Page 20 of Rescue
Chapter 11
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Penelope
Oh geez, what does he want? I send the call to voicemail. I just had an awesome afternoon and I am not in the mood to talk to Spencer right now. If it’s an emergency then he can call someone he’s actually close to. He is not my problem anymore and I’m not going to let him ruin my day. I decide on pizza for dinner and dig through my purse to find my credit card.
When the phone starts ringing and I see his name flash across the screen again, I sigh heavily and just answer. I don’t know why I thought I could ignore him. He’s so self-absorbed that he never even stops to think maybe the person he’s trying to get a hold of doesn’t want to be reached.
“Hello?” I say, attitude and annoyance laced through my tone.
“Hey, babe, when are you coming home? There’s several things we need to talk about and a few events coming up that you should put in your calendar. Do you know what day you’ll be done helping at the cafe? It would be helpful if I knew. I can’t just wait around on Nana’s hip forever, you know what I mean?”
His words give me whiplash. Why is he acting as though that morning in the apartment never happened? I don’t know how I could have been more clear.
“Spencer-,” I start. It’s just like him to completely disregard everything I’ve said in favor of what works best for him. I can’t believe I just let him push me around like this for 3 years.
“I know you’re busy playing ‘shop girl’ or whatever up there,” he says cutting me off. “But it’s time to grow up and come take care of your commitments.”
“I don’t know what commitments you’re referring to right now, Spencer. You and I broke up.”
“You don’t really expect me to believe that YOU are breaking up with ME, do you?” Could he be any more condescending? Does he think this is going to work? “I know you want more attention, Penelope, but honestly, I’m a busy man and I don’t have time for these games. I’ll say it one more time,” he starts speaking slowly as if I’m not catching on fast enough, “it’s time to come home and plan our wedding.”
“We broke up,” I say just as slowly. Maybe he’s the one who isn’t catching on. I left a note with my ring. What did he think that meant? “I don’t want to be with you anymore, Spencer.”
“That’s just ridiculous. I’ve invested 3 years of my life on you.” His words have a venom to them that wasn’t there before. “I’ve groomed you and taught you how to be the perfect wife and this is how you repay me? I don’t think so. You’ll come home and marry me just like you said you would and that’s that.”
I can’t believe what he’s saying to me. As though I’m some kind of charity case he took on. He thinks that what he says is the law, and I guess I acted like that was true for a while, but I’m not going to do that anymore. He’s not anything special, just a man I wasted entirely too much time on. I’m not going to make that mistake again.
I consider telling him exactly what I think of him, but then I realize that nothing I say is going to make a difference. If I get angry and tell him off, he’ll win. I decide to get straight to the point. I’m not playing these games with him anymore.
“Spencer, I don’t know why you think you can order me to come home and I'll come back with my tail between my legs, but that is the last thing I’m going to do. I’ll be back in a few weeks to get the rest of my stuff and then we’re through. I don’t want to be your trophy wife. I allowed myself to be your puppet for way too long. I’m done. It’s over. Get it through your head.”
I’m clear, calm, and concise. Once I finish, I hang up the phone. I don’t need to hear anything else he has to say.
I don’t know what I ever saw in him, but the rose-colored glasses are off and now that I see him for who he really is, I can’t stand him. I could never live my life with someone like that and nothing has ever been more clear to me.
A frisson of anxiety runs through me when I think of my date tomorrow evening with Miles. I don’t think Miles and Spencer are anything alike, but now I’m questioning my decision to say yes to a date so soon after my breakup.
I fall asleep that night thinking about my relationship with Spencer and how I ignored all the warning signs that seemed to be screaming at me. I hate to say it but now I’m questioning everything I thought I knew about Miles as well.
I wake the next morning to banging coming from downstairs.That’s strangeI think to myselfIt’s Sunday, it’s way too early for this. I check my phone and see that it’s only 8 am on my only day to sleep in.Ugh.
I quickly get up and throw a cardigan over my pajamas, slowly making my way downstairs to find the source of all the noise. Once I get about halfway down the stairs I recognize one of the voices as Nana’s. Well, that makes more sense.
There’s no one in the kitchen, so I poke my head through the door to see what’s going on. What I find is a very handsome man, banging on the wall underneath the window.
“That’s it, check and make sure there aren’t any OTHER studs in that area, besides you of course.” She has the nerve to wink at the man after she blatantly flirts.
“Like I said, Mrs. Walker, there’s no studs here, but if all you want is a different window, I don’t think there would be any issues. I can order you one, the hardware store here in town doesn’t carry them. Does that work for you?”
“Now, Mason, we’ve known each other for ages now, you know you can call me Mabel. And yes, please do order that window. Once you get it in, give me a call and we’ll figure out a time for you to come and install it.”
“Absolutely, ma’am.”
Seeing that neither of them know I’m standing here, I clear my throat. They both turn in my direction.
“Nana, you didn’t think to tell me you’d have someone here, banging on the walls first thing in the morning?”
