Being Married to Sal

Changing

I must've fallen asleep because some guy woke me up. I quickly got up and ran out of the plane. I ran into the airport and out the door. I wasn't running from Sal, but I needed to see somebody here. I then saw my car from the last time I was here. I got in and started driving to the middle school. I then got a call. Sal. I sighed and answered it. "Hey what's up?" "Where the hell are you?" "I told you." "I went to Murr's house." "You weren't there. Where are you?" I decided I needed to tell him. "I'm in Pennsylvania because I need to see someone." "You've got to be fucking kidding me." "I'm not and I'm kinda of driving, so calm down. I'm perfectly fine. I didn't die." "It's been an hour since I saw you." "Yes, and now I'm in a completely different state."

"When are you coming home?" "I don't know if I want to. You know it's not safe there. Look I'm fine and I'll be there when I can." He sighed and I just wanted to punch him. He really thinks I'm not fine. "Be careful. Go to Bessy's house or something." "I'll go to Rose's. I haven't seen her in a long while." "Okay," he whispered, "I love you." "I love you too." I hung up and threw my phone on the seat. I got to the school and pulled into the small parking lot. I walked to the doors the I knew were unlocked and went in. I turned left and went to the orchestra room. I knew my cello was here. My actual cello. The one I used in middle school and high school. I opened the door and my orchestra teacher sat playing her violin.

"Shirk!" She glanced up and almost dropped her violin. I laughed and she rolled her eyes. "You scared me." "I figured. I scare myself sometimes and I'm pretty sure I scare my husband." "You've gotten married?" "I forgot I haven't told you." "You haven't been here for almost 3 years." "I would've thought my mom told you." "I haven't talked to her since you left high school." "I kinda miss high school." "Why?" "I didn't have to deal with bills or taxes," I laughed.

She started laughing too and I knew she aged since the last time I saw her. She's 37 now. The last time I saw her was when she was 35 and she was bubbly. She's the only one who made me happy in middle and high school. We got along so well. She was crazy. That means her kids were older too. I wonder how they were doing without their dad. "I was actually going to text you on Facebook. I wanted to know if you would be interested in helping me with the middle schoolers." "Could I help the cellos?" "If that's all you want to do then go for it. I still have yours in the display case if you want it." "I think I'll be fine with the one I have in New York." "You flew an hour here?"

I nodded and she was shocked. "When do you want me to start?" "We still have orchestra on days 2 and 5 for 7th and 8th grade with ensemble on 4. It's still 3 and 6 for 5th and 6th grade." "What's tomorrow?" "Day 5" "Yeah, I'll be here." "Okay. Thank you." "Anything for you, Shirk." She laughed and hugged me. I hugged her and then walked out of her room. On the way down the hall, I saw my cello in the display case. I opened the case and plucked the strings. They were badly out of tune.

I missed this place, although I hated school. I laughed to myself and walked out to my car. I then drove to my old house. It's been a year since I've been there. When I got there it's not what I expected. The grass was like 5 feet high, the house had vines growing, and the sidewalk was cracked. I sighed and pulled next to the garage. I walked to the other one and got the mower out.

1 hour later
9:00pm-Pennsylvania

It was dark by the time I finished mowing, but it looked normal again. I then yanked the vines off the house and threw them in the trash. The house looked like it did when I lived here when I was in school. I took my key and shoved it into the door. I turned the light on and was shocked that everything was still in the house. I walked up the stairs and walked to the bathroom to get a shower.

As I was in the shower I called Sal. "Yeah?" "Hey, it's me. I need to tell you something." "Go ahead." "I'm not coming home." "What?!" "I'm staying in Pennsylvania. I'm needed here. I'm sorry, but I need to be here." "For what?" "I'm needed for orchestra and other shit. I'm only coming for my cello, so if you want you can move here." "I want to stay in New York." I sighed and leaned my head against the wall. "Sal, how is this gonna work?" "What?" "Us." "Come back." "I told you, I'm staying here. If you're staying there then maybe we should get a divorce."

"But I want to hold your hand when we're 80 and say that we made it." (From Facebook.) "I'm sorry, but if we are going to be in different states then we shouldn't be together." "Please don't." "I'm sorry." "Haley no." I hung up and laid my phone outside of the shower. I slid down the wall and cried. I can't believe I told him that, but I was needed here and safer. If I was staying here I was gonna start changing back into the old me. I quickly got out of the shower and called Gina. "Hey what's up?" "Can you get me in tonight?" "For what?" "I need to dye my hair black again."