Daylight [Breakable Heaven #2]

4. The ghost of girlfriend past

"SHE WHAT???" Jean's scream echoes through the living room where we're currently sitting with a beer in our hands while I fill my roommate in on the latest developments in that absurd telenovela that is my love life. "Are you kidding me right now?"

It feels a little weird, being here talking about Lilian just like we had when Jean had just gotten back from the States less than a year ago when I was moping and wallowing in self-pity for the end of my relationship. I am amazed by how fast and how completely things can change in just a few months.

I shake my head. "I kid you not. She showed up here after more than a year of complete silence, ruined my and Rory's night, claimed she wanted us to talk, AND she had the guts to ask if she was interrupting anything when it was crystal clear that Rory and I were in between shags and we had just stopped to grab a bite of pizza because eating pussy is awesome but doesn't really give you enough stamina to keep on eating some more pussy."

When I finish I'm out of breath, and Jean is giggling. "What?" I ask, feigning offense for her laughing at my misery. People might be right when they accuse me of being a drama queen.

"First of all, you are funny when you blabber about eating pussy, even though the mental image it gives me doesn't really help me look Rory in the eyes whenever she's here," she explains. "And you said 'shag', which is something I've never thought I'd hear coming from your lips. Your sort-of British woman is really rubbing off on you."

"Whatever," I snort. "At least shag is English... she also taught me how to say it in Italian."

"Really? What's that?" Jean sounds really interested in learning.

"Scopata? Something like that... anyway, can we just get back to the original topic, namely the ex-love of my life turning up out of the blue at my doorstep?"

"Ex love of your life?" Jean sounds surprised. "Does that mean that Rory is the new love of your life?"

"Dude, so not the point here!" I groan in frustration.

"You're right, I'm sorry. So, what are you gonna do about it?"

I sigh. "Fuck if I know. I'm really pissed off, because she can't just pop up here, disrupting my life after she put me through hell for months, and expect me to just talk to her. But on the other hand, maybe this is finally going to give me some closure. I just don't know if I really need it, you know? Everything that has happened over the past year, my relationship with Rory... I was finally in a good place, and I didn't need anything else... however, Lilian showing up here has reopened some old wounds, so now I'm starting to think that I might need to really close that long chapter of my life."

"So talk to her," Jean says, matter-of-factly. As if it was that easy.

"Here's the thing: am I a horrible person if I kinda want to leave her hanging for a while, as she did to me last year? Seriously, doesn't she deserve to be kept on her toes a bit after everything she has done?"

"You're not a horrible person, Sash," she looks at me with tenderness. "You're human, and you've been hurt. I think it's normal you want some payback. I just wonder if that's the wisest choice right now."

"Me too," I confess. "I'm worried, J. Rory's acting really stoic, so mature about it... but I know her, I know how jealous she can get, and I'm sure this situation isn't doing her any good, especially after the rollercoaster we've just gone through with our relationship. So maybe I should be mature as well, listen to whatever Lilian has to say, then send her on her way, so Rory and I can enjoy our honeymoon period without the ghost of girlfriend past hovering over us."

"Then maybe you should put your pride and your need for vengeance aside and listen to what she has to say, so you can get rid of her for both yours and Rory's sake," Jean suggests.