Where Do Broken Hearts Go?

15. Like A Kid

Closing the trunk of my jeep, my heavy exhale doesn't relieve me of my woe. Looking towards Marcel, he seems to be doing just fine; munching on a bar of Dutch chocolate.

"So good and you can't have any." He rejects the idea of sharing. Just then, he drops a piece on the yellow line of my parking spot. "Awesome." He sarcastically eyes the treat before kicking it with a brown boot. "Off you go."

"That's fine with me." I smile with no hard feelings. "When are you going to show me the photos?"

"When I'm ready to show you." His fresh smile is the final stamp on my birthday weekend as he skips to his car.

"It's like that?" I remain standing at my trunk.

"It's like that." He gets inside and closes the door, soon for his red backlights to come on.

Getting into my car, I find a receipt in the cupholder. I have to follow through with yesterday's lie. Throwing my back into my seat, I whine, "Damn! I gotta go grocery shopping."

I feel like a kid who's leaving their birthday party at Chuck E. Cheese. Sadness.

As I walk into my place, I drag my luggage. It knocks against every step and doorframe.

After spying black Doc Marten's at the back door, my head shoots up to see Ella sitting on the couch. I nearly break my neck as I spin around, bolting out the house.

As I'm fumbling with my keys, I keep checking the door hoping she doesn't come out. Opening the backseat, I toss my bags in then run to the trunk to get the groceries. Lord. Thank you, Jesus I went to the store.

I thought she didn't have her key. Geez. I almost messed up every-

"Hey, Angel." After hearing her voice, I straighten up and steady my erratic breathing pattern. In her morning glory, Ella comes trotting down the steps.

"Hey, Ella. How was your weekend?" I try hiding any leftover stress by climbing into my trunk.

"It was really cute. I saved you a slice of cake."

"Thank you. Can you help me with these bags?"

"Sure." She comes wearing my slippers and grabs the backseat door. Oh me oh my. MY CHEST!

"THE TRUNK!" I shout, scaring her so bad that her headscarf almost flies off. "The..." I set my hand on my hip as I try to calm down. Finally, she releases the handle and comes to the back of the car. "Trunk. The trunk. The groceries." I clear my throat as I reroute.

"No need to yell." She fixes her scarf after sending me a side-eye.

"Sorry, this woman at the store," I run my fingers through my hair, combing through the premeditated lies I've created since Marcel spilled his way into my clean life. "we were fighting over a parking spot." I'm way too good at the lying thing. God, forgive me. 

Ella opens a random bag to peep into. "Please tell me you picked up ketchup."

"You know I did." I hand her two bags to get her away from my car. I bring out the last 3 to sit on the ground as I let down the trunk.

"How was your weekend?" Ella leads us back into the house. I pause, finally taking a moment to recall.

You know, I ran off with a guy I recently met to Amsterdam, where he spoiled me rotten for my birthday weekend. My weekend was lame, just tragic. Best weekend in a long ass time, but I'll just settle with-

"Chill. I ate a bunch of junk." I set the grocery bags on the counter to wash my hands.

"What movies did you watch? Anything new?" Ella begins unpacking.

"I watched Law Abiding Citizen, two of the Maze Runner movies and I watched The Help."

"The Maze Runner movies are good. We should watch the 3rd one." She opens the cabinet beside me and puts away her precious ketchup.

"It's a date."

"Ha, when's the last time you went on one of those?" Her undertone is pesky as she continues unloading. I pick up the hose ready to press the nuzzle. "Angel, I swear." She holds out her hands, soon to scream from the spurt of water.

The next thing to unpack is the suitcase Ella didn't see me hauling up the steps. As I'm tossing out the dirty laundry, I pick up my little, red dress. It will go down in history.

"Oh my God, Angel!"

"What?" Kicking the suitcase deeper into the closet, I try ignoring the sound of things knocking over. Cardiac arrest is waiting for me around the goddam corner. "Huh?" 

"Your birthday was this weekend and I completely forgot!" She joins me in the room to give me a hug. "Happy Birthday. I'm so sorry." She pats my head as it sits on her chest. Okay okay. It's okay.

"It's fine, girl. Don't worry about it. Buy me a rose and all will be forgiven." I step away waving my hand; even dismissing the rose idea.

Her remorse seeps from her whiny tone. "Do you want a cake or anything? Chocolate? I can't believe you spent your birthday alone." 

"Ella." I scoff. "Trust me, I had an awesome birthday. I did everything I wanted." I grab a laundry basket.

"Did you buy a new perfume?" She gets a whiff of something as I pass her. Girl, that may just be my anxiety.

"Uh, yeah. A little musky, right?"

"It's nice." She nods to agree.

"Thanks." I turn my back with wide eyes. As she leaves, I pinch my shirt, bringing it to my nose. That's Marcel. "I smell good." I shrug.