Hello, it's Millie. Please, uh, leave a message after the, what is it again, Marley? A horn? Oh, leave a message after the beep. Thank you! How do I turn this thing off? Marley? Marley! Beeeeeep.
The person you are trying to reach, Unique Adams, is not available at the moment. Please leave a message at the tone. To leave a callback number, press "5". Beeeeeep.
Hey, it's Kitty! I'm at the beach with mah hubby, so don't bother us! Leave a message and I'll get back to you on Wednesday, when we return to LA. Thanks! Beeeeeep.
Yo, it's Jake. If you're listening to this, I'm probably at the bar...or I don't want to talk to ya. Leave a message and I might call back. Beeeeeep.
Beeeeeep. Beeeeeep. Beeeeeep. Beeeeeep. The tone at the end of each message sounds like the noise that's been in my head for the past few weeks. I can't seem to shake the sound out of my mind except when I'm with Ryder or Will. That's it!
Hello?
Mr. Schue?
Marley! How are you? How's Ryder?
We're all great. What about Daniel?
Ah, he's growing up fast. Teens are difficult, I tell ya. He's decided to go by his middle name, Finn.
How sweet!
Yes. You know, he reminds me of Finn every day. Hey, how about William?
He's doing great…
Marley, are you ok? You sound a little shaky.
Mr. Schue, the truth is…
Oh damn! Marley, sweetie, I'm so sorry. I have to go. Coming, honey!
*click*
M-Mr. Schue? Hello?
As I put my phone back in my pocket, Ryder comes through the door. After I got back from my walk to clear my head, I found him gone. He puts his coat on the rack and stares at me in uncomfortable silence. Finally he asks who I was talking to.
"Mr. Schue."
"Did he have much to say?"
"Nope."
"What did you tell him?"
"Nothing."
"Well, are you going to?"
"Why do you care?"
He lets out a heavy sigh and walks toward the kitchen but stops at the door. He turns to look at me with pain clouding his eyes.
"You know, Marley… I meant what I said earlier. About me suffering too. I know what you're going through is tough for you- you have a brain tumor for heaven's sake!- but you gotta stop and think about the people around you, also. I'm trying to care for you, and you'd make it a lot easier if you didn't act like a jerk all the time!"
Sorry...what was that? I storm after him in to the kitchen and shout, "What, that's it? You're just going to call me a jerk and walk away?"
"Damn straight!" he slams the counter and looks straight in to my eyes. Ryder and I fought a lot early in our marriage, and whenever we did, he would stare at me like he was seeing in to my soul. But then he would come over and hold me and whisper sorry over and over until I hug him back. But I have a feeling that's not what will be happening this time.
"You can't just tell your wife a jerk and get away with it, Ryder!"
"Watch me!"
He grabs a beer from the fridge and storms out of the house, slamming the door behind him. I stand in shock for ten, maybe twenty minutes, staring at the closed door. Maybe waiting for him to come back….maybe hoping he doesn't. Regardless, the fact that I don't know where he is or what he's doing sends me on an emotional rampage. Never have I ever felt this fire burning in my chest. I stomp around the house and finally end up in our closet. In it is the snow globe I had gotten for him on my trip to Paris. I pick it up and as I watch the snowflakes fall around the Eiffel Tower, I feel calmness wash over me. I forget our fight and all the pain we have and will suffer. But then I feel a sharp pang in my head, and I am reminded of everything I'm dealing with. In one big motion and one loud scream, I throw the snow globe across the room and it shatters when it hits the wall. Tears are flowing freely now as I fall to the ground and lay there. Anger, sadness, and misery are taking control of my heart and I can't stand it. Maybe if I cry enough, all those messed up emotions will come out, too. And maybe I can be happy again.
