Total pages in book: 141
Estimated words: 136559 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 683(@200wpm)___ 546(@250wpm)___ 455(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 136559 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 683(@200wpm)___ 546(@250wpm)___ 455(@300wpm)
NOW: WHEN WE RESIST
The End of This Summer
13
LITTLE DICKS
Leighton
When I walk into Moon Over Milkshakes, an oldie-but-goodie is blasting louder than usual at the retro-themed diner, and I wince. The song isn’t bad; it’s just that loud music and I don’t play well together.
I scan the room for my friends, since we’re meeting for a pre-wedding party lunch. But as usual, I’m the first one here since I arrived early. I like to pick the table if I can, especially with this song about beaches and California sunshine blaring. A booth in the back opens up as a group stands to leave, and when the hostess swings by, she asks, “How many?”
“There’ll be five of us,” I say, pointing. “Any chance we can snag that booth in the back?”
“Of course, doll. I’ll have it ready in a jiffy. What’s your name?”
“Leighton. Thanks,” I say as she enters my name into a tablet.
Turning to my phone, I adjust my hearing aids to restaurant mode, which is supposed to amplify speech and filter out background noise. Sometimes, though, the setting just amplifies everything—like, well, the music. Ugh. The song’s even louder in my ears now, so I tweak the settings again, trying to enhance soft sounds. I save the adjusted program, hoping this time it’ll work.
When I look up, the hostess is standing a couple of feet away from me, head tilted my way and eyebrows raised expectantly. I recognize her expression. She’s waiting for me to say something because she just said something—something I missed. A kernel of embarrassment twists through me, but I do my best to ignore it. Besides, it’s not hard to figure out what she said, so I ask to confirm, “The table’s ready now?”
“Yes, it is! Right this way,” she says with a smile, leading me over and asking a question without looking over her shoulder. I catch most of her, “How’s your day going so far, hon?”
Even though I’m a bit frustrated I can’t make out every word, it’s not her fault. “Great, thanks,” I say, but my mind is still whirring as I slide into the mint-green booth while she heads back to the front.
I’m tempted to ask someone to turn down the music. But that wouldn’t be fair to the fifty or so other people here enjoying it. Besides, my friends are easy to talk to; I’ll manage. And really, this is a reminder that I always have to be vigilant when I’m out and about. I don’t have the luxury of fiddling with my phone if it means I might miss something I need to hear.
I’m adaptable and I’ve had to be since I was diagnosed at sixteen with mild to moderate sensorineural hearing loss. I didn’t go to many concerts as a kid (none, actually). I didn’t blast my eardrums out. I didn’t have ear infections when I was younger. It was simply random.
That means I’ll deal with the acoustics and the volume since I’ve had to for years, and I’ve learned where to sit or stand at restaurants and movies, in living rooms and at parties. I’ve figured out how to focus on different people who speak at different levels, and, most of all, I’ve learned how to pay attention. That’s my best asset—my own internal focus. With it, I’ve figured out how to handle all sorts of situations.
How I’ll handle seeing Miles later? That remains to be seen. Just being near him, even at the rink, still sends a spark down my spine. A spark I hope will burn out.
It would just be easier if it did.
Before long, my friends filter in, and I pop up to say hi to Everly, Josie, Fable, and Maeve. I met them all through Everly after we reconnected last fall. After I took photos at the community garden, she introduced me to her girl squad, and we clicked. I even did boudoir shoots for each of them. Hard to believe that just ten months later, they’re my ride-or-dies. Maeve even sub-leased her apartment to me for a while, though the lease recently ran out, so I’ll be moving in a few weeks, but back into the same apartment with my old roomies again. It’s like a merry-go-round with my old roomies—one I’d rather not get back on. That’ll be a pain. But some things are easy—like the fast friendship I’ve formed with these women.
Josie, who’s a librarian, is always full of quick wit, and clever solutions. She recently got engaged to Wesley on the team. Everly’s a warm and supportive badass babe. She’s engaged to Max, the team’s goalie. Fable’s delightfully sarcastic and direct, and is dating her boss, the owner of the Renegades. And Maeve’s our artist friend, full of beautiful chaos and love. She just had her second wedding with her best friend, Asher, who’s also a hockey player. Yes, their second wedding. They got accidentally—well, maybe not so accidentally—married in Vegas and then decided to stay married for appearances. Last week, they renewed their vows, and that’s why we’re here today. Tonight’s the wedding party. But we also need to review the party favors—definitely a priority alongside lunch.