Oh, I can't control myself

 

Well, if Liv had a doppelganger, then so could Mona and she would meet her head-on. Of course, the restaurant was the best in town for brunch. Jade ordered water and Mona asked for a Mohito. She pulled out her driver's license yet the waitress said she didn't need it.

"I always get carded," she was in a huff but didn't need to be. After all, she was here with her best friend. She hadn't informed Jade this, but she would be her best friend from now on. She didn't have one and wasn't sure what to do with one, either.

Jade didn't say much. She watched Mona with her minty drink. 

"Are you sure you want to go through with this? We should leave well enough alone." Jade reminded her that she was the love of Hoyt's life.

"No, I want to know, if..if she's like me." Mona remained a little sour with her bittersweet drink. It was more potent than she remembered. Hoyt didn't drink. She wondered if his ex drank?

"How..how did you know?" Jade looked at Mona as if she might as well be a sluth. "Did you look on his phone?"

"He had a bunch of old photos in this cigar box under the bed," she shrugged. "Her name was on the back and I looked at an old annual and there she was. Simone."

Mona went on to say when she called her, Simone said right away that she remembered her. "But I can't recall her at all. I don't remember having any classes with her. Supposedly, we were in Biology together and I forgot."

"Hum."

"What?" Mona turned to her as if Jade needed to enlighten her.

"You might not have been aware of too many things," Jade shrugged. It was then that Simone arrived. She was all smiles and glad to see Mona who could barely smile. 

"It's been ages!" There was laughter in her voice and Mona thought she was too loud. They should have met at Bomb Taco for margaritas and listened to grunge rock. Oh, that's where Hoyt would want to be. They always went there when they got off work on Fridays.

Simone acted as if they were old friends. She ordered water too. "Everything is so expensive these days." She took a look at the menu and knew what she wanted. 

Simone was in the nursing field. "I  still  have a ways to go, but I love working at the Children's Hospital." 

Her smile was big and it disgusted Mona all the more. Was Mona holding Hoyt back? No, he was a Momma's boy. Mona knew this much. It was as if his mother ruled everything. Mona worked for his mother.

"When are you and Hoyt getting married?" Simone asked.

This took Mona by surprise. Were Hoyt and Simone still friends?

"Oh, he's had his heart set on you forever," Simone laughed. "I was just that friend who listened about how great you were. I hope you are being good to my old friend."

Mona nodded. Yes, it was time to realize she was with Hoyt now and make the best of it. No more excuses.