Of Waves and War

37: now i have come back

Eulises

"Why?" I asked, ducking into my own tent. Finally. After a terribly long day, I was coming back to my tent, only to find a strawberry haired swift footed child stealing my whiskey.

"Oh quiet, Ithaca," Peleus muttered, pouring himself a drink, "I want to be alone."

"This is my tent, and I was of the mind to prepare for my evening," my evening was to weep and contemplate my wife's likeness.

"Since you're here, can I ask you something?" he asked, slumping down pathetically.

"What—have both of your lovers spurned you tonight?" I asked, sitting down on my own bedroll. I began to pity him then.

He shrugged.

"Out with it, what's troubling you?" I sighed a bit. He only looked like a boy. And I hoped someone would take the time to council my lad in my absence.

"Do you ever quarrel with your wife?"

"Are you asking for advice in dealing with women, or with a lover because the answer will be different if the quarrel is with Sergeant Menonitus," I said.

"Of course it's him. Bre isn't cross with me I don't know if she gets cross—,"

"She gets cross."

"She may not—,"

"No, I've spoken with her. She gets cross."

"That doesn't count, Ithaca, everyone gets cross with you."

"Yet here you are—go on, so the question is about your man? What's he cross with you over? I thought he forgave you anything," I said, frowning.

"So did I," doing another shot of my father's whiskey, "I got letters from my wife. I think he's jealous."

"Think? Or know?"

"He asked me about her, and about women, and why I have Bre and---you don't have other women than your wife, do you?"

"No, nor men," I said.

"Men's different."

"Ah, not really, infidelity is infidelity, when you love someone they are supposed to be first in your heart," I said.

"He is," he sighed.

"I know that, I suspect he knows that, but he needs to be reminded, maybe?"

"But you wouldn't have anyone else, no matter how long you were from home? Or the person you loved?" he asked.

"You live with the person you love. I've seen the barren wasteland that is the tent he's intended to occupy. He is not there. Ever," I said.

"Well, sometimes he's busy."

"Yes, we all have jobs except apparently you, Peleus," I sighed, "What, you went off to the girl because you weren't getting immediate gratification from him?"

"Something like that."

"As in exactly like that?"

"Yes, all right you're very clever are you happy?"

"No, I am not happy, yes I am very clever," I said, pouring myself a drink as well.

"What, you would never have someone who isn't your wife?" he asked.

"No. Because I love her best," I informed him.

"I don't love Bre, it isn't like that. She just likes me. She's my friend, people don't usually like me, as in ever," he muttered, staring at his drink.