Page 2 of Hitched at Randy’s (Diner Days)

Two

Evan

“ H oney, you home?” I call as I walk in the door.

“In the bedroom,” Viola calls back. I drop my things and walk to our room. She’s standing in front of our closet, pulling clothes off hangers and loading them into her open suitcase on the bed.

“You going somewhere?” I ask.

“I got the role. I’m the new lead in the production of Sweeney Todd. I’m playing Mrs. Lovett.” Viola doesn’t stop packing as she talks, not even bothering to turn to look at me.

“That’s amazing, but wait, how long are you going to be gone?” I’m already running numbers, but from the looks of how much she’s taking with her … “Will you be back in time for the wedding?”

Viola pauses, putting the shirt she’s holding on the bed to fold it. “Well, uh. About that, I think we might need to reschedule. You know how it is. This is a big role for me.” She looks at me with those puppy eyes, and I know I’m not winning this argument.

“Vi, we already sent out the invitations. What are people going to think about us canceling this close to the date?” Not to mention what does it say about the future of our relationship, when she’s making us reschedule again? It took us months to pick a date.

“Evan, you know what a role like this can do for my career.” she asks. “I have to take it.”

“Yeah, of course. I get it,” I answer. I just wish our relationship wouldn’t come last for once.

She walks over to me and wraps her arms around my neck, forcing me to lean down so she can kiss my lips. “I knew you’d understand,” she says. “Now I need to finish packing. I’ve got to meet up with the rest of the cast.” She returns to her suitcase, shoving clothes in until it’s full to the brim.

“Let me give you a hand with that,” I offer. She moves to the side, letting me grab her suitcase while she grabs her carry-on bag.

“I’ll call you when we get settled, and I know more. Bye, Evan.” She presses another kiss to my cheek as she gets in her car, closing the door behind her. Then she drives away.

Just like that, all of our plans have changed again. I love Viola, really I do, but it’s hard not to feel like I’m more dedicated to our relationship than she is. It’s been that way since the start. We met in college, and she was majoring in theater. It was always her dream to act, and I love that she’s doing it, but where does that leave me? At home alone.

I grab a beer along the way to the living room. Ugh, I can’t believe she’s leaving me to cancel all the wedding plans, and only with a vague we’ll reschedule . My thumb scrolls through the contact on my phone, looking for the wedding planner, but before I can find her, I see the messages from Cam.

Thinking of Cam makes me think of Boston. Part of me wonders how Viola would feel if I left California to take a job back home. I doubt she’d see it as the same thing. I shake off the thought and tap out a message to Cam.

Cam

Hey, what are you up to? Can we talk?

My phone rings within a few minutes. Guess that answers that question. “Hey Cam,” I say, answering the call.

“What’s up?” he asks.

“I …” Maybe I should have figured out what I was gonna say before I called.

“You okay?”

“Viola got a lead in a play, and we have to reschedule the wedding,” I blurt it out.

“What, for when?” he asks, his voice rising in concern.

“I don’t know. She just left.” Saying it again makes it feel more real. Viola didn’t even seem that bothered that she was leaving me to clean up this mess. No word about when we’ll reschedule to. Nothing.

“Shit, Evan. I’m sorry, that’s tough. Is there anything I can do to help?”

The pile of crap I’ll have to sort through to cancel the wedding flashes through my head, but I can’t ask Cam to help with that. “No, I’m just … thank you for listening. Needed to vent, is all.”

“Well, if you change your mind, let me know. My couch is open to you. It’s seen better days, but if you need to get away for a bit. Think about it,” Cam offers.

“Thanks man, maybe after the school year finishes out.” I leave it vague, but Cam doesn’t push.

“Sure.”

“I should go. I’ve got papers to grade.” I’m sure we both know I’m making excuses to hang up.

“Okay, but if I don’t hear from you in a week, I’m stalking you down. Keep in touch, seriously.”

“Is it summer vacation yet?” Becky asks as I walk into the office.

“I wish. Only five days left to go,” I answer. At this point, the whole school is keeping count. Even though most of the students have already checked out. They’re eager for the summer and can’t be bothered to study for spring finals. It seems like every five minutes I have to remind one of my students to stay on task.

“Right, then we have your wedding to look forward to,” Becky smiles at me, shifting the papers in her hand.

“Actually, about that,” I interrupt. “We’ve had to reschedule the wedding. Viola got a part in a big play, and she won’t be able to make that date.” I hate explaining this over and over. I finally got through to the wedding planner, and she helped me cancel the venue and send out apologies to most of the guests, but it still seems like every day I run into someone who brings up the wedding, and then I’m stuck explaining. All of it has me resenting Viola. Even though I know her career is important to her, I’m still peeved that she was able to pick up and leave me so easily to deal with the fallout.

