In Aid

37. Returning Curse

As much as I wanted to dedicate my time to fantasizing about dating Aubyn, I had to worry about Jeff. A small voice in the back of my head told me that Aubyn could fix it easily, but I couldn't bring myself to listen to it. It was about time I stopped chilling in the back seat and took over handling my own problems.

I called Jeff. He picked up on the first ring like he'd been sitting by the phone in waiting.

"Please tell me you've come to your senses," he said almost desperately.

"I have and my answer remains the same," I responded.

"Is he forcing you into anything? I don't understand why you're behaving like I'm not the only one you have left. I've been there for you for so long and this is how you treat me? You leave me behind for some alien and his son?"

"I'm not being forced into anything. I know I depended on you a lot for years. You even treated me like your own son for a while and I feel guilty about separating myself from you so suddenly. The relationship we had was wrong. We shouldn't have started sleeping around-"

"You wanted that! Don't go sayin' I forced you-"

"You didn't force me and I wouldn't play around with such a serious accusation. I was a child and I was stupid even though I knew exactly what I was getting myself into. We both fucked up with that choice." He sounded way more like himself than he did when we met up. "But I don't think we should continue this anymore. You've changed and as much as I didn't expect to, I've changed as well."

Jeff sighed heavily. "You've only changed the person fucking you. Will you really let anyone who offers you money into your pants now?"

"Are you kidding? Keep going on like that and I'll hang up," I threatened. "I only called to end on decent terms because it didn't always feel like we had a toxic relationship. We genuinely cared about each other at some point but it's over now. All I want is for you to let me go."

"Let you go where? Are you planning on running off with that alien? I've heard nasty rumours about those invaders. Don't get too caught up with one of them. What has he offered you, huh? Where are you right now? I don't want to continue this conversation on the phone. Let's meet."

Even though he sounded saner over the phone, I didn't plan on meeting him again by myself. "I can't right now. I'm working."

"Stop trying to mind that boy and tell me where you are."

"I can't go anywhere or have you come to me right now. Maybe over the weekend, but not right now. I just called to say goodbye."

"And we can do that in person after we talk."

I sighed heavily. "I'll come to you this weekend. It'll probably be the last time you ever see me so let's part on good terms. Please." I'd have to ask Sang to accompany me just in case Jeff tried something funny.

"Whatever you say, Zed."

I hung up feeling better, but I had to overcome the hurdle of asking Sang to accompany me. It was a smaller hurdle than expected because the second I told him who Jeff was, he agreed immediately. I asked him not to mention the trip to Aubyn which he hesitated to agree to but eventually did after I tried my best to tell him that nothing would happen on this trip of ours.

"Haida-soh, can I have some of your lunch?"

I looked between Coen's plate and mine. He didn't usually get his own serving because he didn't eat much, but since Aubyn said he liked apple sausage, eggs and toast, I thought he would like his own share.

"But we have the same food on our plates."

"But yours looks more delicious."

It wasn't as if Aubyn didn't tell me this was going to happen. Not that I minded. I scooted my chair back and lifted him into my lap. "You can have some of mine."