Love Is Overdue (44 page)

I could feel that all-too-familiar
sting of panic in the back of my throat. My paranoia was kicking
into overdrive.

I
thought for a moment and then hit reply.
starting tonight, that’s why I was so excited. I can come over
later>
Send.

His reply again took much longer than necessary.
sorry. We’ll talk later, I really gotta go.>

I let my breath out slowly and just
put my phone away.

Ω

By noon I couldn’t stand it anymore. I
hadn’t heard back from Ben yet and my focus was absolutely shot so
I headed over to the restaurant to see if I could figure out what
the hell was going on.

The
chalk-board easel that was normally displayed near the front
entrance advertising the daily specials was missing and although
the restaurant was always busy at lunch, it seemed a bit emptier
and a little quieter than normal. That is, of course, until I made
it closer to the counter, where I saw Lena on the phone, looking
animatedly frantic.

As I approached I was able to overhear her end of the
conversation. “Well, I know…but what the fuck do you want me to do,
Ben? He practically sliced half his thumb off the minute he got
here this morning…what? No he can’t just
glove
it! He
needs stitches – I sent him to the emergency room!… Yes, you’re
right, I made an executive decision – I’m standing by it.” Lena was
shaking her head in exasperation. “Well, I don’t know…Rob can
handle some of the base items but if Johnny doesn’t make it back
here in the next couple hours I don’t think we can stay open…okay,
fine…yeah, I will…okay bye.”

Lena let her breath out deeply. She
didn’t even see me standing there.

“
Hey Lena.” I knocked her
out of her thoughts.

She looked up suddenly. “Oh…hey Gabby.
It’s a gong-show here today – I’m sure you already
know…”

I shook my head. “No, not really.
What’s going on with Ben?” I decided to cut to the
chase.

Lena just rolled her eyes. “I have no
idea – I thought maybe you would know…but it doesn’t really
surprise me either…one of the many things that frustrates me about
that guy…he never tells anyone anything.”

I nodded slowly, my frustration with
the situation growing more and more as well with every passing
second. “So…” I racked my brain. “He just called you and said
what?” I kept fishing, although I had a feeling it was
useless.

Lena shrugged. “Nothing. He just said
he had some shit come up last night that he’s gotta deal with and
that he talked to Johnny and he would handle the menu today – but
then Johnny went and freakin’ sliced up one of his fingers and so
now…well…who the fuck knows…”

I sighed. I didn’t get it. How hard
would it be for Ben to at least just let me know what was going on
– didn’t he know I would worry? Didn’t he care? I figured Lena saw
the look on my face because she attempted to reassure
me.

“
I wouldn’t worry too much,
though,” she told me. “Obviously he’s still alive…I did just get
off the phone with him,” she pointed out.

I just shook my head again and sucked
my teeth. Yes, at least I didn’t have to worry about
that.

Ω

By the time
I left work at 5 pm I was certifiably beyond worry and confusion –
now I was just downright mad. The only thing I knew for sure was
that there was no way in hell I was wasting a night off – not after
all this time, and definitely not after the shit my mother had been
putting me through lately.

But my attempts at recruiting a
partner-in-crime for a night out on the town were failing
miserably. Tony had a date with Matt that night and Tasha was sick
in bed with the flu. Corinne was studying for exams. I’d even
stooped as low as to text Michelle – but she was working late, so
it was a no-go.

I
strolled slowly up the Drive , and ducked my head into a few stores
along the way, attempting to only window-shop, but ended up making
a few frivolous purchases at
Wonderbucks
anyway – a
soap dispenser for my bathroom, a few scented candles and a new set
of tea towels for my kitchen. I spent about 25 minutes debating
whether or not to buy a set of wicker storage bins for my bedroom
since they were half off, but decided to only stick to those items
that I could easily stuff into my over-sized brown leather handbag.
I was out for the night after all…

By the time I made it as far as Grandview Park, I decided
to hit up Joe’s Café for a coffee, and headed onto the patio to
make myself comfortable with a copy of
The Georgia Straight
. I had all the time in the world and absolutely nowhere to
go, and if it hadn’t been for my stomach that was continually
turning over in nausea over what was going on with Ben, I was
pretty sure I would have actually enjoyed it. But in that moment,
it was near impossible.

I
pulled out my phone.
is going on Ben?>
Send.

He replied fairly quickly
. tonight>

I
was near to losing it.
are you being so goddamn dismissive?>
Send.

My phone only buzzed again a good five minutes
later.
something I have to take care of on my own. I don’t have time for
your drama right now>

I
was so mad I could have smashed my phone on the concrete
sidewalk.
hell>
Send.

Oh fuck…
Maybe I took that too far, I thought, immediately regretting my
reply. I made a dive for my bag and pulled out my cigarettes. I
only had one left. I figured my next stop that night would be the
mini-mart on the corner.

Not surprisingly, Ben didn’t send a
reply to that text.

Ω

Eventually I caught the sea bus and headed to North
Vancouver with a copy of Alice Sebold’s
Almost Moon
,
which I picked up in the gift shop at Waterfront Station. I didn’t
even read the jacket cover, just flipped to the first page of
Chapter One and read the very first sentence.
“When all is said and done, killing my mother
came easily.”

I almost missed the bus, waiting a
ridiculously long time in line as the lady in front of me made her
entire purchase with a purse full of dimes and nickels.

Ω

I only made it about four chapters
into the book before my emotions got the better of me and kept me
from continuing. I still hadn’t apologized to my mother for the
previous night and the guilt was beginning to eat away at
me.

