I have a friend whose birthday lands on Christmas Eve, and since this time it landed on a Saturday, I had a feeling she might be celebrating on Friday instead. I have not caught up with her since her birthday last year and felt terrible about that already. We use to hangout years ago, but then our little group changed due to the breakups of our boyfriends. I sometimes miss those days, but looking back, so much has happened after that. Things changed. I reached out to her via text and she told me she was going to be out for a birthday dinner but afterwards might step out elsewhere. We played it by ear and I felt good about it.
Until I decided to do some more Christmas shopping. Since now my aunt was hosting, and we found out a few days beforehand, I wanted to pick some gifts up for my cousins. Because I was trying to rush to the stores to find something, I ended up slipping on ice and hurting myself. That's what happens when you're mind is all over the place. Besides bruising my ego, I got back up and ran off to 6 corners.
I was on a roll looking for things when I received a text from the birthday girl. Two friends had backed out of the dinner and she asked me if I could make it out by 8pm in place of them. I was stuck. There was no way I could get to Lincoln Park in 45 minutes. I still had to go home and get ready and make my way there. Plus I needed more time to finish up my shopping. I told her I couldn't make it but to count me in after dinner if they go out. She seemed fine with it, and I continued shopping for my cousins.
I made my way back home flustered, but satisfied. I wanted to relax a bit, so I took my time getting ready. I knew something was up when my phone was blowing up. There was a group text with my friends going back and forth. Our friend from Detroit was in town for the holidays. She was at a nearby suburbs doing some shopping herself. We were trying to set up a time and place to meet up, but it wasn't working out. I continued getting ready and right when I was figuring out what to wear, I got a call from my Detroit friend:
"Get ready, we're coming to pick you up."
"Wait! What?"
"We'll be there in 7. We're going to Café Iberico."
YIKES! I was stuck. I thought about my friend in Lincoln Park. Her dinner was at 8pm and now it's 9:15pm. I was thinking about meeting them up after 10pm. But since my other friend wanted to eat something at Café Iberico, we would be downtown. I figured I'll take advantage of the free car ride and then excuse myself at one point to go join the other party. I was spreading myself thin, but at the time it seemed like a good idea.
She arrived approximately in 7 minutes, just like she stated. Off we went. I miss her little baby. We all caught up with one another and were enjoying ourselves. I kept looking at my phone but did not hear from the birthday girl. She texted me that she was still at the restaurant around 10:15pm. I replied that I was making my way downtown, but I was trying to kill some more time. I continued my evening with my friends and then she texted back after 11pm to come to the restaurant.
Over the years, she would normally paint the town red. I was hoping she was going to do the same and go out so I could join her somewhere but she was still at the restaurant. By this time. she had been at the restaurant for over 3 hours. I panicked. I told my friends I had to make this party and left. I cabbed it over to Lincoln Park and made it in 10 minutes flat. The party made it's way next door to a pub. I joined them, but I knew something was up. They were pretty drunk by now, but the party was much smaller. Some people left after dinner. As we caught up, there were so many changes in the works. I felt bad missing out so much of her life. To make matters worse, she was pretty hurt those 2 friends who did not show up to her party. I felt incredibly guilty for showing up late.
I did not know what to do. I felt I had let everyone down. And I still wasn't done with my Christmas shopping. I found out at the last minute that my step brother was going to join us for Christmas Eve dinner. Another one I had to find a gift for.
I rode with my friend in a cab to make sure she got home ok. It was the least I could do. I just hope I didn't blow it with her.
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| How could I leave him so soon?? |
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| I had to make more time for him!! He lives so far away... |
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| His Ralph Lauren sweater is on point! |
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| Made it to see this babe! |
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| I need to make it up to her somehow... |
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