JAKE: This one guy went to the bottle store and left his kids in the car for hours because he got drunk and forgot where he parked. The baby almost died

LORI: That’s crazy!

JAKE: Yup!

JAKE: You’re the first person who noticed I don’t drink

LORI: Seriously, no one else knows?

JAKE: I guess they’re all too self-involved to notice

JAKE: Or maybe they’re not watching me closely enough

I coughed a little as the carbonated bubbles of the Coke Zero I’d just opened got stuck in my throat. I hoped he didn’t think I was watching him closely now.

JAKE: Wanna do a playdate this weekend? Lisa has been begging me all week to play with Zac. He’s her new favorite person. I think she has her first crush!

I almost dropped my Coke on the floor as a voice in my head screamed at me. Perhaps Lisa isn’t the only one who has a crush. Shut up, I imaginary screamed back at the voice.

LORI: Sure. What do you have in mind?

JAKE: I assume that malls and theme parks are out?

LORI: Totally! Zac can’t handle places like that. Too much stimuli. He’ll have a meltdown and then you’ll have to drag him out which makes you feel guilty and look like a child abuser

JAKE: Been there, done that . . .

I smiled at this. It was so nice to talk to someone who got this stuff.

LORI: So if not theme parks and malls, then where?

JAKE: Let me think about it. But what about tomorrow at 2?

LORI: That’s cool

JAKE: Okay. I’ll message you in the morning with an idea

LORI: Cool

JAKE: Cool

JAKE: P.S. . . . sorry about the snake

LORI: ?

JAKE: Well, I’ve been thinking . . .

JAKE: It wasn’t very chivalrous of me. Jumping up on a chair like that while it was at your feet

LORI: LOL

LORI: Plus, you screamed like a girl

JAKE: SMH

JAKE: Next time we’re in a potentially deadly situation, I promise I’ll protect you!

The flutter. It was back. It was huge now! And it filled my stomach.

LORI: What kind of deadly situation would we find ourselves in?

JAKE: IDK, a few months ago a gorilla escaped from the zoo here

LORI: You’d protect me from an escaped gorilla?

JAKE: Sure! Why not

LORI: Ok. Question. Would you rather be bitten by a snake, or a gorilla?

JAKE:

LORI: This is a serious question, Jake

JAKE: Ok. Snake. There is antivenom

JAKE: Besides, a gorilla would probably take my whole arm off

LORI: So true

JAKE: This is officially the weirdest conversation I think I’ve ever had

LORI: LOL

LORI: Me too

There was another pause and my heart raced and pounded and bashed about in my chest as if it could not be controlled.

JAKE: Night Lori!

LORI: Night, Jake