Page 11 of Shooting for his Heart
“Open the door, Marshawn! I know you’re in there. I can hear those big feet clomping around.”
My heart stopped as the voice coming from outside my door registered in my mind. The last person I wanted to or expected to see was Clarissa, especially since the cast wasn’t set to arrive for a few more days. I had never known her to be early for anything. Annoyance painted my face as I put my beer on theside table and moved to the front door. After swinging it open, I didn’t waste time letting my food get cold before turning back and heading for my chair.
“Make it fast, Clarissa.”
“Wow! Is that any way to greet the one great love of your life?” Clarissa asked in a sing-song way as she pranced into the living room as if she owned the place.
“What do you want?” I asked before biting into my sandwich.
“I just wanted to clear the air and make sure that the two of us worked together as well as possible.”
“After that check cleared, there was nothing left to clear between us. I’ve never had an issue working in a hostile environment. I make horror movies, remember?”
“Why does the environment have to be hostile? We should be able to be cordial.”
“Absolutely.” I shrugged as I continued my meal. Craft services had really outdone themselves today.
“Marty, you can’t even look at me. Remember all the fun we used to have?”
“Vaguely.”
“This is absurd. I flew in early hoping that we could catch up… maybe even rekindle things a little before filming starts.”
“There’s nothing to rekindle,” I stated, finally looking up from the creamy soup.
“Of course, there is. There’s no way you could forget all the passion between us. You’re the one that told me everyone has one great love, and that you were grateful to find me.”
“That was more of a curse than either of us could have anticipated.”
“You want me to think you hate me, but I know you don’t, Marty.”
“I want you to understand that I regret getting married when I was too young and dumb to realize that I was being played.Every move you make is a calculated step to advance to the next level. I can’t knock you for that, but I hate that I was part of your comeuppance. I don’t hate you, but I don’t want to entertain your company either. So, if you don’t mind!” I pointed toward the door.
“You’re really going to throw me out?”
“You should have known better than to come here.”
“I was hoping that after so much time had passed, you would be more reasonable. I never stopped loving you.”
“Woman… if you don’t get the hell out of here with that bullshit!”
“Seriously, Marty. I have followed your career for the past few years, and I admire your drive. You never stopped fighting for the position in the industry that you knew you deserved. I knew that the drive you had to succeed drove somewhat of a wedge between us, but I played a huge part in our separation. I should have been more understanding and less selfish.”
“Thank you for the glimpse into your therapy sessions, but if you don’t mind, I have plans.”
“With another woman?”
“Now, why is that any of your business?”
“I was hoping that we could spend some time alone getting to know each other again. Maybe not today… but over the next few months. When I heard that you were directing this film, I felt like it was a sign. For years, I’ve regretted letting you go. I miss us.”
“Not interested.”
“Marty,” she whined.
No matter what, Clarissa was used to getting her way when it came to me. It was part of the reason I completely avoided her for the first few years after our divorce. I was afraid that her words would suck me back into our cycle of toxicity. At this point, I was immune to her wiles.
“Clarissa, I don’t mind being cordial with you for the sake of the film, but what you’re asking for is too much.”
