"Since when were you a cougar?" Ben murmured into the phone.
"The moment I realized that men your age are all numbskulls," she replied.
He began to coil the telephone wire, "So you picked a fetus over me? Is that it?"
Ben could hear a very audible sigh on the other end of the line, it was followed by some shuffling noises. He imagined that she found a couch to sit on, as she knew that this would be a very long and very frustrating conversation.
"He's only 25."
"For heaven's sake Mary, he's 20 years younger than you are!"
"He's got an old soul."
He scoffed, "An old soul, huh?"
"Benjamin, why are you calling me again?"
"Because," he began.
"Because what?"
"Because you left your scarf over here."
"What?"
"You know, the turquoise one? With the sparkles?"
Another audible sigh came from her end.
"Benjamin."
The corner of his mouth twitched.
"Don't call me that," he said.
"Call you what?"
"Benjamin,"
"But that's your name, isn't it?"
"I know it is but—"
"—but what?" she interrupted.
He stopped fiddling with the phone wire. "I just want you to call me 'honey' again."
Another sigh.
"Or 'darling' or 'sweetie' or even 'Benny'," he continued.
"Benjamin, you know we're not on intimate terms with each other anymore."
Ben looked out the window, at his garden, at the petunias that Mary planted just weeks ago. He remembered how she smiled while planting them, how she assured him that they can still make their relationship work. He focused on the petals, he noticed that they were considerably brighter when Mary had planted them, but he was doing his best in her place to keep them alive. He channeled out whatever Mary was currently saying, tuning in every now and then. She talked about how happy she was now that she left his life, she then went on to say how kind her new boyfriend is to her, how he encourages her dream of becoming a singer.
"I'm keeping your petunias alive." he mentioned offhandedly.
There was silence. He knew he shouldn't have said that. The dread was starting to sink in.
"Mary," he said "Please don't cut the line."
There was more silence.
"Please."
She still wouldn't say anything.
His eyes were starting to well up, "I'm sorry I wasn't listening, it's just been such a long week without you."
Silence.
"I just want you back!" he pleaded. "I just want my wife back."
More silence.
"Please Mary, you can't just let 30 years of marriage go down the drain like that!" He insisted.
"Our whole marriage was just a drain on my dreams," she finally said.
Ben tried to focus on the petunias, on the garden, on anything else but Mary's words.
"Mary please, I'll help you out with your dream! I'll help you out with anything!"
"You've done nothing but trample all over my dreams ever since we got married, Ben."
Ben couldn't find the words to respond to that, he had flashes of all the times he teased and taunted her every time she would even attempt to sing. It was just for fun, he thought. I didn't mean any of it. He missed her voice, he missed her singing.
He tuned back in to the conversation, listening to Mary's final words.
"It's either our 'marriage' or my dreams, Benjamin," she said "And I intend on keeping my dreams alive."
There was a moment of silence before she continued.
"Our 'marriage' however, can go to hell."
And with that, she hung up the line.
t
