No Strings Attached

Chapter Ten

The moment she is off the phone, I stand abruptly, fear invading my heart like a disease. I begin to clear my desk of any client information, anything of consequence. I hear a gasp escape my lips as my hand quickly snatches the photo of him in-between the mess, shoving it into my first drawer. Wanting some distraction between us, I switch on the flat screen against the back wall.

I'm just sitting down when there's a movement in the doorway.

My ex-husband.

I can help but stare at him, observing his appearance closely. I didn't think he could actually look worse than the last time I saw him over six months ago, but here he is, haggardly appearing to be twice his actual age.

His usual tumbling waves of hair are matted from lack of washes. He's wearing a worn-down Yankees tee and blue jeans that look like they haven't seen a wash in at least a few weeks. Beneath that Yankees tee is a protruding belly, not big but clearly visible compared to his usually lean body. I realize it's the drinking. My father had the same low-rising stomach.

When I force myself to focus on his face, I have a hard time keeping myself together. The man I once cared for doesn't even look to be in this foreign body.

His eyes, while bloodshot, are gentle as he enters the room with a cautioned hesitance. I try to speak, but all that comes out is a cracked gasp, so he speaks first.

"Hi, Scar."

My eyes follow him silently, until he stops at the opposite side of the desk.

"Dixon."

"You look..." He shakes his head, breathing in deeply. "You look really good. Different, but good."

"What are you doing here?" I ask, ignoring him.

"I just needed to see you. I've been trying to get some time with you for months now."

"You broke into my home, Dixon," I snap, recovering my courage. "You scared the shit out of me. You followed me through the streets. The cops told you to leave me alone."

He exhales. "Scarlett, I'm your husband."

"No, you most definitely are not. I have a certificate of divorce to attest to that!"

"People get divorced when there is no love there. Not when one finds themselves lost with no one on their side!"

"I was on your side for years, Dixon! Years! I begged you to stop. You knew what I'd been through!"

"And I've said I need help! I've said I want to fix things with you and get help... that's all I want!"

I shake my head. "That's not why you are here. I can feel it."

"Scarlett—"

"Why are you here?" I growl louder.

His pale lips press together. "I'm going to get evicted."

My God. My eyes close in anger, in frustration.

"Get out."

"Scar—"

I stand, feeling a tight pain in my chest. "GET OUT!"

"Please, I have no one else to ask. My parents won't speak to me. My friends won't return my calls."

"Dixon, you cannot do this. You cannot come here while I'm working and ask for money from me."

"I'm positive you know how much I hate doing this," he argues, holding out his hands. His light eyes are vibrantly red, surrounding the pupils.

"Then stop drinking! Go to a fucking meeting! Try to change your life."

"It's not that easy. I can't drive to make it to meetings."