It was the 25th of March when I got the phone call from April, we hadn't caught up for ages. She is a FWB, my go to girl when all around me is going to pieces. This time I was her go to girl.
"Hello," I answered after four rings of my phone. She had a new phone, again, so I didn't recognise the number. "Bobbi, it's April, how are you?" she said in one breath. I recognised the voice immediately but played dumb. "April, April who?" I asked. "Have you got the right number, I mean the only April I know is a close friend, who wouldn't wait 3 months to call her best friend." Silence then a deep sigh greeted my response. "Very good," She replied, "Very funny indeed. Are you finished now?"
"Well you have another new phone number April, I can't keep up with you." I told her. "Other than that and missing you, I am really good." I responded. "Where are you living these days?" I asked.
"Still in the same old place, but 'single again', Heather wanted more than I could give." She told me.
"Sorry to hear that, I really am, I liked Heather and you two seemed so good together." I explained her. "Want to come over for a visit?" I asked her. Knowing that is exactly why she called.
She started to cry, "Could I?" Without hesitating my reply was straight forward. "When can you get here babe?"
Through the tears and sobbing, she said this weekend. This weekend was tomorrow. We talked for another hour telling me how and where it all went wrong for her and Heather. How she felt guilty, then angry, then just plain empty. I listened, because that is what was needed, no prying, no judgement, nothing like that, I just listened. April is very high maintenance. But she is still my best friend.
While we were talking she was booking a flight, landing in Sydney Saturday 10am. and told me so. I smiled to myself, remembering when I had done the exact same thing to her when I broke up with my Russian nightmare of a girlfriend. Except I got a 'I told you so'. She and Ingrid never saw eye to eye.
"How we going to do this?" She asked me.
"Well, first of all I would meet you at the airport, no bells and whistles. Just you and me." I stated in a reference to when she actually arranged for a brass band to greet me after a trip to Europe some 10 years ago, and I returned with Ingrid.
Then me playing the bleeding obvious card, continued. "We tentatively say hello, kiss each others cheeks, hold hands as we wait for your suitcase. You hug my arm, like you always do."
"You are a real hoot, you know." She told me, "Am I staying with you or at a hotel?"