"You Can't Stay a Saint in This City"

After an extended visit to the Children’s Hospital where I continued to read The Cat in the Hat and Red Fish Blue Fish, Milan and I were at Chart House eating dinner. The Chart House was a chain restaurant which meant I wasn’t exactly getting authentic New England clam chowder. I mean I could get my chowder at San Francisco in a month but that wasn’t the same. But at least Milan and I would finally get some time to talk.

“I have something for you Amber.” Milan says reaching his hand into his pocket. Milan slides a black velvet box across the table “here you go”

“Thank you Milan” I say not forgetting my manners but I can’t help but feel my palms sweat. It’s not that I don’t want to be married to Milan…I just can’t see it right now. How do you even turn down a wedding proposal? It’s not exactly something you learn from TV.

“Oh,” I say as I open the box, seeing the familiar ring I feel relief wash over me. “Is it an extra?”

“Nope it’s mine.” Milan says taking my hand in his and slipping the ring onto my finger, understandably it’s a bit loose.

“Milan, I can’t take this.” It’s not really worth anything to me but to Milan it means the world.

Milan appears put off by my confusion “I’m not asking you to marry me or something Amber… I just want you to keep it safe.”

“Why?” I’m sure his mother or father would be proud to display the ring on their mantel.

“I don’t know if you heard but my Memorial Cup ring was stolen a couple years ago.”

“Milan that’s awful.”

“Anyway Amber, I trust you as much as I trust any safety deposit box so I’m letting you take this ring back with you to LA.”

I stare down at the very large cluster of diamonds on my ring finger. “Sure”

“So… I wanted to talk.” Milan says and the easiness in my stomach returns.

“Yes?” It’s all I can manage. After all it’s only natural that I jump to the worse class scenario. Wait, if he were to break up with me why would he give me his Stanley Cup ring? He’s probably not going to be breaking up with me.

“Well… how do you like Boston?” Milan asks starting off with small talk.

“I really love it here.” It’s a little too much like Vancouver for my liking. I feel like I’ve already figured it out the city and know where everything is.

Milan finally gets to his point. “Do you ever think you’d live here long-term?”

“Oh” I say taken aback. It’s true what they say about Hollywood, it really is just like high school in how everyone knows everyone else. But high school is a lot more fun when you’re calling the shots and everyone seems fascinated by you. I’m not sure I could ever leave that behind. “Maybe in five years or something.” I lie again. It just seems easier than telling the truth right now.

Milan smiles in a sort of secretive way “So you’ll be 27.”

“Yeah,” My birthday is mid-November so the majority of the year is over by the time I celebrate my birthday “What about it?”

Milan looks surprised in a bad way “You don’t remember?”

“Nope.” I reply as our appetizers arrive. “Do you want to fill me in?”

“It’s fine Amber.” Milan replies if he’s anything like me those words mean the exact opposite.
_______

It was early in the morning and I was listening to a loop of Amber Lynn by The Mayday Parade for the past fifteen minutes. Even though it was about some porn star that lived in Florida, Amber Lynn always made me think of my own little Amber Li. Could it really be that Amber doesn’t remember what she said that day in the library. I guess people change and along the way so have her priorities.

I pulled the ear buds out of my ears and glanced over at Amber. She seemed a lot more tired right now than during the summer, now she was always sleeping and yawning. That being said, Amber was sleeping quietly while I was thinking. Had it really been nearly a week since Amber randomly appeared in my living room? I guess it must’ve been since today was the 22 and I was playing the Sharks later. I look down at the little dog at the bottom right corner of the bed, at least she got a dog out of it the trip.

“Amber…” I call gently shaking her shoulder.

“Mmm?”

“Your flight leaves in a little over an hour. I think we need to get you to the airport, sweetheart” I tell her as she rubs her eyes.

“I miss you already Milan.” Amber says getting out of bed, wearing my Bruins t-shirt from the Stanley Cup parade.

“Do you think you’ll ever come visit me in LA?” Amber asks hopefully as she digs through her already-packed Louis Vuitton bags for something to wear.

“I don’t know…” I reply honestly. I don’t exactly receive a lot of days off and a flight to LA isn’t exactly the same as a drive to Providence.

“I have a lot to show you in the city of angels. We can sun bathe in Venice Beach, go to a Lakers Game at the Staples Center and get some cupcakes at Sprinkles…” Amber trails off in typical Amber fashion while I wonder what kind of reception I’d get if the Boston sports fans caught me at a Lakers Game.

“All ready?” I ask as Amber scoops a still sleeping Givenchy into the Louis Vuitton dog carrier and zips up the mesh door.
_______

I slip the gargantuan ring off my finger and put it into one of those plastic trays as I walk through airport security. My flight had been delayed for two hours but I couldn’t wait to see Dolce and Coco again. I loved airports they were always so busy and alive. But LAX always meant paparazzi lots of paparazzi. Sometimes I’m lucky enough that they don’t recognize me when I’m in an old pair of Lululemons and fuschia Chuck Taylors or someone like Demi Moore or Justin Bieber shows up. Only then am I lucky enough to pass through without hassle.

I hailed a cab and it took me back to my house, surprisingly there wasn’t a crowd gathered around it. I guess people have moved on to the next big thing. I mean I was excepting it at some point but I guess it was nice knowing that random people cared about my life. However I guess it’s more likely that they figured there wasn’t anything to see anymore. And I’ll become one of those people who don’t deserve to be famous.

“Hi Ambrosia.” Mike says as I open my door. Do I smell popcorn?

“Um, hi?” I say walking into the living room where Mike is lying on the couch watching South Park with Dolce, Coco and Arnold laying on the floor seemingly entranced by the little cartoon people. “Don’t take this the wrong way but what are you doing here?”

“My cable’s broken the guy’s coming there tomorrow to fix it. How was Boston?” he of course asks the obligatory question

“I don’t want to talk about it.” I say letting Givenchy out of the dog carrier to explore her new home.

“Okay…” Mike says sensing that I am not trying to be cute but in fact don’t want to talk about my trip. “Well I’ll see you at the game tonight then.” Mike says turning off the television and walking out the door with Arnold trailing behind him and Dolce and Coco looking on longingly at his back. See what happens when you leave for a week.

“Yeah, I guess” I say as walk into the kitchen to prep myself a three o’clock lunch of salad and Vitamin Water.