Face Time by S. J. Pajonas

art Evie has ever given me.
    I didn’t sleep at all before my flight. I returned to the hotel after putting Laura in a cab, had a bourbon brought up by room service, and stared out the window until my alarm went off. She caught me off-guard, an unexpected treasure unearthed when I least expected it. I usually stay at the Plaza when I’m in New York, but this was a last minute trip, and they were booked solid, so I ended up at the Algonquin. If I hadn’t stayed there, I would never have met her. My instincts tell me I need to hold onto her somehow, but I’m terrible about following my instincts. I dissect a decision until the outcome is completely logical. The lawyer in me always wins. I can’t believe I’m willing to jump from one long-distance relationship to another, but Laura is vastly different from Sandra. I could love Laura. I could never love Sandra. I never even told her I love her, and we’ve been dating for years.
    I slept almost the entire flight back to Seoul. I’m lucky enough to work for such a high-powered law firm that I fly first or business class everywhere. I got a Screwdriver when I boarded the plane, put on the eye mask, reclined back all the way and fell asleep for five hours straight. Traveling makes me sleepy. The white noise of airplanes puts me out like I’m some sort of infant. Thankfully I’m thirty-five and can still have a drink or two to get me through.
    So I’m only mildly tired and hungover when my phone buzzes not five minutes after I arrive at home.

    Cori Winslow
    Are you back?

    Lee Park
    I am. Just now. Gonna shower and meet you guys for dinner. Where?

    Cori Winslow
    Evie wants pancakes.

    Lee Park
    I’ll meet you at Butterfingers in 45 minutes.

    I’m starving, and pancakes, bacon, and coffee sound perfect as jet lag food. But before I set my phone down, I open up the Photo Library and look at Laura’s picture again. I didn’t imagine her. She’s real. I took her out to dinner and coffee, and before I put her in a cab home, I kissed her. I haven't been on a date like that in... Never.  
    A voice in my head said, “Don't let this one get away,” and when it’s that decisive, I have to listen. I grabbed control and erased all sense of vulnerability from either of us. Figuring out what to do next is harder. I swipe through my open apps to find the World Clock, which is the app I use the most, as stupid as that is. It’s only 5am back in New York. Laura is probably asleep. I wonder what she did with her Saturday while I was flying halfway around the world.
    One hot shower, jeans, and a t-shirt later, I grab my coat and get my Mini Cooper Clubman from the garage downstairs. Butterfingers is in the same neighborhood where I live, Cheongdam-dong, but the car hasn’t been driven in a few weeks. I’m too tired to walk, so I’ll take the car out for a spin. I circle the block around the restaurant twice and find a small spot to maneuver my car into. The block is crowded with Mercedes and BMWs with a few Smart cars wedged into the tiniest spots available. Chris and Cori don’t own a car and the Clubman is just barely big enough for all of us. I’ve taken them to visit my family outside of Seoul and Busan several times. We can’t spend more than two hours in this tiny thing, though, so we don’t do road trips often.
    “Lee,” Evie shouts as I enter the restaurant. Despite the fact that this place sells American breakfasts, the restaurant is busy at all times of the day. I stop inside the door until I spot her, standing up in a booth near the back, waving her arms at me.
    “Sit down, Evie.” Cori pulls her daughter down next to her. Evie’s straight brown hair is in ten million different directions with no less than five pink hair clips holding it back from her face. She’s wearing pink from head to toe, an obvious sign she dressed herself this morning. I babysat overnight once for Cori and Chris so they could get away, and Evie dressed herself in pink for every