Chapter 13 - The Revolving Door Incident

There are moments in life when you realize you should've just stayed home.

Tonight?

This was one of them.

I step into the bodega, fully prepared for whatever nonsense Catherine has planned for me. I'm ready. I've had my coffee. My defenses are up.

But what I am not ready for… is the moment a complete stranger points at me from across the store and says—

"Oh my god. You're the guy from the revolving door!"

Silence.

Absolute silence.

Catherine stops mid-sip. Luis freezes.

My soul leaves my body.

I don't turn around. I don't have to.

I already know.

It's happening again.

Slowly—too slowly—I turn to face the woman now standing by the fridge, grinning like she just won the lottery.

"I knew I recognized you!" she says, pointing at me like I'm a missing person. "You're the guy who got stuck in the hotel revolving door last winter!"

Luis drops his pen. Catherine covers her mouth.

I do not respond. I am processing.

The woman continues.

"Oh man, that was HILARIOUS. You were yelling for help for, like, five whole minutes!"

Luis lets out a full-body wheeze. He leans against the register for support. Catherine is shaking.

I clear my throat, trying to salvage my dignity. "It wasn't—"

"No, no," the woman interrupts, fully invested in my downfall. "And the worst part? You weren't even STUCK! You just kept pushing the wrong way!"

Catherine is CRYING. Luis is GONE.

I take a long sip of my iced coffee. It tastes like regret.