Maybe Someday(15)

my phone vibrates.

Sydney: Can you do me a favor?

She has no idea how many favors I’d do for

her right now. I’m pretty much at her mercy.

Me: What’s up?

86/692

Sydney: Can you look out your balcony

door and tell me if you see anything sus-

picious going on at my apartment?

Shit. Does she know? What does she want me

to tell her? I know it’s selfish, but I really don’t

want to tell her about her boyfriend until after I

have the chance to talk to her about the lyrics.

Me: Okay. Hold on.

I walk to my balcony and glance across the

courtyard. I don’t see anything out of the ordin-

ary. It’s almost dark, though, so I can’t see much.

I’m not sure what she wants me to find, so I

choose not to be too descriptive when I respond.

Me: Looks quiet.

Sydney: Really? Are the blinds open? You

don’t see people?

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I look again. The blinds are open, but the only

thing I can see from here is the glare from the

TV.

Me: Doesn’t look like anyone’s home.

Aren’t you having a birthday party later

tonight?

Sydney: I thought so. I’m really confused.

There’s movement in one of the windows, and

I see her roommate going into the living room.

Sydney’s boyfriend follows closely behind her,

and they both sit on the couch, but all I can see is

their feet.

Me: Wait. Your boyfriend and your room-

mate just sat on the couch.

Sydney: Okay. Sorry to bother you.

Me: Wait. What about tonight? Are you

still having a birthday party?

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Sydney: I don’t know. Hunter says he’s

taking me out to eat as soon as I get

home from work, but I sort of thought it

was a lie. I know he and Tori had lunch

together a couple of weeks ago, but they

don’t know I know. They were obviously

planning something, and I assumed it was

a surprise party, but tonight’s the only

night that could happen.

I wince. She actually caught them in a lie, and

she thought they were together because they were

planning something nice for her. Christ. I don’t

even know the guy, and I have a huge urge to

walk over there and beat the shit out of him.

It’s her birthday. I can’t tell her on her birth-

day. I take a deep breath, then decide to text

Maggie for advice.

Me: Question. You busy?

Maggie: Nope. Shoot.

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Me: If it was your birthday and someone

you knew found out I was cheating on

you, would you want to know right then?

Or would you hope that person would wait

to tell you until it was no longer your

birthday?

Maggie: If this is a hypothetical question,

I’m going to kill you for this heart attack.

If it’s not hypothetical, I’m going to kill

you for this heart attack.

Me: You know it’s not me. It’s not your

birthday. ;)

Maggie: Who’s cheating on whom?

Me: It’s Sydney’s birthday today. The girl

I was telling you about who writes the lyr-

ics. I happen to know her boyfriend is

cheating on her, and I’m kind of in a posi-

tion where I should tell her because she’s

becoming suspicious.

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Maggie: Jesus. I’d hate to be you right

now. But if she’s suspicious and you know

for a fact that he’s cheating, you need to

tell her, Ridge. If you don’t say anything,

you’re inadvertently lying.

Me: Ugh! That’s what I thought you’d say.

Maggie: Good luck. I’m still going to kill

you for the heart attack next weekend.

I sit on the bed, then start a text to Sydney.

Me: I’m not sure how to say this, Sydney.

You’re not driving right now, are you?

Sydney: Oh, jeez. There are people there,

aren’t there? Lots of them?

Me: No, there isn’t anyone there but the

two of them. First, I need to apologize for

not telling you this sooner. I didn’t know

how, because we don’t know each other

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that well. Second, I’m sorry for doing it on

your birthday, of all days, but I feel like

an ass for even waiting this long. And

third, I’m sorry you have to find out via

text, but I don’t want you to have to walk

back into your apartment without knowing

the truth first.

Sydney: You’re scaring me, Ridge.

Me: I’m just going to rip the Band-Aid off,

okay? Something has been going on

between your roommate and your boy-

friend for a while.

I hit send and close my eyes, knowing I’m

completely ruining her birthday. If not pretty

much every day after today, too.