Some People Do

3: Tin Man

ERIC

As soon as I hear Bear whining at the door I know something is up. I walk over to see what's going on outside. I look out of the peephole and see a blonde head pacing back and forth on the porch.

"What are you doing out here?" I ask once I open the door.

"Getting my steps in?"

"I see..." I hold Bear's collar so he can't charge and jump on her.

"I would have called but I don't have your number anymore," she says. "I don't have to come inside, but I was hoping we could talk. I can meet you somewhere or we can sit outside or..."

"My number hasn't changed." Unless she forgot it. "Come in, I can get their leashes and we can take them for a walk."

"Okay."

I know there is a lot to say, probably on both sides of this. The smart thing would be to tell her to fuck off. I've moved on, I'm happy, I don't need to hear anything she has to say. Immediately I jump to agreeing with what she wants. What the fuck is my problem? I'm a fucking glutton for punishment, is what I am.

I grab Bear's leash, handing it to Sookie so she can clip it on while I get Björn's harness in place. The beach isn't too far. It was actually why we picked this house in the first place.

"So... what's up?" I ask once Sookie and I are on the path to the beach. Bear is happier than a pig in mud to be walking with his mama. It breaks my heart because I know this is probably going to be the last time he sees her.

"That's a very loaded question. How deep into it do you want to get?"

"I have time," I shrug. Sylvie isn't planning to come over so I have all night.

"I've tried to figure out what to say and how to explain everything to you. Then I realized I don't want it to sound rehearsed and phony. I think the best thing I can do is tell you that I am an open book and you can ask me whatever you want," she says. "I'm sure you have questions. I know I would."

"How long have you been sober?" I ask first.

"Two years, three months, one week, two days," she answers.

"Congratulations. What was the catalyst for you to clean up?"

"I accidentally overdosed. I mixed vodka and the wrong kind of pills," she tells me. "I passed out in some hotel room and woke up in a hospital. From what I've been told, I was dumped out of a car in a hospital parking lot."

"Were you trying to kill yourself?" I ask nervously.

"No, at least not intentionally. I was being reckless and taking whatever people were offering me."

"I'm glad someone took you to a hospital," I sigh. I don't know what to ask her. There's a million things I want to say to her and a million questions, but I'm kinda at a loss for words. I'm still a little angry and hurt over all of it. I shouldn't be...

"It's better than letting me asphyxiate on my own vomit."

"Yeah... so why did you come here?" I don't know what she wants from me, if anything. It seems like she's trying to make me crazy by dredging up a bunch of old memories.

"I'm starting to wonder myself," she says quietly, but I can just make it out. "If this is a mistake, I can go. I don't want to fuck up what you have going by being here."

"No, Sookie, you can't show up, bring up all these fucking memories and then run again. That's not fair to me or to my dog," I say, stopping on the path to look at her. I deserve a real answer instead of skirting around it and telling me she shouldn't have come.