town.”
“Oh, well, bring them along, too. We have room.”
The answer of, No , is my first instinct. There’s no way I’m subjecting myself to the torture of us all being in the same room…yet.
“I think we’re just going to stay here. I don’t want to put you guys out.”
“Don’t be like that. You won’t be putting us out at all. Who is it by the way? A friend from Florida?”
“No,” I hesitate, “not Florida. Someone from back home.”
“Your friend Lexi?”
“No.” I reach the end of the block, stopping for the rest of the conversation. “It’s Brent.”
Silence.
It’s heavy, intentional, and full-of-judgment silence.
“Cody?”
“I’m sorry. I don’t think I heard you right. Did you say Brent? As in Cromwell?”
“Yes, of course. I don’t know any others.”
Silence.
I don’t even hear his breaths.
A couple walks hand in hand at the park across the street, traveling the length of six cars parked along the side of the road, as I wait and listen to nothing on the other line. Cody’s quiet is more frightening than his moments of rage.
“He’s here in town,” I say tentatively, “and I’m going to spend Thanksgiving with him.”
A long sound of air enters through the phone as Cody takes a calming breath.
“Why didn’t you just tell me before?” he questions.
He’s trying to be reasonable. We’ve both come a long way.
“I didn’t know he was coming, I just found out this morning.”
“So, what does this mean?”
“What do you mean?”
“Are you seeing him? Or is he just here to get in your pants?”
That hurts. It hurts badly.
“That’s none of your business,” I reply defensively, continuing toward my building. “But if you must know, I’m seeing him. Okay?”
“And you’re just now telling me?” He’s flabbergasted.
“We literally just decided to spend the holiday together last night. I didn’t know. I’m sorry.”
“I’m not talking about Thanksgiving. I’m talking about him. How long have you been seeing him?”
“About a month.” Might as well give it all to him. “I went out to L.A. a few weeks ago, too.”
“Wait.” Cody exerts a few tongue-tying sounds, not making any sense at all. “What the hell? Now, you’re taking secret trips across the country?”
I don’t know how to respond. He’s got me there. At the time, I wanted to keep what was happening with Brent and me a private thing since I wasn’t sure where it would lead, but in retrospect, traveling two thousand miles and not telling anyone is a big deal.
“What are you?” he continues. “Are you ashamed or something?”
“No. I’m sorry I didn’t say anything earlier. I just didn’t want to deal with the shit I knew you would hand out—like you’re doing now.”
“Hell yeah, I’m giving you shit. Do you need a reminder of what happened? ’Cause I’m happy to recap it for you. That fucker left you, and I had to pick up the pieces. Shit, Ruby! How could you even forgive him for what he did?”
“Because there’s nothing to forgive. He didn’t do anything wrong. I don’t know why you can’t see that.”
“You must be blind. You want to go through that again? Back there?”
“I’m not going back there,” I tell him through tight lips. “That was a long time ago. I’ve paid my dues, too.”
“It’s not about paying dues, and you know it.”
“Stop, Cody. Fucking. Let! It! Go!” My voice rises. “He’s suffered, too, and it’s my life. I’ll do what I want, so stay the fuck out of it.”
“Fine,” he snarls. “When you hit bottom again, don’t think I’ll be looking for you.”
“I don’t want you to.” I’m about a block from my building and so full of rage. I fucking hate Cody right now, and this conversation needs to end. “I’m hanging up. Tell Shauna I’m sorry. I’ll call you later once you get your head out of your ass and want to talk like a grown-up instead of some overprotective asshole. You’re not my
“Oh, well, bring them along, too. We have room.”
The answer of, No , is my first instinct. There’s no way I’m subjecting myself to the torture of us all being in the same room…yet.
“I think we’re just going to stay here. I don’t want to put you guys out.”
“Don’t be like that. You won’t be putting us out at all. Who is it by the way? A friend from Florida?”
“No,” I hesitate, “not Florida. Someone from back home.”
“Your friend Lexi?”
“No.” I reach the end of the block, stopping for the rest of the conversation. “It’s Brent.”
Silence.
It’s heavy, intentional, and full-of-judgment silence.
“Cody?”
“I’m sorry. I don’t think I heard you right. Did you say Brent? As in Cromwell?”
“Yes, of course. I don’t know any others.”
Silence.
I don’t even hear his breaths.
A couple walks hand in hand at the park across the street, traveling the length of six cars parked along the side of the road, as I wait and listen to nothing on the other line. Cody’s quiet is more frightening than his moments of rage.
“He’s here in town,” I say tentatively, “and I’m going to spend Thanksgiving with him.”
A long sound of air enters through the phone as Cody takes a calming breath.
“Why didn’t you just tell me before?” he questions.
He’s trying to be reasonable. We’ve both come a long way.
“I didn’t know he was coming, I just found out this morning.”
“So, what does this mean?”
“What do you mean?”
“Are you seeing him? Or is he just here to get in your pants?”
That hurts. It hurts badly.
“That’s none of your business,” I reply defensively, continuing toward my building. “But if you must know, I’m seeing him. Okay?”
“And you’re just now telling me?” He’s flabbergasted.
“We literally just decided to spend the holiday together last night. I didn’t know. I’m sorry.”
“I’m not talking about Thanksgiving. I’m talking about him. How long have you been seeing him?”
“About a month.” Might as well give it all to him. “I went out to L.A. a few weeks ago, too.”
“Wait.” Cody exerts a few tongue-tying sounds, not making any sense at all. “What the hell? Now, you’re taking secret trips across the country?”
I don’t know how to respond. He’s got me there. At the time, I wanted to keep what was happening with Brent and me a private thing since I wasn’t sure where it would lead, but in retrospect, traveling two thousand miles and not telling anyone is a big deal.
“What are you?” he continues. “Are you ashamed or something?”
“No. I’m sorry I didn’t say anything earlier. I just didn’t want to deal with the shit I knew you would hand out—like you’re doing now.”
“Hell yeah, I’m giving you shit. Do you need a reminder of what happened? ’Cause I’m happy to recap it for you. That fucker left you, and I had to pick up the pieces. Shit, Ruby! How could you even forgive him for what he did?”
“Because there’s nothing to forgive. He didn’t do anything wrong. I don’t know why you can’t see that.”
“You must be blind. You want to go through that again? Back there?”
“I’m not going back there,” I tell him through tight lips. “That was a long time ago. I’ve paid my dues, too.”
“It’s not about paying dues, and you know it.”
“Stop, Cody. Fucking. Let! It! Go!” My voice rises. “He’s suffered, too, and it’s my life. I’ll do what I want, so stay the fuck out of it.”
“Fine,” he snarls. “When you hit bottom again, don’t think I’ll be looking for you.”
“I don’t want you to.” I’m about a block from my building and so full of rage. I fucking hate Cody right now, and this conversation needs to end. “I’m hanging up. Tell Shauna I’m sorry. I’ll call you later once you get your head out of your ass and want to talk like a grown-up instead of some overprotective asshole. You’re not my
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