Ever Since New York [H.S]

Feeling Oh So Far From Home

I sat up in bed, noticing my free hand was shaking.

‘P-Patrick?’ my voice cracked as I said his name. He was drunk, as usual, and probably with Jessica. All things considered, I couldn’t understand why he’d be calling me at all, much less at this hour.

‘You stupid, stupid bitch!’ Patrick slurred. ‘Who do you think you are, taking another man on MY honeymoon, which I paid for?!’ He hiccupped a few times at the end of his speech, and I sighed.

‘It was my honeymoon too, you jackass,’ I pointed out. ‘I suppose you think it would’ve been totally fine for you to take Jessica in my place?!’

‘Course it would’ve;’ he replied nonchalantly. I rolled my eyes and bit the inside of my cheek to keep myself quiet.

‘What do you want, Patrick?’ I asked. I didn’t really care why he’d called, but I was getting mad he’d kept me from sleeping.

‘You don’t really expect me to pay for your little trip, do you?’ He demanded. ‘You enjoyed it, you don’t deserve it whatsoever; you and your little boy toy can fit the bill.’

‘Would you be insisting Jessica pay for herself too?’ I asked. ‘You paid for my trip, not hers, after all.’

Patrick avoided answering my question, with yet more insistences that I owed him money. This went on for another twenty minutes before I’d had enough and ended the call.

I settled back into my bed and exhaled slowly. My head was swimming as I tried to process Patrick’s behaviour. Unable to calm myself down, I pulled on a pair of slippers and my dressing gown, before heading to the kitchen. As little more than reflex, I switched on the kettle, and minutes later, I sipped deeply from my mug, not having realised until now how desperate I was for a caffeine hit.