If It Makes You Happy

by Julie Olivia

I can still picture my three bridesmaids sitting in the corner five years ago—Sara, Allen’s sister, and my old college roommate. I don’t know the last time we spoke.

Real

This cathedral is on a corner block, right at an intersection where honking is at its peak and a green light means you should have accelerated five seconds ago.

Something about this annoys me and I don’t know what lol

At first I think that’s the sound of my heart breaking. Then I realize my palm pitched back and collided with Allen’s cheek.

Good

The first fall leaves flit down from the trees.

In July???

I snuck around with my crush, like she did. But that’s the problem. That crush resulted in a fourteen-year marriage. I won’t allow Emily to get in the same trouble her mom and I did. I can guarantee the last thing she wants is to be tied to freakin’ Josh forever.

This is tired

I have to assume this is the fabled Josh. The very-disliked-by-her-father Josh.

Annoying

“Listen, I’ve been told most of my life that there’s a lot of me to go around. You don’t need to be nice about it.”

!

“You could have not let our daughter be friends with an animal.”

???

“Hmm…” She clicks her tongue in thought. “Then I don’t know…do you think you could set me up with him?”

Bitch

My heart rate slows. Her voice is soft. Warm. Comforting. It doesn’t matter that we haven’t spoken in days. I’m addicted to the sound, and I’m letting myself indulge.

Ok cute

I can smell the cologne beneath him—the Cliff behind the mask he puts out for the world. My Cliff. All mine.

This doesn’t make sense…like only she can smell his special cologne??

And beneath it, that citrus smell. The uniquely Cliff scent.

Enough

There was some other person with her, but he left, and I barely remember him now. All I know is that I took care of her, and she took care of me, and now we sit outside every day and are happy, and that’s really great.

This…is nice