Choices

My Safe Place

It had been a few days after that day at the lake, Tam had been very busy with work and was pretty much living at the office, due to the understaffing. A lot of their people had reported sick, so he had to pick up the slack, much to Siri's annoyance.

Tam even had to pitch in for 3 other people the entire week and he was so damned tired this day and it was not even lunch time yet.

He signed yet another document, when his personal mobile phone rang. He looked at it contemplating on whether to answer it or not. He decided to look at who is calling first.

He sighed loudly when he saw that it was Siri calling. He decided not to ignore it, and took the call.

'What is it, Siri?' He impatiently answered.

'What do you mean, what is it?' Siri did not sound so pleased at all. 'I have been trying to call you multiple times this week, you only answered 2 times and this is what you tell me? What is it, Siri?'

Tam sighed, 'Look, okay, okay, I am sorry, all right?' He said placatingly. 'Work has been stressing me out lately, there is so much going on this week and we are also understaffed.' He further explained.

'If your work stresses you out, don't take it out on me, I am not a punching bag!' She replied.

'I never said you were, Siri. Look, I am sorry please, do not get angry. I don't need this on top of everything right now.' Tam pleaded. 'Be a little more understanding.'

'What? And now you are telling me I am the one who does not understand? Tam, can you even hear yourself? I said, I was calling you multiple times this week, and this is the second time you answered, all you ever did was brush me off, every freaking time. So, tell me again, who is it again, that does not understand.'

Tam pressed his fingers on his forehead and temples, he can feel the headache coming and this time, it is not because of work. Siri's very terse voice over the phone isn't doing wonders for him at all.

'I do not brush you off; it is just that work has got me swamped so much this week. Plus, we are nearing the end of the quarter, everything has to be settled by then, you know this.' He explained but rubbed his fingers on his temples again, he was really feeling a migraine coming. 'All I am saying is that, I am very busy right now and I don't have time for this, Siri. I really don't need this right now.'

'You don't have time for what? You don't have time for me? Tam, we have a wedding to prepare, the parents are asking already. What plans do we have? What do I tell them, when we freaking have not even talked about anything about it all.' Siri's voice rose with her temper at this point.

'Okay, okay, I heard you. Stop shouting at me, Siri, you know I don't appreciate it. I am not exactly happy about this situation at all. I am way overwhelmed with work at the office right now. The reason I haven't answered any of your calls or messages, is that because I literally don't have time to answer them. I am buried under a ton of work at the office; I have been saying this over and over again. It is tiring to keep repeating myself trying to explain this to you, please.' Tam begged. 'I promise when work is over here at the office, we will talk about whatever you want to talk about.'

'Whatever? What do you mean whatever I want to talk about, Tam? I want to talk about our plans for the marriage! It is not just whatever!' She replied irritated at him.

'I know, I heard you the first time, Siri. You are the only one who is not listening at all. I know we need to talk about the wedding plans, I am aware of the things that needs to be done, it is just I simply do not have the time right now.' Tam was getting exasperated at his girlfriend. 'Look, okay, calm down for a bit, how about as soon as I finish up for today, I go and visit you?'