“A meeting meeting? Like a—”
Robbie exhales a laugh.
I mime a key to my mouth. “Dropped.”
“Thanks,” he says.
I keep my mouth shut as he crosses toward the door again.
“Bye, Mel,” he says, giving me a casual wave before he walks out.
“Bye, Rob,” I say back.
The door closes behind him and I let my mouth sag wide open.
“Holy shit,” I whisper to no one.
Four
Melanie
After a very, very long shower, I get cleaned up and make my way to Moira’s Cafe for brunch. Traffic is… well, about what you’d expect for a Chicago Sunday morning, but it barely even blips my radar. I’m way too focused on the thoughts in my head to care about the annoying crowds.
Robbie hasn’t had a drink in seven months. There’s no way that’s possible, right? Robbie and alcohol go together like peanut butter and jelly. Or mac and cheese. Or…
Okay, I should really stop thinking about food or else I’m going to hurl.
But seriously, though. How did I miss this?
The last few times I saw Robbie, he was… Robbie. Same old Robbie with the red eyes and the faint odor. But am I remembering it wrong? Has he had his shit together this entire time right under my nose?
And if so…
Why didn’t he tell me?
I pull up to the cafe and hand my keys off to the valet out front as I quickly head inside to escape the cold. Moira’s Cafe hums with its usual buzzing atmosphere as I walk past the nodding girls at the hostess station. My instincts guide me toward our usual table, followed quickly by the sudden re-route as I realize that our usual table has been invaded yet again by another group of older ladies.
I twist mid-stride and head toward the other corner where Nora, Trix, and Haley, our newest recruit, are already chirping back and forth in conversation.
I round the table, quickly taking my spot in the empty fourth chair. “You guys will never believe this,” I say, their chirps grinding to a halt.
I set my purse on the table and take a deep breath as they stare at me.
“Robbie Wheeler…” I pause, not ready to say it out loud, “is sober.”
Nora’s little eyes squint in thought. “Like right this second?”
“Like, for months,” I say. “I saw his sobriety coin this morning.”
Trix’s jaw drops. “Wait, what? Really?”
“Yes. It was shiny and brown and he confirmed it himself. Seven months sober.”
“Wow, that’s… huge.”
“That’s what I said!”
Haley leans in closer to Trix. “Robbie?” she whispers.
“Her ex-husband,” Trix answers.
“Oh, right,” she says, recalling.
Trix gives her a thumbs up. “Yeah, he’s a good guy.”
I scoff out of habit. “Let’s not get carried away or anything.”
Nora’s head tilts. “Why did you see Robbie this morning?”
Trix jolts in her seat, nearly knocking over her glass of ice water. “Is Robbie the guy you took home with you last night?! Did you hook up with Robbie again?”
Nora gasps. “What?”
I sigh. “No, he—”
“She called me this morning,” Trix says over me. “Said there was someone in her apartment and she couldn’t remember what happened last night. Oh, my gerd! This is it!”
Nora grabs Trix’s hand across the table. “It’s happening!”
“Don’t force it! Just let it happen.”
Nora squeals quietly, unable to contain her excitement.
I glare at them. “No,” I say. “And if you’ll let me speak, I’ll explain.”
They go quiet, sulking in disappointment.
“Now...” I take a breath. “Yes, Robbie took me home from the bar last night. No—” I say it hard as they perk up again, “we didn’t have sex or fool around or anything like that. And even if we did, there is a child present.”
I gesture at Haley.
Trix waves a hand. “Nah, she’s cool. Go ahead. Just don’t tell your dad,” she adds, poking Haley’s arm. “Besides, she’s legal and should learn from the professionals.”
“Fair enough.” I nod. “Anyway, Robbie brought me home safely from the bar, he put me to bed, and he slept on my couch. The end.”
Nora nods. “Massive respect points for him.”
Trix nudges Haley again. “See? Good guy.”
“I’d be rolling my eyes again, but I’m still hungover and my head hurts too much,” I say, annoyed.
“Please proceed, counsel,” she says, sitting back.
“Thank you. Then, this morning, as he was leaving, I grabbed his jacket to give it to him and that’s when the coin rolled out.”
“Hmm,” Nora hums softly. “You know, I’m not that shocked. I stopped by his place a few days ago and he really seems to have it together.”
“Right?” Trix nods. “You noticed, too?”
“Why were you at his place?” I ask.
“Um…” Nora pauses, her cheeks turning pinker than usual. “I just needed a man’s opinion for… something.”
Trix raises a silent, curious brow.
“Something like…?” I ask.
“A Christmas gift,” she blurts. “For Clive. I needed Robbie’s opinion on… Clive’s Christmas gift.”
I stare at her for several more seconds, wondering how red her cheeks will get.
Obviously, Clive’s Christmas gift isn’t a fancy pocket watch.
“Anyway…” I clear my throat and she exhales with relief. “How sure are we of his togetherness? I mean, have you guys forgotten about the nail he put through his hand two months ago? Which, knowing what we know now, occurred whilst he was completely sober?”
“He said that happened at work,” Nora says, happily jumping on the subject. “Where does he work again?”
“I have no idea. I thought that was bullshit.”
“He’s a builder,” Trix says.
We stop and stare at her.
“He’s a what?” I ask.
“A bu-il-der.”
“Robbie builds things?”
“That’s what he told me last month when he installed my new locks,” she says with a shrug. “Did I not mention this?”
Nora shakes her head. “No, you did not.”
“Oh. Sorry. Yeah, he’s a builder for some local construction company. Been there for a while now, I think.”
I let it sink in, my interest piquing. “That’s a good job,” I say. “That’s a real job.”
“A sexy job,” Nora says.
Trix points at her in agreement.
“What did he say about it?” Nora asks me. “The coin, I mean.”
I pause,
