Somebody That I Used To Know

Chose Me

"Good morning," Molly says and walks into the room.

"Hello." Tom smiles. "How are you?"

"I'm good. Where's Denise?"

"She's at work. She's taking some time off for awhile and so she needs some instructors while she's gone."

"Didn't she have people before?"

"Not many. She did about 8 classes a day by herself. She said that she'll actually make more money though because they'll have different skill sets. She's making a mental health medication class as well that focuses on different things every week. Her first one is going to be for people with eating disorders, then she's doing a PTSD, depression, and anxiety one for the rest of the month. Weekly though. I think it's pretty cool and I'm happy she's using resources for this. That's the only class she'll do though, she wants to be home with me for the rest."

"Home with you? Have you told her about our conversation yesterday?"

"I have not."

"Interesting," Molly falls back onto the chair next to the bed. "When do you plan on sharing your feelings?"

"Never."

"Never? So you're going to lie to Denise? Or cheat on her with your wife, that would be a really weird story to tell."

"We talked about getting a new apartment last night, me and her. It'll be bigger, Lily will get her own room. There are condos by the school so we'll get one of those and she can spend the night during the week and won't have to worry about getting to school the next day. I was looking at those when they were first built, it's nice in there."

"Thomas, that's not fair to Denise."

"What are you talking about?"

"That it's not right. If you're not in love with her-"

"I am."

"Then what about me because yesterday you said that you were talking about being with me?"

"I was. It's... complicated."

"How?"

"Denise is so good to me and I love her."

"And I'm your wife."

"I told you, it's complicated."

"You wanted to choose me. Was that just a yesterday thing? I know you're on a lot of medication but that's not something you'd just fabricate."

"I didn't say that I chose you."

"You said that you weren't talking about Denise and that you wanted to come home."

"Wanting and doing are two different things. Denise is so good to me. She's here all day, everyday."

"I'm here all the time." Molly stresses.

"You come here and make comments about me. Denise sits and holds my hand, kisses me on the forehead, and talks to me gently, like she cares. I don't get that from you."

"Oh, I talk to you nicely, I care. I've been here for you through everything. I didn't leave you before, that shows how much I love you."

"Molly, this... this is really hard to do, okay? I know you don't understand it but I love both of you."

"Then you don't love me."

"What?"

"If you fell in love with another woman while we together, you're not in love with me. You might love me, but you're not in love with me."

"We got together after the fact, I was horribly pissed at you and I wanted a divorce. Now I'm looking at it and I miss you."

"What you're doing is not fair to either of us. You got my hopes up and-"

"That's not my fault. I'm sorry that you got your hopes up but I never said we are getting back together."

"Well that's what you alluded to."

"We're getting an apartment with a space for Lily. Denise is taking time off to be with me and help me through my recovery. She's sweet and gentle and doesn't yell at me for having a life threatening illness. I better not get cancer around you, it's going to be my fault that my cells improperly mutated."

"Oh for fuck's sake, Tom, come on. I love you and you love me, we should be together."

"I... don't think that's for the best."

"What do you mean?"

"Molly, I don't think we should be together."

"So you tell me that you want to come home but now you're done? Fuck you."

"This is exactly what I'm talking about." Tom groans. "Right here. Denise would never do this to me."

"Oh yeah? Put her through this for five uses and see what she does. Goodbye."

Molly walks out of the hospital room and slams the door behind her.