3: 3
3.
The dinner broke up, and Nora stood there with her arm looped through Edwin's, both of them waiting on me.
"Hurry up. What's the holdup? Nora's legs have gone numb from standing."
Edwin snapped it at me, cold.
I sat there looking at the wreckage all over the ground, not moving.
"Edwin, my stomach hurts. I hope it's not that time of the month coming."
Nora's voice went all soft and pitiful.
That got Edwin worked up.
"Sonia, what's your problem? It's the middle of the night. Nora can't stay up like this."
I gave a cold little laugh.
Someone who supposedly can't stay up late is the same someone who kept begging him to set this late-night thing up in the first place.
"I'm counting to three. If you're not on your feet by then, don't blame me for leaving you behind."
After his voice cut off, I turned and watched him walk away, and heard how final it sounded.
"This one's not on me. Even if she runs and tells my mom, I'm not scared."
Edwin's voice was full of nothing but impatience with me.
"Edwin, why don't I just grab a cab home? You wait for Sonia."
Nora gave in, so very thoughtful about it.
"No. I want to see just how far she'll push this."
Nora turned her head to look at me, her eyes brimming with amusement and a dare.
For Nora's sake, Edwin had left me behind more times than I could keep track of.
So many I'd lost count.
But the most dangerous one, the time that scared me the most,
was last year over the Fourth of July, on the highway.
Nora had been going on about wanting a road trip.
Edwin drove, dragging me along to keep her company.
Then she got upset in the passenger seat, so Edwin just pulled the car onto the shoulder and locked it there.
No markers set out behind us at all.
I sat inside, watching cars roar past, terrified out of my mind.
In a panic I dialed 911, and my phone happened to die right then.
So the police contacted my emergency contact instead, Edwin's mother.
Once she learned everything, Mrs. Mason lost her temper in a way I'd almost never seen.
She made him kneel at his father's grave for three days and three nights.
Nora stayed there beside him the whole three days and nights, eyes rimmed red.
Even after I explained I hadn't meant any of it,
Edwin only grew more and more distant with me from then on.
My phone rang. I wiped away the tears and answered.
"Parking lot. You've got three minutes. If you're not here, then get yourself home."
It was Edwin.
Before, I would have followed him obediently.
But tonight, all at once, I was sick of it.
The "don't" of "no need" never made it out of my mouth.
The engine started up, and the line went dead.
The night wore on. One by one the other parties broke up, and the barbecue joint went quiet.
The server kindly topped off my hot water.
Watching the steam rise, a pain drilled through me so sharp I couldn't stop myself from doubling over.
"Sonia, are you okay?"
I looked up. Aaron was standing behind me.
"How come you're back? Did you forget something?"
I cast around for it.
"Is it that jacket? If you go find Edwin, he'll give it back to you."
He crouched down and looked at me.
"Sonia, I'm not looking for a jacket. I'm only looking for you."
The server came over, all smiles.
"Sir, you're finally out. I've refilled the young lady's hot water twice now."
"It's totally normal for a young couple to argue. You're a grown man—just be the one to soften first, and the whole thing gets sorted."
Aaron thanked her.
He helped me up.
Maybe I'd been sitting too long. My right leg had gone numb.
I couldn't get my footing and pitched forward against his chest.
"There you go. Sir, hold your girlfriend a little more and it all works out."
Before I realized it, my face had quietly gone red.
Aaron didn't correct her.
He just smiled and asked the server, "Could I trouble you to make us a bowl of hot noodle soup? Pull the noodles nice and soft, chop the tomatoes fine, and go heavy on the garlic sprouts and cilantro."
After she left, I looked at him.
"How did you…"
"Sonia, I'll explain everything. But first, come eat with me."
