Page 13 of June (New Orleans #6)

“W hy are you here?” Rory asked.

“Am I not allowed to be here?” Enid asked back.

“You had a date tonight and last night, if I remember correctly. Oh, and the night before, too.”

Enid had just sat down across from Rory in the booth. After dropping Caroline off at her room and not getting the goodnight kiss she’d really wanted, she had decided to go to the bar because she’d known Rory would be there. The date had been perfect. Sure, they hadn’t finished the movie neither of them had been paying attention to, nor had they had their first kiss that would’ve undoubtedly been one of those amazing, intense kisses in the semidark, where both of them had stared at one another, wondering who was going to make the first move because it had been guaranteed that one of them would. Enid had nearly turned back around in that dorm hallway and kissed her right there, but something in Caroline’s expression had told her that she shouldn’t.

“I’ve never had so many dates in one week in my life,” Enid said.

“Is that a bad thing?”

“I don’t know. Maybe.”

“Hey, Enid. What can I get you?” Candace asked as she approached them.

“Oh. Just a beer. Anything is fine. I’m not picky.”

“Um… Okay. Is everything all right?” Candace asked. “You sound… I don’t know. Sad, maybe?”

“Yeah, everything’s fine.”

“Okay…” Candace replied, not sounding like she believed her, and then she gave Rory an obvious look before walking away to get Enid’s drink.

“So, spill,” Rory said.

“I’m confused.”

“What about?”

“I’ve never dated two women at once.”

“Me neither,” Rory replied. “How does that even work? When I met Logan, it was just, like, done for me.”

“That was a month ago,” Enid noted.

“I know. It happened quickly. But once I let her in, I didn’t want anyone else.”

“Again, that was, like, a month ago,” Enid pointed out. “Technically, maybe even a week ago or something because you kept saying that you only wanted to be friends.”

“Well, it’s still true: I don’t want to date anyone else,” Rory replied. “I never did. I’ve always wanted one person.”

“Me too. And I wasn’t even looking. I don’t know what came over me when I asked Jill out.”

“You like her,” Rory said with a smile.

“Yeah, I do. She’s great,” Enid said unenthusiastically.

“Oh, I know that tone…” Rory remarked and crossed her arms over her chest.

“What tone?”

“You told me I was great, too.”

“You are great.”

“No, I meant when I kissed you,” Rory noted. “You told me I was great but that you thought we should just be friends in that same tone you just said that Jill was great.”

“You’re both great. Why are we talking about this?”

“Enid, do you have feelings for Jill, or could you see yourself having feelings for her?” Rory asked.

Enid sighed and said, “There are moments where I’m with her, and I think this could be a thing.”

“Moments?”

“A few. We get along really well.”

“That doesn’t equate to having feelings for her. You and I get along really well. You and Candace get along well. But you’re not dating either of us.”

“I realize that,” Enid said. “But she’s funny and makes me laugh. It’s just nice, being around her.”

“And when you kiss?”

“How do you know we have?”

“Because Jill texted me.”

“Oh, God,” she said, covering her face with her hands.

“Jill said it was good, by the way.”

“It was good.”

“So, you want more?”

“Sometimes, you kiss someone, and you think they’re a good kisser, and their style matches your style, so it’s good because of that. Other times, you kiss someone, and it’s just so fucking good that you know it’s more than just because they’re a good kisser; there’s something between the two of you making it even better.”

“Okay. So, which one was it with Jill?”

“The first one, I think,” Enid answered honestly.

Rory nodded and said, “I think she likes you, Enid.”

“I know. I like her, too.”

“Do you see yourself sleeping with her?” Rory asked. “And not just because you want to know if it would be good between you two, but because you really, really want to.”

Enid shook her head and replied, “I’ve been trying to figure out why I went out with her a second time, and I think it’s for a few reasons, and none of them are the right ones.”

“Then, why?”

