Remember Me Tomorrow

by Farah Heron

knew she wouldn’t let me leave without a fight. Because Mia hates feeling like the villain. She hates feeling like she’s losing. It screws up her perfect mental image of herself. But I also know that despite her vow to stop standing me up and letting her boyfriend and his family get in our way again, Mia will eventually cave to one of their demands at my expense.

“You ever feel like the whole world is spinning five steps ahead of you?” I ask. “And by the time you catch up with them, they’ve already moved on?”

Jay said something like that, about how hard it is to have a happily ever after in a place you’re not supposed to be.

Aleeza: Can I ask you questions just to get to know you too? Not for the podcast. Jay: Go ahead. Aleeza: What’s your favorite TV character? Jay: The Swedish Chef and Nick Fury. What’s yours? Aleeza: Wait. Why the Swedish Chef? Like the Muppet? Jay: Yes, the Muppet. He loves good food, and I love good food. Also, there’s chaos whenever he’s cooking and nothing ever works out right, but that doesn’t stop him from trying again the next time. I like his commitment. Aleeza: So you DO like commitment. Jay: I am very committed to excellent meals. What’s yours?

Aleeza: Do you ever feel alone in a roomful of people? Jay: It’s just because the world needs to catch up with you.

Jay: Yes, I agree. And it would be nice to be able to actually be in each other’s lives physically. We were cheated. We signed up for the wrong time anomaly. Aleeza: I knew I should have ordered a DeLorean instead. Jay: No, not that one. I am NOT going to the prom with my mother.

“People like us don’t have scandals. We pay to make them go away.”

Relationships and money. Pretty much the only reasons why anyone wants to hurt anyone.

“He gave me some advice about stepping away from people who were holding me back. And he said . . .” I pause, remembering how his words made me feel like I could break free of Mia’s influence one day. “He said when things don’t go as planned, friends never forget friends.”

Aleeza: You can talk to your therapist, but we’re friends. You can talk to me too. I don’t mind the unloading.