Page 91 of Only After We Met
To: Ginger Davies
Subject: Stress
Sorry, Ginger. Seriously, I feel so bad for being absent these past few weeks. Everything’s been complicated, Owen and Alexa have more contacts in LA than I thought, and I don’t know how, but they’ve gotten the song streamed more than three hundred thousand times. It’s pretty incredible when you keep in mind that no one even knows who we are. It’s cool and all, but at the same time, I didn’t expect this, and I’m sort of freaking out. They want me to go there and do promo with Alexa, but I’m not sure if it’s a good idea.
You know what I really want to do?
This. Go out on the porch with my laptop and a beer, read your messages, and write back to you. Watch the night fall. Look at the moon and imagine the impossible. Look at this bookyou gave me, which I’ve reread probably more times than you have…
But let’s stop talking about me. Tell me how things are going with you. How’s work? Better? Have you adapted after those first few months?
From: Ginger Davies
To: Rhys Baker
Subject: RE: Stress
I get you, Rhys. I love imagining you there on the beach relaxing. It’s very you. But I also get that the Goldbergs want to squeeze everything they can out of this moment. The song’s amazing. And I’m not surprised so many people like it. If you released “Ginger,” it would be every bit as successful or more, even if, obviously, you’d have to change the title. Anyway, don’t do anything you don’t want to. I’m telling you this from experience. Sometimes I think if I could turn back time, I’d do everything differently…
But this is my reality now, right?
Things are fine at work. No real changes. The good thing is I don’t care anymore if all my coworkers blow me off because I’m the boss. At least this girl Sue has been talking to me a lot lately.
Dean continues to knock everybody out, of course. Can you believe my father listened to his suggestion about how to package the drawers? It was stupid (it’s just that the corners get scuffed sometimes), and I’ve proposed way more interesting things he hasn’t even paid attention to. I don’t know, Rhys, I feellike I’m just posing here. I do the billing and other basic stuff, and it goes without saying, this isn’t why I spent four years in college.
I don’t want to bore you though.
Your life is so interesting…
I will tell you one funny thing. The other day I opened the bathroom door without knocking, and you know what I saw? Michael, our roommate, masturbating. It was so…embarrassing. First because I couldn’t not look. I’m human, you know? And he’s…um…big. XXL, as my sister put it. Second, I spent days avoiding him at home. I’m still doing that, actually. I’m scared he’s going to come talk to me, and then I’ll get nervous and say something stupid. Like if he said, “Hey, are you the one who finished the milk?” I’d probably just respond, “Dick, dick, dick, DICK,” like a crazy person. I don’t know how long I can live with him without crossing paths. If only I could get that image out of my head, aargh.
From: Rhys Baker
To: Ginger Davies
Subject: Bad girl
Come on, admit it. You liked it. You noticed how big he was, right? That must mean something. I’m cracking up right now. I’ve told you that you’re the funniest chick I know, right? And a bad girl to boot…opening the bathroom door without knocking… Remind me never to be your roommate.
As far as work—you’re not just posing.
I hate you feeling that way, I really do. I hate it.
I’m going to have to go to Los Angeles after all. I guess I can deal with it for a while. I’ll do the promo, and I’ll spend Christmas with my mom before returning. Moving is the last thing I’ve felt like doing these past few months, and now look at the irony. It must be karma or something.
Even if I did release “Ginger,” I’d never change the title. Why should I? I could never call it anything else. But I feel… I don’t know, I think it would make me feel weird to share something of mine, you know? Something of yours, actually. Or maybe it’s something of ours.
From: Ginger Davies
To: Rhys Baker
Subject: It must be karma
I like the sound of that,something of ours.
I’m sorry you have to go to Los Angeles. When do you leave? I noticed you keep getting more and more streams. Amazing. I’m so, so proud of you.
From: Ginger Davies