Page 60 of Delayed Intention

All Together Now

She’s not coming.

Lily was due to meet at Kind Coffee over an hour ago, and she’s a no-show.

I head back to the counter and return my mug.

After two and a half cups of coffee and nothing to eat, I feel bitter—not in an angry way, just dried out.

I head back up the riverwalk to grab some breakfast on my way to the clinic.

I choose a crepe place and order a raspberry crepe before grabbing a table by the window, and looking out at the Fall River.

Readying myself for disappointment, I recheck for any text messages.

Nothing.

My messages to her aren’t even read. My last message was over twenty-five minutes ago. Hers was from last night.

Lily

Kind Coffee, ok, see you at 9

Me

Great. See you.

Just grabbing my coffee, you want anything?

Just checking you’re okay

Ghosting me?

Lily?

She didn’t want to meet me. I tried to force the issue, and now it’s more awkward than ever.

The wedding is this weekend, and she had texted, agreeing to meet with me…

I wanted to lay my cards on the table before we are thrown together in social situations.

Tonight’s a pre-wedding party for everyone that’s arrived early and it’s an event we were both supposed to attend.

Felicia and Ed are forgoing the traditional separation the week before the wedding so that the families can feel free to spend time together.

Subsequently, there are events planned for nearly every day or night this week.

I’m not sure what Lily thinks will happen over the next few days, as she’s expected to be at all the same events that I am.

I decide to let her off the hook. I love her. What else can I do?

Me: you must’ve overslept—see you tonight

I send the message and head over to the clinic.

This morning is going to be a shit show since I’d pushed my early appointments to later morning and through my lunch hour to make time for the coffee date with Lily.

As predicted, I arrived to find our clinic waiting area was standing room only.

Brenda looks gratefully at me when I hand her a red-eye.

Since the waiting room is my fault, I begin by assisting Brenda, bringing the first four patients back while she pulls up their charts to update vital signs and histories.

She sets about interviewing each patient while I work my way around through their acute problems or issues.

We run it a bit like an assembly line, but we’re able to see each person on the compressed patient list and catch up with our original schedule by the end of the morning.

Working through lunch, I complete my charts as I eat a lukewarm burger from around the corner.

By the time I’m caught up it’s time to start the afternoon appointment.

Once I finish with the last patient, the fatigue starts to wash over me.

Wrapping up the day, Brenda and I split up calls to patients to inform them of test results, and by the time I’m done, I’ve had just enough time to pick Ginger up from her day camp and get in the shower.

It isn’t until the hot water hits my skin that I feel myself finally decompress.

With the shower pelting my back and the steam all around me, it occurs to me that I don’t have to go to this dinner.

If Lily doesn’t even want to meet for a coffee, it may be better if I stay home.

I have clinic again tomorrow—another full day—and I could use a beer, some pizza, and a good night’s sleep.

I close my eyes under the water and wonder what I should do.

I think about having to explain not being there to my mother and Michelle, who are expecting me to help with my nieces, and I know I just need to show up.

It’s not about me anyway. Staying home would be the easy way out, but it would leave Michelle in the lurch.

After I finish my shower, I put on a respectable button-down shirt, and dark jeans and finish with a pair of overpriced tennis shoes. I feed Ginger and give her a bone in exchange for my company on my way out.

Walking along the river, there is something familiar about a tall, blonde woman getting out of a luxury SUV in the public lot behind the movie theater.

Suspecting this is one of Lily’s sisters, I watch as an equally tall, dark-haired man exits the driver’s side and joins her, both of them looking down at their phones, likely trying to figure out where to go.

I wait, watching them turn around and trying to understand the direction their phones are recommending, before deciding to help.

“Excuse me, are you both here for the Stern-Mendes wedding?”

The woman, who is stunning in a long pink dress, has her wavy blonde hair loose around her shoulders. She turns to face me at the sound of my voice and looks briefly confused before she smiles in recognition.

“Joshua Cohen, is that you?”

I nod, wondering if she’s Tamar or Daniella.

“It’s been a long time.” I reach my hand out to the man by her side, “Hello, Josh.”

