Page 50 of Served
The kids giggled, “Dad can play drums?”
I leaned to their level and told them, “Your dad could wail on the drums and was even in a band!” Their eyes lit up and they stared at him like he was a rockstar.
“Blast from the past, but it’s how I snagged your mom!” he said as he held his glass up in Ann’s direction. Ann had a little pink in her cheeks.
“Yeah, I was a sucker for those sweaty hugs after a show!”
The kids let out a huge, “eeewwww,” at the same time and the grown-ups all had a good laugh.
“Okay guys, off to bed! School in the morning!” Ann stood and corralled the kids to their rooms.
“It’s good to see you, sis. Just wish it was under different circumstances,” Ethan said as Ann went up the stairs.
“Yeah, me too. But I’m really okay. How’s work?”
“Work. They pay me well and I’m home at a decent time every day. All I can ask for. So, if you don’t want to be a professional songwriter, what’s your plan?” he asked.
I hadn’t given this thought. It wasn’t until a few days ago I noticed how long it had been since I wrote a song. But I loved music either way.
“Honestly, I don’t know. And until I get past this current life event, I don’t intend to stress about it. I’ll write again. Just maybe not in the same capacity.”
Ann came back downstairs, and we caught up on shallow things and drank wine for another hour. Eventually, Ethan was ready to turn in for the night.
“I hate to cut this short, but I need my beauty sleep so I can get up for work in the morning. It’s good to have you here.” He leaned down and kissed my cheek. Then Ann came and gave me a hug.
“All the sun and wine today has drained me. But I’ll see you in the morning.” I hugged her back then stood, turned the lights off, and went to the guest bedroom.
I grabbed my bag and dropped it on the bed. I shuffled things around and didn’t see my notebook. Then I grabbed my luggage and plopped it on the bed to see if I had packed it there. I shoved my hand down to the bottom and shoved things from side to side to see if I had put the notebook in when I got a whiff of tobacco and vanilla. I started snatching things out one at a time until I found the source. There in the bottom of my bag was his grey t-shirt. I must have grabbed it the last time I was at his place.
I reached in and pulled it to my face. The scent up against my face forced tears from eyes. I fell on the bed still holding the shirt close to my face so I could keep torturing myself.
My tears quickly became sobs. I stuffed my face into a pillow to muffle the sounds. I kept thinking about what Ann said at the beach. It was my fault he left. And even though a million ideas flooded my mind on how to grovel to him, none seemed to be enough. My sobs were startled at the sound of my phone. I pulled my face from the pillow and patted the bed frantically for the phone. I thought I would find it and open it to see a text from Jason and my heart was pounding out of my chest. I felt it under a pile of clothes and swiped quickly.
Amy: Hey, miss you bitch!
Me: Hey, miss you.
Amy: When do you think you’re coming home?
Me: Not sure. But I can’t stay past the weekend. Promised Stan I would be in Monday since I don’t know how long I’ll be out for the trial.
Amy: Ok, well let me know when you plan to come home so I can clean up my mess lol
Me: Ok, I really do miss you. TTYS
I love Amy, but I hadn’t ever been so disappointed. I really believed maybe he missed me enough to text me. Like he could feel me sobbing hundreds of miles away and just had to check on me right then. But it was just Amy.
I stared at the phone for several minutes. At some point I reached over and grabbed the shirt and took another whiff before clutching it to my chest. I started several texts to Jason but kept deleting them as quiet tears ran down my face. My eyes were burning, and I annihilated my cuticles on the non-phone wielding hand. I then simply typed one short message to him.
Me: You’re everything I never knew I wanted until I did.
I put the phone on my chest and was still clutching his shirt as I closed my eyes hoping to get the stinging to subside.
Chapter 25
Jason
It hadn’t even been two whole days, but my spirit was broken. I shouldn’t have blown up at her. Not then. I had even been telling myself that morning as I watched her sleep to let this shit go for now.
