s focused on merging into traffic out of the airport.
She lets out a reassuring laugh, “Yeah, nothing but good things about his friend.” Her eyebrows raise like air quotes around the word. I furrow my eyebrows slightly in confusion.
She continues, “How long have you two been together now, anyway?”
My mouth falls open, but nothing comes out for a beat. Conrad is quiet, too. Then, I see it. The question in her look. It’s uncertain and wavering. I know the curiosity that comes from forced neutrality. This isn’t easy for her. Which means she’s not as indifferent to him as he thinks she is. There’s hope for him.
I smile brightly and lean forward, so I’m hugging the back of Conrad’s seat. I rest my cheek on the headrest and place a hand on his shoulder, squeezing it softly.
“5 months.” I feel him tense under my touch, and I rub his shoulder and give it another squeeze, like morse code. It’s okay. Just go with it.
Her smile, now close-mouthed, tugs across her face like a rose struggling to bloom. “Wow. That’s — that’s amazing.”
“Thanks. Yeah,” I take care to shoot Conrad a loving gaze, “we’re really happy.” I reach out and pinch his cheek. “Right, Connie?”.
He can’t help, but let out a laugh and replies in a playfully condescending tone, “Right, Aggie.” This time I laugh, more at the pure absurdity of the pet name than anything else. Regardless, it works in our favor because Belly has to look away before continuing the conversation.
I’m sorry. I don’t like hurting you. I’m doing this for him. For both of you.
“So, Belly, tell me everything about your wedding.”
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