Page 52 of Picking Pismo

A long pause. Claire cleared her throat. “Was there anything else?”

“How are you doing?” asked David.

Shifting her phone from one hand to the other, Claire flipped onto her side. “Exactly how do you think I’d be doing?” Her voice cracked, and she hated how quickly David was breaking down her resolve. She knew she shouldn’t be telling him anything. Claire needed to get over him, and talking to him would only do the opposite.

“Not good, I’m sorry,” said David.

His words vibrated around in her brain.

With a long sigh, Claire said, “Everyone is always sorry, but they’re not living my life.” Claire knew she needed to stop complaining. There were plenty of people out in the world who were way worse off. But there was something soothing and calm about telling one person that everything felt hard and difficult. And David happened to be an excellent listener. “I’m barely holding it together.” She blew out a long, shaky breath. “I think our visit to Pismo did more harm than good. Seeing everyone made Alexis miss everything even more, and now Alexis is walking around like she hates me and her life.”

“She’s upset you can only visit Pismo once a year. She doesn’t think it’s enough. If she knew she could visit more, then it wouldn’t feel so heavy,” revealed David.

With a clenched jaw, Claire shrieked, “It’s all I can afford!”

“You can always stay at my place for free,” offered David. “And my parents really don’t mind you staying at their place either. Look, that’s two practical options right there for you.”

“Thanks, it’s nice of you to offer. But your living situation might change. You might find a girlfriend, wife, whatever and I’m sure they wouldn’t appreciate us staying there.” Claire ran a finger across the top of her pillowtop duvet cover. “I don’t want to promise Alexis something and not be able to deliver. It’ll only make things worse between us.”

“I don’t plan on finding a girlfriend or wife for that matter,” stated David.

“You don’t know,” said Claire. “You might wake up tomorrow and fall in love with someone you meet at the supermarket.”

David paused so long Claire worried the connection dropped.

Pulling the phone away from her ear, Claire double checked the connection. “David are you still there?” she asked.

His voice cracked as he said, “I’m still here.”

“Okay,” replied Claire.

“Hang in there Claire. And Claire,” his voice dangled in the air.

“Yeah,” Claire rubbed her jaw.

“It’ll be okay. Just remember Alexis is a teenager who lost everything. She’s struggling. Cut her some slack.”

Claire gripped the phone so hard it made her knuckles turn white. “I’ll try to remember that.” Anger bubbled up in her chest. The last thing she needed was to be reprimanded by him.

“I’ll call you tomorrow,” said David.

“And I might pick up,” Claire snapped back.

Then she abruptly ended the call before David could reply further. She threw Alexis’s phone down on top of her bed and screamed into her palmed hands.

CHAPTER TWENTY

“Dr. Clark.” Sarah’s voice stopped David in his tracks.

He backpedaled the few steps to her reception desk. “What’s up, Sarah?” David flipped through the chart in his hand, adding a few notes to the patient’s chart.

Sarah shifted in her seat and waved for him to come closer. Leaning over her arm rest, Sarah glanced out at the people sitting in the lobby. Once she confirmed they weren’t paying attention, she whispered, “Your ex-wife is on the phone.”

His blood ran cold. David cracked his neck in both directions. “My ex-wife?” he repeated. “Why is Lauren calling?”

“I don’t know.” Sarah gnawed on a fingernail. “I tried to get her to tell me, but she wouldn’t. Do you want me to take a message? I can tell her you’re busy.”

Sweat slathered his brow. He tugged at the collar of his shirt. “I—” David glanced at his watch, then out at the patients waiting in the lobby to be seen. Lauren knew he was busy during the day. He wondered why she was contacting him, but he didn’t want the dread of calling her back hanging over his head forever either. “I’ll take it in my office if she’s willing to wait five minutes.”