“Oh, that’s too bad. About the wedding, I mean. It’s great she got the part,” Becky pats me on the shoulder as she walks by, and I find I’m biting my lip. Maybe going home isn’t a terrible idea. I haven’t been to Boston in a hot moment, and a change of pace could be nice. Not that being around my family is going to be any easier. Mom was already concerned enough when I told her about the change of plans for the wedding. Asking questions like, Is there still going to be a wedding? Questions I don’t have an answer to.

It’s not that Viola has been ignoring my calls. She answers, but within a few minutes her attention is needed for something related to the play, and she has to go. She won’t give me the time to talk, let alone bring up our wedding plans.

My phone vibrates in my pocket, and I pull it out, wondering if it might be a message from Viola, but instead I find a new text from Cam.

Cam

Are you done with work for the day?

I am. I just finished, why?

I’m at the airport. Come get me?

I hit the call button, and it only rings twice before Cam’s voice comes over the speaker. “You’re at the airport? Here in Stockton?” I ask.

“Surprise! I figured if you wouldn’t come to me, I’d come to you. Can you pick me up, or do I need to get an uber?”

“I’m on my way,” I change directions heading for the school parking lot. “It’ll take me a little while, though. I can’t believe you.”

“You can’t? I told you if you didn’t call me back, I’d track you down. You should know me better than that. Besides, I figured you could use the company. Are you still calling everyone to let them know the wedding is postponed?”

“I think I got through most of the list. If I knew this would get you out here though … maybe I would’ve proposed sooner,” I tell him with a laugh.

“If you wanted me to visit, all you had to do was ask, Evan.”

His words make me feel bad. Cam is supposed to be my best friend, but it’s been years since we’ve seen each other in person and all because I stayed here after college, and the biggest reason for that being Viola. “Thanks for coming,” I tell him. With my car started and things loaded in the trunk, it’s only a fifteen minute drive to the airport. Cam stays on the phone, telling me about a new project he’s working on for work. It’s hard to believe he can do most of his work remotely, and it doesn’t hurt him to take a spur of the moment trip out here. If only I could do that, but teaching isn’t quite as remote friendly.

Cam is waiting outside, leaning against his suitcase as I pull up. My eyes take him in, from his short frame to his curve of a slight belly, up to his bright green eyes, hidden behind his glasses. He looks good. “Damn, man, it’s great to see you.” I pull him in for a hug, slapping my hand against his shoulder in greeting.

“Glad I came. You look like shit,” Cam smirks.

“Thanks. You really know how to boost a man’s ego.” I grab his suitcase, loading it into the car.

“You know what I mean, Evan. Seriously though, what can I do to help? You want to vent, or we can find something to distract you? You could show me around to local tourist spots, or—”

“Cam, chill.” I interrupt. “How long are you even planning on staying?”

He shrugs in response, but I can tell Cam is holding back from chattering more.

“Let’s get you back to my place. You can crash in the guest room-slash-office.”

“Thanks. So, you gonna tell me what’s really going on with you and Viola?”

I sigh, knowing I can’t avoid his question forever. “I don’t know. I thought we were good, but she’s been off. She isn’t avoiding my calls, but when we talk she constantly has to go do something for the play. We haven’t talked at all about when the wedding might happen.”

Cam purses his lips together, his jaw tightening as he stays silent.

“I know, it’s not sounding good,” I admit. We pull up to the apartment parking lot, and I take my regular spot, turning my key to kill the engine. “Come on,” I tell Cam. He follows me into the building, grabbing his things from the trunk.

“Nice place,” he comments as we walk inside, and he tosses his bag on the couch. “I’d have thought you’d buy a house before getting married.”

“That was the plan, if prices weren’t so outrageous. Want a beer?” I change the subject, and Cam looks at me before he shrugs.

“Sure, I’ll have one if you do.”

I grab two bottles, handing one to Cam. “So, how have you been?” I ask, hoping he’ll let me change the topic to him.

“Good. I’ve been meeting up with a group weekly to play tabletop games at the diner, going to therapy, doing my art commissions. You know the usual.” Cam takes a drink of his beer, sitting on the couch and making himself comfortable.

I take a spot next to him and, without talking, grab the remote. I turn on some medical drama on streaming and just like that, we’re back in familiar territory. Even though we haven’t hung out in years, chilling on the couch and drinking a beer with Cam feels more familiar than hanging out with Viola. My body relaxes, letting go of all my tension.