“I do like her, and I wanted to spend time with her. I’d also already asked her out, so it would’ve been weird if it had been just one date, so I said yes to a second. Now, we’re going out for a third time, but I just want to hang out with her. I’ve also been in such a weird place for so long, and Jill makes me feel better. It was nice to have a reason to get out of the house that wasn’t hanging with you at a bar or school. No offense.”

“None taken,” Rory replied.

“But those aren’t the right reasons to date someone. I just don’t know how to handle it now because I’m technically dating someone else, and Jill is your friend. She’s our friend. We’re all kind of becoming friends, and I don’t want things to be awkward.”

“So, you’re just going to marry Jill one day because ending things now would be too awkward?”

“Yes, that’s my plan,” Enid said sarcastically. “Will you be my maid of honor?”

“She’s my maid of honor, so you better not be getting married on the same day,” Candace said as she placed a bottle of beer in front of Enid.

“Definitely not,” Enid told her.

“Good,” Candace said and walked away to take care of other customers.

“Enid, if you don’t feel things for her, you need to tell her.”

“I know. I know. I just wanted to see if feelings would develop. Not everything is so instant all the time. Sometimes, you meet someone, and it’s fun and nice, and you don’t feel it right away, but it shows up later.”

“You’ve described how you feel about Jill as nice about ten times now. Nice isn’t exactly how I’d describe Logan.”

“Oh, I’m aware. I’ve heard you describe Logan so much recently.”

“Sorry. Am I one of those girls now?”

“Yes, but it’s okay. You’re in love for the first time, and it’s new.”

Rory looked over at Logan, who was working behind the bar, and said, “Even though I resisted it, Enid, I felt it. I felt something right away. Did you feel something right away for Jill?”

Enid shook her head and replied, “Not for Jill, no.”

“But for Caroline?” Rory asked.

Enid nodded then.

“Why hadn’t I thought about picking someone up at the career fair?” Rory joked.

“I met her at the bar, technically.”

“Here?”

“No, when we all went out. It was the night I asked Jill out.”

“What?”

“She was in line for the bathroom, and I accidentally bumped into her. We only talked for about three seconds, but there was something there. I don’t know if I would’ve talked to her more had her friend not shown up, but I know when I was talking to you after that, and then Jill showed up, I was still thinking about Caroline. I didn’t know her name, but I think part of the reason why I asked Jill out was that I was wishing I had said more to someone else. That makes things worse, I know, but I bumped into Caroline at the career fair, and it was still there. I didn’t get her info, but she found me again, and we hung out. Then, she asked me out. I even told her about the Jill thing, and she still wanted to go. I half-expected her to take it back, but she didn’t. That night, I was on a date with Jill, and I was focusing on Jill, but I also couldn’t help but think about Caroline. I didn’t know what to do because I already told Jill that I was going to go out with her, and when she asked me if I still wanted to go out with her , I told her that I did. I think I might have nodded, actually. I don’t remember. I just felt bad because I’d started this; I’d asked Jill out, but then I didn’t know whether I wanted to keep dating, and I told her I did instead of just dealing with it.”

“You can’t think about someone else while you’re with someone, Enid. That’s not fair to either of them.”

“I know.” She took a drink of her beer. “I need to tell Jill that I think we should be friends.”

“Yes, you do.”

“But she’s going to think I chose someone over her.”

“You are choosing someone over her.”

“No, it’s not like that.”

“Hey, babe. Hey, Enid,” Logan said as she stood by the booth. “I’m done.”

“Yeah?” Rory asked. “She’s off,” she added to Enid.

“Oh,” Enid let out, knowing that it meant Rory would be leaving soon.

“Enid, can you take me home later? I came in with Logan. I worked a little earlier when it got busy.”

“You need me to take you home?” Enid checked.

Logan looked just as confused.

“I’m going to stay and hang out with Enid for a little bit. Want to just go to my place, and I’ll have her take me there when we’re done?” Rory asked Logan.

“Oh, sure,” Logan replied and squinted at Enid’s drink.

“I’ve had one sip and won’t finish it. It was mainly for something to do and because Candace would keep bugging me to get me a drink until I just ordered one,” Enid explained.

