Something About You

12

    I woke up the next morning and took my mother to the airport. Stef was still asleep because Mom's flight was early. So the two didn't say goodbye, and the last they've seen of each other was when Stef left dinner last night. (Uh, pretty awful thing for Mom to tell Dad.)

    We said goodbye and she left, so I came back home to have breakfast and get ready for work. When I opened the door and got inside our bedroom, Stef was already up and dressed.

    "Hey," she said, hesitantly.

    "Hi." I said, taking my sweats off and throwing a long dress on, not bothering to look at her.

    "Look, I'm sorry-"she started.

    "I have to go to work," I announced and left, skipping breakfast altogether. Also, forgetting to bring my lunch.

    I skipped breakfast simply because I couldn't have this conversation right now. It would definitely make me late and upset, two things I avoided at a maximum on my job.

    My morning went on smoothly, I taught and my students seemed interested in the topics, so that was a win. At lunch, though, my phone buzzed with a text from Stef.

    "Love, I am sorry about yesterday. We need to talk, and I'm standing outside your office with food waiting for you to get here. Please show up," it said.

    I didn't reply, but went. I hated that she was doing this, having this conversation, here, where I work. But I forgot lunch and only had 5 dollars, so it seemed like a good option right now.

    "Hi, I also brought some grape juice for us to-" she said, knowing that my favorite drink was grape juice, for it was so much like wine but didn't have alcohol, so I could drink it more often.

    "Come in," I interrupted her, grabbing a key and opening the door. I turned the lights on, sat on a chair and put my purse on the table.

    She did as she was told and handed me my salad, along with a cup of grape juice.

    "I am so sorry. So so sorry-" she started.

    I shook my head "Stef, don't start this-" I interrupted her and got interrupted as well.

    "No, you have to let me finish. I need to get it off my chest. I'm sorry I left at dinner, I'm sorry I went to Tyson's instead of coming to you, I'm sorry your mother left with that impression of me. I'm sorry for all of it. So incredibly sorry. I'm sorry for coming home drunk and treating you like shit, you deserve so much more than this."

    I listened, but didn't say anything.

    "I suck. Everyone knows I'm the lucky one for having you. You're supportive, kind, smart, beautiful, loving..." She said. "And I want to talk to you. To explain."

    I never even touched my salad. I just stared at her, listening carefully. "Go ahead."

    "I owe you this explanation. What happened between Whitney and me, why I reacted the way I did when you mentioned children..."

    "If you think any of this is justifiable, I'm not willing to listen," I made a move to stand up.

    "It's not, love! It isn't! I just want to help you understand the reason I did these awful things." She wasn't eating either, obviously.

    "My first instinct when you brought this on was to run. Actually stand up and run. Which I kinda did, I know, but... It's not that I don't want kids. I'm just trying to focus on my career and making some money, travelling the world with you, enjoying ourselves as a couple... I don't want a kid right now. I want us, together."