Once the sun
set, a chill in the air forced me to get back onto the sea bus and
make my way back into the city. I bypassed hopping onto the
Skytrain, though, deciding to take the long route home on the city
bus as it headed back up East Hastings and through Chinatown, until
turning south onto Commercial Drive.

The bus slowed down near Venables. The traffic was thick
all of a sudden, most likely due to a stalled car, as Tuesday night
on the Drive wasn’t necessarily that busy, but as I glanced out the
window I noticed a small crowd of people gathered outside of
Buena Comida
, Ben’s old restaurant, and where he had taken me to
watch Adam’s band play that time. I heard the music rumbling into
the street from inside the bus – a Salsa band was on-stage, visible
from the front window of the restaurant. It was weird. I wasn’t
even much of a Salsa fan, but for some reason the music was pulling
me in – that and the little crowd of cute Latino boys hanging
around outside. I rang the bell and got off the bus at the next
stop.

Ω

I had just
swigged back my third shot of tequila when I noticed him watching
me. I was standing along a half wall separating the bar from the
tables in the restaurant, watching the band. He wasn’t that tall,
but he had a nice face…clean cut… well-dressed. He kind of reminded
me of Danny Fernandes, just maybe a little shorter. And for some
reason he was staring me down like I was the only woman there.
Maybe it was the tequila, but the way he was watching me was making
me feel warm all over. I definitely wasn’t used to being singled
out like that.

Within five minutes he had made his
way over to me, inching his way closer, and continuing his
stare-down, possibly attempting to get a better look. Then, he and
his Corona, were right there next to me along the wall.

“
Hi.” He smiled at me. I
could tell he was already pretty tipsy.

I gave him a little smile. “Hi.” I
looked away.

“
What’s your
name?”

I glanced back over at him and caught
him swaying a little. Maybe he was a little more than
tipsy…

“
Gabriela.”

“
Ahhh…” His eyes went wide,
as he kept staring me down. “Nice to meet you, Gabriela. I’m
Miguel.”

I gave him another little awkward
smile.

“
You look so familiar to
me. I’ve seen you somewhere before.”

I sighed. I hated that line… “It’s
possible. I work in the neighbourhood.”

He shook his head slowly. “Yeah…not
from here though. From the Caribbean festival. I saw you
there.”

My eyes went a little wide in
surprise. “Really?”

He nodded slowly. His eyes were heavy.
And he was still swaying. He took a long sip of his beer. “You have
pretty eyes. And I never forget a face.”

I nodded, forcing out another smile.
“Well…thanks.” I didn’t know what to say.

“
You were with a guy,” he
stated bluntly.

I nodded again. “Yup.” I turned back
to the band then, not feeling that comfortable anymore.

“
He’s your
boyfriend?”

I nodded quickly. “Yes,” I said,
without hesitation. I felt it was becoming necessary to assert my
boundaries.

“
Are you sure?”

I gave him a little quick glance out
of the corner of my eye. It was time for me to find a way to excuse
myself. I racked my brain for an exit strategy.

“
Well, you know, just
because…I know your boyfriend.”

That caught my interest. My eyes went
a little wide. “You do?”

“
Yeah. Ben.”

“
Oh. Okay. How do you know
Ben?”

He let out a little laugh at that and
took another sip of his beer. “How do I know Ben?” He turned and
narrowed his eyes at me, watching me closely. “Because that nigger
is fucking the mother of my son.”

My eyes shot open in shock at his
words. I couldn’t move. I was frozen solid.

He laughed at me again. “Don’t look so
surprised, sweetie…you know what they’re like. They’re together as
we speak – if you want we can go find them right now – the both of
us. That would be fun, wouldn’t it? Whaddaya say?”

I caught my breath and pulled my bag
back up over my shoulder – quickly. I found my voice. “Excuse
me.”

I tried to move past him but he caught
my arm. “You don’t believe me?”

“
I…” I needed to get the
fuck away from him – fast. “I need to use the ladies room – excuse
me.”

“
That’s okay, sweetie, just
go think about what I told you – I’ll be right out here when you
get back.” He was slurring his words.

I snatched my arm away and bolted for
the ladies room, locking myself quickly in one of the stalls. I
grabbed my phone out of my bag, my fingers shaking.

Send.

I waited two minutes, still
shaking.

My phone buzzed.

Fuck texting. I hit dial and waited
but the call went to voicemail. I pressed redial
immediately.

And that time he picked up on the
third ring. I was glad the band was still in the middle of their
set because the music was about to help drown out my
screaming…

“
Gabby, what is it?” He
sounded tired and irritated.

“
What is it?” I demanded.
“What do you think it is, Ben? Who is she?” I was starting to shake
even more.

A slight pause. “What?”

“
Who the fuck is she,
Ben?”

“
Who is who? What the fuck
are you talking about, Gabby?” That time he did raise his
voice.

“
The girl!” I was really
losing it now. “The girl – the girl who you’re fucking!”

He didn’t say anything right away.
“Gabby, you losin’ your fuckin’ mind right now…” Another pause.
“Where are you? What the hell is all that noise?”

“
Don’t change the fucking
subject, Ben – answer my question!”

“
Gabby, you have no idea
the shit I am going through right now – why, of all times, are you
gonna pick this moment to start trippin’ out on me like a fuckin’
lunatic? Huh? Why?” He wasn’t holding anything back anymore. “You
of all people…” His voice trailed off.