A Life More Complete(101)
“Thanks for your concern, but I’d prefer to keep our relationship professional. If you’d please take care of that statement and make sure I get a copy I’d appreciate it.”
“Sure. I’ll do that. Take care, Krissy.”
“Good-bye, Melinda.” I hit the end button hard and toss the phone at the desk. It hits the top with a clatter and skitters across it flipping once before finally resting. I’m angry, but most of all I’m hurt. Tyler is supposed to be working all weekend, yet he can drop everything and rescue Trini. This isn’t new, but it still upsets me. I recall my conversation with Maizey and I wonder when will I hit that breaking point? When will I finally realize that I don’t matter in his world? I don’t even know how I got to this point. It’s as if the last few months of my life went by in blur, like I was in a coma and woke up to a totally different life. I don’t even recognize myself anymore and the fact that I just defended Tyler to Melinda tells me that everyone around me knows he’s an *. I would have mocked a person like me and called them weak and spineless. I definitely wouldn’t have stuck around to watch the shit show unfold. I am undeniably a sucker.
Even though I know it’s a mistake, I call Tyler. I hope that his recount of the story reassures me that he in fact didn’t dump everything and run to Trini’s side. The phone rings four times and with each passing ring my agitation grows. When he answers on the fifth ring the aggravation is tangible. I can hear it in his simple yet harsh answer, “What?”
“Hi, Ty. I got your message,” I say, my tone far too sweet in response to his.
“So, I’m sure you heard already that Trini was arrested again.” He hesitates and I can picture him running his hand though his curly blonde hair and the thought makes me smile slightly. “Did you want something? I’m still at the office and I want to finish up here so I can go home.”
“No. I was just returning your call. I talked to Melinda. She told me about Trini.” I take a moment to gather my thoughts because I’m just not sure how to broach the subject of him and Trini together. “Melinda said that you were with Trini the night she was arrested.” Probably not the best way to interject that into the conversation, but oh well. He doesn’t say anything for what feels like forever.
“Melinda needs to mind her own f*cking business. I’m not sure what she is trying to insinuate, but I’m Trini’s lawyer. She found herself in a very precarious situation and I arrived to serve as her legal counsel. Nothing more,” Tyler says, but his words are forced and sharp.
“That’s what I told her. I’m sure it was nothing.”
“It was nothing. I don’t have personal relationships with my clients. Now seriously, I have to go.”
“Okay, sorry. Before you go,” I can’t help but ask even though I know the response is going to bring upon an argument, “Why’d you go get Trini? You told me you were too busy to be here with me, but you could find the time to pick her up?”
“I’m not even going to respond to that, Krissy. You’re being so f*cking irrational right now. Good-bye.” Tyler hangs up before a single word leaves my mouth. I should have known better than to ask yet I push it just a little too far each time.
I go to bed, once again, vowing not to speak to him until I arrive home. That’s like asking an alcoholic to refrain from drinking while sitting at a bar. I pretty much suck at it.
---Chapter 32---
When you wake the morning of a life-altering event you hardly know it. Most of the time it’s sprung on you and it’s later that you look back on it and think of the event that impacted you in ways you hope to be able to describe one day. Those are the types of situations that can go one of two ways. Number one: In retelling, the story takes on an ethereal quality. The people are funnier or sadder or happier. It is the romanticized version of what really happened. It will be the version that is told to friends, family, and eventually your grandchildren with animation and extreme highs and lows, but it will be the one that has the outcome of wonder and beauty. Then there’s way number two: Everyone has one of these stories. This is the one where everyone is sadder, the problems bigger; the big scene at the end is literally a scene, better yet a debacle. It isn’t the story you tell to your friends or family and definitely not your grandchildren. It is the story that everyone tells about you, while you cower in the corner.