“Ah. You’re Josh.” He smiles kindly at me. “I’m Arjun Patel, Tamar’s husband. Pleasure.” Okay, so this is Tamar.

We shake hands as I remember my purpose for walking over.

“You can put your phones away, and I’ll show you where to go. It’s just over there,” I nod my head down along the riverwalk.

“Were you walking here? Do you live nearby?” Tamar asks.

“I live just over there,” I point, “the little house with the stone wall and that wooden door in it—that’s the one.”

“That looks… really beautiful, actually.”

“It’s even better on the inside. But you sound surprised.”

“It’s just not what I pictured for a confirmed bachelor.” Ouch .

I put my hand over my chest and feign being affronted, “Just because I’m single doesn’t mean I don’t know something beautiful when I see it.”

Tamar stops and looks at me, “Is that so?”

Her husband interrupts her and rescues me. “We’re here all week and we’d love a tour.”

“That could be arranged. For now, you both better follow me to the party before we’re late.”

We walk along the river, which is loud enough to keep conversation to a minimum. We pass a few shops, and Tamar exclaims when she sees a hummingbird hovering over the water and points it out to her husband. She’s nicer than I remember.

We walk up to the white building that looks like an old home but is actually converted into a restaurant.

The back room is reserved for us, and we follow the hostess inside.

There’s music playing from recessed speakers in the corners of the room, and we walk into a party that appears to be well underway.

This back party room is open with round tables set up along the perimeter.

I spot Michelle right away and turn to Arjun and Tamar.

“It was great to see you. I need to help my sister; her husband’s deployed and she’s got those three.”

“Ah. Ours are with a sitter at our rental property. I’ll speak with your sister later but if she ever wants to get the kids together, they aren’t too close in age, but still, it could be fun. Michelle, right?”

“Yes—I’ll mention it.”

I make my way to the opposite side where Michelle appears to be setting Ella up with some crayons and paper while Erin hangs on her leg and Etty is passed out in the stroller. As I cross the room I scan, as discreetly as I can for Lily, or even Abbie, but neither one is here yet.

“Hey there sister—you need a hand?”

“God yes.” She flicks her eyes down to the human starfish that is my niece.

I reach down and extract Erin from my sister’s leg.

“Little one, let’s go find your grandmother. What do you say?”

I scoop her up as she giggles at me. I find my mother and get Erin tucked in beside her with crayons and nacho chips, just as Abbie and her date arrive but without Lily.

I make my way over to Eddie and Felicia.

Whatever is going on with Lily and me, that’s not what this is about.

This week is about Eddie and Felicia and their wedding.

Doing my best to get out of my inward spiraling, I plaster on a smile and go say hello.

“Josh!” Eddie is flushed, appearing to have had a few drinks already, but looks genuinely happy to see me as he bro-whacks me on the shoulder.

“Josh!?” Having met Felicia once before, I knew she was striking, with porcelain skin, black wavy hair, and light brown eyes.

She’s wearing a long green dress that compliments her coloring.

Her makeup looks professionally done. She’s wearing shoes with extremely high heels that put her head just to Ed’s shoulder.

“It’s nice to see you both in person again.” I shake Eddie’s hand and give Felicia a half hug, since she has a drink in her other hand. “Mazal Tov to both of you.”

“You’ve done such a wonderful job here for us, Josh, we can’t thank you enough. This whole week wouldn’t have been possible without you and Lily.” She looks around. “Where is? Oh, there she is…”

Felicia’s voice trails off, as she looks over my shoulder with a small frown disrupting her previous happy expression. I turn and see that Lily has come in, with an entire wine bottle in her hand, and looks hammered. Beautiful, but barely upright.

Lily’s wearing a long dress with wide straps, one of which has slipped off her left shoulder.

It’s a light aqua blue with little flowers decorating the skirt.

The design makes it appear as if there are scattered tiny petals and flowers that are falling into a larger collection of them at the bottom.

It’s fitted through the bust and waist and then loose to the floor.

I realize I haven’t breathed since I laid eyes on her.

She looks so gorgeous.

She also looks so drunk. Not to mention that the bottle of wine in her hand is open.

Fuck .