Selfish

Picking Up the Pieces

§ October 21, 2027 §

I sat beside the window, cuddled in my favorite fuzzy blanket reading Pride and Prejudice. The rain was falling softy, but I knew a storm was coming. Fog covered the edges of the window and the moon, though full, was completely covered by black clouds. Norbert, the cat Dylan had named when he was nine, had yet to reappear from underneath my bed; this was another sign of the upcoming storm. 

i stood up from th suede couch, still clutching the blanket, and made my way towards the kitchen to make myself some tea. I reached up to the wood cupboard above the stove and blindly chose a random packet from my stash. Right as the water began to boil, my cellphone rang. 

Looking at the time on the screen, I was surprised she would call this late at night. Still, I answered hoping it was nothing too important.

"Sup my darlin','" I answered the phone with a country twang.

All I heard was sobs. 

"Kay. You need to tell me what's wrong."

Still more sobs.

"Is it something about Sophia? Did she crash her car again? Kay, honey, you need to say something."

Finally, she replied, "No. No, i-it isn't ah-about Kay." sob.

"Then what? I can't keep guessing," I pushed, suddenly worried. My curiosity growing larger every cry and heavy sigh.

"He just. He just left."

I waited.

"We-we had a f-fight. It was horrible. It has never been that bad. And, well he just," sob,"he just left. I don't know where or if he's okay. I don't know." 

I took a steady breath, preparing myself to comfort her. She was right, they had never had a fight end with one of them storming out and leaving. In fact, I wasn't even sure they fought at all. Either way, I was her best friend and her rock. I had to be the superhero now, no matter how close I was to Hayden. But still, I promised myself I wouldn't choose sides with them. Ever. It just wouldn't be fair. I loved them both.

"Kay? Listen to me. What I really want to know is if YOU are okay. Just focus on my voice. It's okay, you will work things out. He just needs a while to sort out his head. Just breath," I instructed her the same way I had many times before. Especially during high school

I sat in silence and slowly I heard her cries slow down and eventually stop. Still, I waited. I knew her head was probably spinning and I gave her time to put her thoughts in order.

"Now, tell me. What happened?" I questioned her finally, hoping I wasn't prying to much.

She took a deep breath, "Well, it started when we were going to watch a movie and I told him to chose one, trying to be nice, since he hates chick flicks. Then, he took like ten minutes to chose something and I made a comment about being indecisive. I was just a little annoyed, but I didn't know he would blow up in my face! The next thing I know he is yelling at me about how he always makes the decisions in the house hold and how I am always pressuring him to make the choices that i want, but apparently won't say. Then other things were brought up and it got pretty nasty. He blamed our little financial situation on my inability to get a stable job. That one hurt the worst," and she was crying again. 

"Then, I said something really dumb. So dumb and I hate myself for it. I blamed him for ruining my career when he got me pregnant and then because he got me sick. Which is true to an extent, but it really isn't his fault! He gave me the most wonderful child ever. He worked over time when I was sick all of last year. He talked people into giving me part time work this year. And, when I kept getting laid off because they couldnt afford the newer emplyees, he went and found me something else to do," she took a breath and whispered, "What have I done?