Dreaming in English by Laura Fitzgerald

Author:Laura Fitzgerald [Fitzgerald, Laura]
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
Publisher: Penguin Group (USA), Inc.

Chapter 19

I ke stays away the entire night, but when I wake up from a very troubled sleep, I see that at least he sent me a text message shortly after two o’clock, although it’s not at all nice: What the hell’s so funny?

A flame of anger sparks in me. Who does he think he is, to talk to me this way? And why does he think that I think anything’s funny? Nothing’s funny! This is serious business! I think of several rude comments to type back to him, but I don’t. Instead, I text, Where R U? leaving off the LOL this time—that’ll show him!

By the time I’ve showered, dressed, and tidied up, I’ve received no reply. I want to text again, Where are you? Where are you? Are you with her? but I know this will only anger him further, and so I force myself not to.

I go outside and wait on the sidewalk for Ardishir to pick me up, and I’m frustrated, because not only is it rude of Ike to stay away like this and to send mean messages, but everything’s changed and he doesn’t even know it! He has no idea that he doesn’t need Jenna or his parents anymore. All he needs is me and my money from Ardishir, and he can make his coffee shop dream come true. I finally have something to offer him, and he’s really not being very nice to me right now. I bet he’d be nicer if he knew.

When Ardishir pulls his black Lexus to the curb and I climb in, he gives me a concerned look. “He’s not back yet? Or did he just leave early today?”

“He’s not back.”

Ardishir whistles. “Maryam would not let me get away with that. There’d be hell to pay if I ever tried.”

I love my morning drives with Ardishir. We have such nice conversations, just the two of us, and I appreciate getting his perspective on things without Maryam butting in. He drives me to work on the three mornings a week that I fill in for the woman on maternity leave, and I usually take the city bus back home, unless Maryam picks me up to go shopping, which is pretty often, as there’s always something she wants to buy or consider buying for the baby.

“What would Maryam do?” I really want to know, because I definitely don’t know what I’m supposed to do—it isn’t okay that he hasn’t come home!

“I have no idea,” Ardishir says. “I’d never do it.”

“So it’s bad that Ike thinks he can do this?”

He gives me a sidelong glance. “What do you think?”

I sigh. “I think it’s probably pretty bad.”

“Changing the locks would not be inappropriate at this point,” he says. “To teach him a lesson, if nothing else.”

“Do you think he’s trying to make me mad? To see what I’ll do?”

“I doubt it,” Ardishir says. “I think he’s just so wrapped up in whatever he’s feeling that he’s not considering you at all right now.”

“Jerk,” I say, quickly adding, “Him, not you!”

Ardishir smiles.

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