we got into about who left the basement light on or which one of us didn’t unload the dishwasher? God, I miss those days when that was the worst of our problems.
His alarm suddenly sounded and his phone rang simultaneously. He looked at the caller ID: Ma
Wiping his eyes, he answered his phone. “What are you doing calling me at six-thirty in the morning?”
“Well, you picked up, didn’t you? I’d like you to explain to me why you’ve been avoiding my calls! It was Aunt Betty’s birthday on Wednesday and you didn’t even show up to the party!” Maxie said in annoyance.
“Shit. I’m sorry. Tell Betty I’ll call her this weekend. I’ve been…preoccupied lately.”
“Yeah, I ran into Gabe at the grocery store and he said that there was some heavy stuff going on. Tell me, is it Charlie?”
He sighed, his gut reacting to the sound of her name. “Yes. But I really don’t want to talk about it now, Ma. We’re in a tough spot.”
“Did you break up? Oh my gosh, tell me it’s not true! Tell me that you’re still planning for a wedding. I need a wedding, Sam.”
He rolled his eyes. I’m not getting back together with Charlie just because my mom wants Charlie to have fresh-picked flowers from her medicine wheel.
“Please, Mom. Not now. I’ve got a deadline today at five o’clock and I need to concentrate. Plus, there are just some things you shouldn’t know about my relationship.”
“I’m your mother! You should be able to tell me anything!”
Not if I intend on getting back together with her. Imagine the horror of having Mom glare at Charlie every time she came over… God! Listen to me. As if I’ve already decided I’m going to fight for this.
“Not this. Not now. I’m sorry, Ma, I really am. We’ll get together next week and I’ll explain as much as I can, okay?”
She huffed. “Just…tell me you’re okay.”
“I’ll be fine. I promise.”
*
With only minutes to spare on Friday evening, Sam completed the CD cover and insert for Mr. Walker. After emailing the final proof, he shrugged on a clean shirt and headed out the door to meet Gabe.
Walking into the bar, Sam glanced quickly around the room until he spotted Gabe sitting up against the counter. Gabe nodded, taking his mouth away from the beer mug only briefly.
“Hey,” Gabe said.
Sam ordered his drink from the bartender, and after taking a sip he finally said, “Hey.”
Gabe laughed. “For real? Still wound up, eh? I see you ordered the heavy stuff.” He lowered his voice and leaned in. “I mean, is that pure orange juice? That shit’ll mess you up.”
“Funny.” Sam showed no sincerity.
“Why don’t you just go out and find a revenge fuck?”
Sam abruptly set his glass down on the bar-top and in a sharp tone replied, “Again, not funny. That worked out real well the last time, didn’t it?”
“Oh, come on now. Lighten up or I’ll beat some sense into you.”
Sam’s brow twitched upward. “Right. I’m the lethal weapon here, trained to know how to kill people. Shit, you’ve never even pushed someone down.”
“Well, would that make you feel better? You wanna fight?”
Sam shook his head. “No. I’m not sure what could make me feel better anymore.”
“You were ready to forgive her a few weeks ago when you showed up at that work party she had. I told you not to go, but you just wouldn’t listen to me; but that’s beside the point. What changed? I mean, why did you want to forgive her then, but won’t forgive her now?” Gabe asked.
“ Because she left me !” Sam shouted. The crowd in the bar all looked at Sam momentarily before returning to their conversations. Hushed now, Sam continued. “I don’t understand. I mean, I may have rushed into forgiving her by showing up, but she left. I mean, poof! —fucking gone. I went inside to get her coat, and when I came back out she’d vanished. I’m starting to put a few of the pieces together, and her motivations over the past few weeks, but
His alarm suddenly sounded and his phone rang simultaneously. He looked at the caller ID: Ma
Wiping his eyes, he answered his phone. “What are you doing calling me at six-thirty in the morning?”
“Well, you picked up, didn’t you? I’d like you to explain to me why you’ve been avoiding my calls! It was Aunt Betty’s birthday on Wednesday and you didn’t even show up to the party!” Maxie said in annoyance.
“Shit. I’m sorry. Tell Betty I’ll call her this weekend. I’ve been…preoccupied lately.”
“Yeah, I ran into Gabe at the grocery store and he said that there was some heavy stuff going on. Tell me, is it Charlie?”
He sighed, his gut reacting to the sound of her name. “Yes. But I really don’t want to talk about it now, Ma. We’re in a tough spot.”
“Did you break up? Oh my gosh, tell me it’s not true! Tell me that you’re still planning for a wedding. I need a wedding, Sam.”
He rolled his eyes. I’m not getting back together with Charlie just because my mom wants Charlie to have fresh-picked flowers from her medicine wheel.
“Please, Mom. Not now. I’ve got a deadline today at five o’clock and I need to concentrate. Plus, there are just some things you shouldn’t know about my relationship.”
“I’m your mother! You should be able to tell me anything!”
Not if I intend on getting back together with her. Imagine the horror of having Mom glare at Charlie every time she came over… God! Listen to me. As if I’ve already decided I’m going to fight for this.
“Not this. Not now. I’m sorry, Ma, I really am. We’ll get together next week and I’ll explain as much as I can, okay?”
She huffed. “Just…tell me you’re okay.”
“I’ll be fine. I promise.”
*
With only minutes to spare on Friday evening, Sam completed the CD cover and insert for Mr. Walker. After emailing the final proof, he shrugged on a clean shirt and headed out the door to meet Gabe.
Walking into the bar, Sam glanced quickly around the room until he spotted Gabe sitting up against the counter. Gabe nodded, taking his mouth away from the beer mug only briefly.
“Hey,” Gabe said.
Sam ordered his drink from the bartender, and after taking a sip he finally said, “Hey.”
Gabe laughed. “For real? Still wound up, eh? I see you ordered the heavy stuff.” He lowered his voice and leaned in. “I mean, is that pure orange juice? That shit’ll mess you up.”
“Funny.” Sam showed no sincerity.
“Why don’t you just go out and find a revenge fuck?”
Sam abruptly set his glass down on the bar-top and in a sharp tone replied, “Again, not funny. That worked out real well the last time, didn’t it?”
“Oh, come on now. Lighten up or I’ll beat some sense into you.”
Sam’s brow twitched upward. “Right. I’m the lethal weapon here, trained to know how to kill people. Shit, you’ve never even pushed someone down.”
“Well, would that make you feel better? You wanna fight?”
Sam shook his head. “No. I’m not sure what could make me feel better anymore.”
“You were ready to forgive her a few weeks ago when you showed up at that work party she had. I told you not to go, but you just wouldn’t listen to me; but that’s beside the point. What changed? I mean, why did you want to forgive her then, but won’t forgive her now?” Gabe asked.
“ Because she left me !” Sam shouted. The crowd in the bar all looked at Sam momentarily before returning to their conversations. Hushed now, Sam continued. “I don’t understand. I mean, I may have rushed into forgiving her by showing up, but she left. I mean, poof! —fucking gone. I went inside to get her coat, and when I came back out she’d vanished. I’m starting to put a few of the pieces together, and her motivations over the past few weeks, but
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