Page 10 of Georgia: Britain's Story: Part 1
I reply, “Uh yeah, we have. You broke my heart, crushed my dreams, and ruined the life I was supposed to have.”
He responds, “Yeah, that sounds pretty bad, but um, that wasn’t me.”
Classic. Maybe it’s enough to just go home, and let that situation play out organically. If for some reason I do see him, and he remembers me, great. Well, notgreat, but I’ll proceed with caution. However, the more likely scenario is either I don’t run into him at all OR I do and he doesn’t remember me at all, and his hot wife and gorgeous children laugh at me.
I was so young then. Now, looking back, maybe the reaction didn’t match the actions and I took it way too hard.I cringe. Obviously I took it way too hard, he never even contacted me again. Well, he never contacted me in those first 2 months at least. Clearly there was some miscommunication and I didn’t understand that I was just a bed warmer, nothing more. Maybe I was just naive and over romanticized some regular guy into my knight in shining armor. Or maybe it was just really awesome sex. Just mind-blowing, toe-curling, scream-at-the-top-of-my-lungs, great sex.
I grab my phone and shoot off a text.
Britain
Hi. So remember that new wardrobe we talked about on Friday? Yeah, I’m going to need that, like ASAP. But don’t you dare start working on it till Monday!!! Okay?
Jess
Are you kidding me? The carts are full, you just give the approval and it’s done. What’s the occasion? OMG, are you going to start dating???
lol, no. I’m going home and I need some armor. If I want to be a hot, bad-ass bitch, I definitely need to start dressing like one.
Also, approved. Lay it all on the personal cc, not the corporate account.
Done and done baby. Ooh, I’m soo excited!!!
Next up, I shoot off a text to Alexander.
Britain
Hi. I know it’s been awhile. How are you? I’m just going to come out with it, I’m going to go visit home and I wanted to know if you would be down to meet and we could spread mom’s ashes? Let me know, love you.
He’ll probably respond to me in 48-72 hours, I won’t hold my breath on that one. And finally, the big kahuna.
Britain
Hey, do you have a moment for a quick call?
Damian
Sure, now okay?
You got this, I tell myself as I hit the dial button on my phone.
It’s Tuesday morning at 9:00 A.M., which means I’m sitting in the land of beige walls and white noise machines. Carla leads me into her office, taking her usual place in the chair and me on the couch, my to-do list in hand. Once we’re both settled, she looks at me and her eyes go a bit wide, probably because I’m smiling. I never come to this place smiling. Never before our session, and definitely never afterwards.
“Good morning, Britain,” Carla starts cautiously.
“Hi, Carla,” I return, in a voice she’s probably never heard before because it’s almost chipper. “Guess what I did this weekend? I did my homework.” I say holding the to-do list up as proof. “And you know what I discovered? The only way I can work through some of this stuff is if I go home.”
Her smug smile slowly spreads across her face. She’s always right, and she knows it. “Well done. Do you want to talk about how you reached this conclusion?”
“Yes, and no. I’ve made the decision, now I just need to woman up and see it through. And right now, I’m working logistics to make it happen.” I say, my tone evening out to a much more acceptable pitch. “Also, I’ve decided to leave Scott Technologies. I told Damian yesterday.”
“Wow, that’s quite the big decision. How did Damian handle it?” She queries with a shit-eating grin on her face. She may have suggested I depart the company months ago, which I rebuffed at the time. So now Carla has come to gloat, and I let her have it. She was right. She’s always right.
“He was disappointed, but ultimately supportive. I told him he didn’t need to worry that I’ll go to one of our competitors. That I was taking an extended sabbatical from work to do work of a more personal nature. We also talked through some logistical things of me going home to California with regards to the kids. And, get this, he said he would cover everything until the end of the semester, which means I can spend a solid six weeks there, if I wanted to.
He said, and I quote, ‘you’ve never taken the time to take care of yourself the way you needed, and I failed you by constantly demanding your attention and support for myself. I’m sorry.’
I nearly fell out of my seat. Maybe we were just never supposed to be married. Maybe we were just better off as great friends. Maybe we only lasted as long as we did because we were ultimately good life partners and colleagues?”