Logan nodded and said to Rory, “I don’t have a key to your place.”

Rory pulled out her purse and her keys. Then, she removed a key from the key ring and handed it to Logan.

“That one’s mine, but I have an extra one at home. I’ll give it to you.” When Logan’s eyebrows lifted at that, Rory added, “Yes, you heard me right: I want you to have a key to my place.”

Enid felt like she shouldn’t be hearing this private moment between the couple.

“Babe, this is, like, a relationship step thing… It’s not something you just–”

“It’s a key,” Rory interrupted. “I want you to be able to come by whenever you want, but it’s also practical. You work late, and sometimes, I have to get up to let you in. This way, you can come in, shower, and just climb into bed with me.”

“I like that idea,” Logan replied.

“Then, take the key,” Rory told her with a smile.

Logan slid into the booth, gave Rory a quick kiss, and Enid looked away in time for the second, much longer kiss to begin. Finally, Logan stood and said goodnight to both of them before exiting out the back.

“Sorry,” Rory said. “I wasn’t expecting her to make out with me in front of you.”

“You just gave her a key, Rory. It’s a big deal.”

Rory smiled and replied, “I love her. I want her around all the time. She’s been spending most nights at my place anyway.”

“The neighbor?”

“Part of the reason. My place is also nicer than hers, and I think she still worries that I don’t want to stay there. I do, though. I don’t care where she lives. I just want all my nights with her.”

Enid thought about that and knew that she didn’t want all her nights with Jill. She never would. She wasn’t sure yet about Caroline. She had spent a few hours with her, at most, but there was something there that Enid wanted to explore. When she pictured her nights, though, she tried to imagine an apartment or a house and not her teenage bedroom with her small desk and full bed. She tried to think about a bathroom that she didn’t share with a teenage brother, and for a second, thinking about all that put a smile on Enid’s face. It meant possibilities to her, something more than what she had now. It meant her getting back on the path she’d set for herself years ago. Then, she thought about the kitchen and the living room and how she would like it to be a little modern, with some classics thrown in. Enid laughed when she thought about what she’d name her TV, her microwave, her refrigerator, and everything else.

“What’s so funny?” Rory asked.

“Nothing,” she replied.

◆◆◆

After dropping Rory off at home, Enid headed home herself and, for the first time in a while, found something comforting in the fact that her parents and her brother were sitting on the couch, watching a movie together.

“Hey, we’re watching Goonies . Want to?” EJ asked.

They’d all seen this movie at least a hundred times together, but she loved hearing her brother yell, ‘Hey, you guys!’ every time, so she sat down next to him and put her hand in the popcorn bowl in his lap. As much as she wanted to get out of here, she also loved her family and moments like this.

“How was your date?” EJ asked.

“Good,” she replied. “We’re going out again.”

“Cool,” he said.

“You really like her, huh?” her mom asked.

“Who?” Enid asked back.

“What do you mean who ? The woman you’re dating.”

“Oh,” Enid said. “Um… I’m dating two women.”

“Shit,” EJ said. “You’ve got two ?”

“I don’t have two, EJ,” she replied to her brother. “I’m dating two women, yes, but I’m going to end it with one of them.”

“How do you do that?” EJ asked.

“Son, don’t even think about it,” their father said.

“But Enid can date two women?”

“Enid is mature and knows how to treat a woman. You are still learning. I know this because I heard you talking on the phone the other day to that girl you like.”

“Dad!” EJ glared at their father.

Enid laughed and asked, “What did he do?”

“Nothing. It’s nothing,” EJ said quickly.

Their parents laughed, and Enid joined in. Then, her phone buzzed, so she pulled it out.

Caroline Timothy : I had a great time tonight.

Enid smiled.

“Which one is that?” EJ asked.

“Shut up.” She laughed at him and shoved his shoulder playfully while she stole the popcorn bowl from his lap at the same time.

“Oh, here it is,” their mom said, pointing at the TV.

“Hey, you guys!” EJ yelled much louder than was necessary.

Enid laughed again, like she always would for as long as they did this.