“I have to respect that. Cassidy, it’s killing me inside, but how can I make this any harder for her? I have to support her on this,” I explained.
“It’s not fair. I’m losing my best friend,” she pouted.
“I thought I was your best friend,” I teased.
“You are, but you know what I mean.”
“I do, but I need you to do something really hard: you have to back her on this. Brook is hurting right now, and she needs to know that we both are there for her.”
“If I’m brave, can I keep your car?” she asked.
I burst out laughing, which made her laugh.
“Sorry, I had to take my shot,” she explained.
“Nine times out of ten, that would have worked. You know I would do anything to keep you from hurting, and I realize that Brook leaving is going to be hard. How about we figure out ways we can keep in touch with Brook and reassure her that we love her?” I suggested.
“Has Halle called you yet?” Cassidy asked.
“No.”
“Good. Now that you and Brook are no longer dating, it would be a terrible idea if you hooked up with her. You need to take a step back and figure out what works for you,” she suggested.
The ‘no longer dating’ comment almost buckled my knees. It was one thing to think it and an entirely different matter to hear it said aloud. I had to push that emotion into a little box inside and close it off, or I would be a mess and call Brook and beg her to stay. I decided to focus on Cassidy and her feelings to distract me from dying inside.
“Since when did you get so smart?” I asked.
“I watch what you do. It’s the same advice you would give me if I broke up with Don,” she said.
“We could go out,” I suggested.
“No. I saw what happened when Tami messed you up. I’m not going to be your rebound girl.”
“Have any suggestions for ‘rebound girl’?” I asked.
“I sure do. Rosy Palm and her five sisters.”
If I ever forgot that Cassidy had grown up around Marines, that last statement would etch it in stone.
“On that note, I’m outta here,” I said.
“David,” Cassidy said in a quiet voice.
“Yes, Buttercup?”
“It’s going to be okay, isn’t it?”
“Yes. All we can do is love and support her. Things will change, but she will always be our friend.”
“You promise?”
“That I do. Now go talk to Brook and tell her that everything will be alright,” I said.
“I will,” she said. “And David, thanks for helping me understand what she’s going through. I forgot how hard this was for her and only thought about how it affected me.”
“Don’t feel bad about that. Your feelings are valid. It sucks that Brook’s leaving. I’m glad you came up with a possible solution. In the end, we need to do whatever she wants.”
I cringed when I heard myself channel my uncle with the ‘your feelings are valid’ line. As much as I hated it when he said it, it was true.
“Even if she’s wrong?” Cassidy tried one more time.
“Even if.”
“Okay,” she said and hung up.
Talking to Cassidy was a wake-up for me. Brook leaving wasn’t just about the two of us. She had touched many lives, and her moving would be hard on everyone—my family included.
My parents had become close to Brook’s mom and dad. Once my mom had figured out how serious I was about Brook, she had supplanted Tami in many ways in my mom’s eyes. Which, to be honest, was an excellent thing, in my view.
◊◊◊
While I talked to Cassidy, Tsuyoshi Nomura had arrived. Everyone walked out to the pool area to drink some wine and enjoy the California weather. I’d kicked everyone out of the kitchen because I was cooking dinner tonight as a special thank you to Mr. Nomura and Lexi for their help with filming the J-drama.
Mary Dole, my partner in the restaurants, had helped me refine my cooking skills. She had taught me that proper planning was the key to executing a successful meal—that, and following a recipe.
Timing when everything would be served, when done correctly, made for a flawless presentation. She contended that a great meal was more than just well-prepared dishes; it was part theater. That meant that it had to be presented in an appealing manner and delivered at the appropriate time. These were concepts I understood.
I’d asked her for some ideas for a meal that would be something new for me to try. She’d sent me a menu and the recipes that went with them. I was excited to see how it turned out.
For the appetizer, I was making a fruit, nut, and cheese tray. The cheese was baked brie in a puff pastry with jalapeno jelly. Mary had advised that after it came out of the oven to let it cool for ten minutes before serving. That way, the cheese would have a chance to firm up a bit instead of oozing all over the place like molten lava.
For the main course, I was preparing a skillet cod with lemon and capers. When she suggested it, I was a little uneasy. Cooking fish carries an air of fuss, but Mary assured me it was easy, especially if I followed her tip. She said to make sure the fillets were extremely dry before putting them in the pan in order to get the crispiest golden-brown crust on the fish.
