Page 10 of The Lover
Maryanne was sitting on her bed, reading. She looked up at me. It must have been all over my face. Well, certainly my lips… what I had been doing with Jake.
“Oh yeah,” she said. “I’m going to need to details.”
I took out my phone. “Hold on. Denny is going to want to hear all of this too.”
I texted him.
So do you want to hear the story about me and my ex-husband?
…
Yeeeeeesssssss. I’m coming over. Doritos or Combos?
Doritos,I texted him back.
Okay, Doritos go best with margaritas. I’ll be right over.
True to his word, Denny was right over with what appeared to be a bucket of pre-made frozen margaritas, tequila included, and an economy-size bag of Cool Ranch.
While he poured drinks I shifted nine disks to the right side of the scale. It was a great day. It was an awesome day. But at the end of the day Jake left.
He was there at the ranch and I was here.
The three of us were on the floor between our two beds, drinking and eating chips, and I told them everything. About my dad dying and Jake marrying me. About the storm and the first kiss. And the second kiss. About Janet and Carol. Finally about us and why I needed to leave.
Denny sniffled. “That. Is. Epic.”
“Wait. Back up,” Maryanne said. “You had an amazing first time? Did you have an orgasm?”
I thought about it. “Two of them, actually. Before and during.”
“During? During sex! Your first time?”
I sipped my on my red solo cup, which was filled with what looked like green slime but actually tasted delicious. “Yes, is that not normal?”
“Uh, no. I squealed like a pig during my first time, then walked around for the next two days with my legs bowed.”
“He was really patient,” I offered.
“So what happens next?” Denny asked me.
I shrugged. “I don’t know. I deposited more money in his account, because I realized I’m not staying and I want to make sure he gets his house done before I go back. That’s why he came here today. To yell at me about the money.”
Denny made this coughing sound, which came out sounding likebullshit.
“Agreed,” said Maryanne.
“Agree with what?”
“He did not drive three hours to yell at you,” Denny explained. “The money was an excuse. He drove here to see you. To spend the day with you. To see what your life is like here. Then at the end of the day, he kissed you. That doesn’t say pissed-off man, that says… he’s missing you.”
“It’s so messed up,” I said, falling back to lie on the floor. The margaritas were starting to kick in and make my head spin.
“Why does it have to be?” Maryanne asked. “Go home, tell you him love him, have all the orgasms in the world and start making babies with the dude.”
“What she said,” Denny added.
I lifted myself back up to sitting. “That’s my point. It’s been all me, every time. I tried to change us and he didn’t want to. I had to ask him for sex, but if I hadn’t then he wouldn’t have touched me. At some point he has to go first if I’m going to know where he stands.”
