He turned to look at Vanessa who was talking to Uncle Johnny.

“Rose?”

My throat felt dry.

I could hardly say the words.

I wanted to tell him what happened but I was speechless.

“I think I’m gonna get sick,” I told him as I ran back towards the house.

Once inside, I went to the bathroom and puked.

***

Kenny followed me back to the house and knocked on the bathroom door.

“Are you alright, Rose?” I could tell the concern in his voice but I couldn’t get myself to talk to him.

“Just give me a minute Kenny,” I told him as I sat on the cold bathroom floor.

I could hear him tapping his foot impatiently and I waited till I couldn’t hear the sound anymore.

When it got silent, I buried my face in my hands and cried.

I just ruined my birthday party.

***

I pulled out my phone in my pocket and called Claire but it went straight to voice mail.

Do I really expect her to pick up after what happened?

Yes.

I was expecting that to be honest.

But what can I say?

I’m sorry?

I’m sorry for what?

For not having the presence of mind to remember that I have an amazing girlfriend?

That the moment I opened the door, a miracle was standing in front of me and I lost all sense of time and of self.

When I saw Vanessa, it was as if the world stopped turning and no one else existed except her and me.

Nothing mattered but the fact that she’s looking at me and I was looking at her the same way.

When she took my face in her hands to kiss me it was just her and me against the world.

When she told me she loved me, my head spun at a dizzying speed because that was what I wanted to hear all along.

Vanessa loves me.

Oh my heart can’t contain the joy I felt!

Everything came crashing down when I heard someone sniffling in the background.

It was a startling reality check because it was never Vanessa and I.