No Strings

CHAPTER 14--TRUST ME, TRUST ME NOT

I should have known. I couldn't be gone for more than five minutes before my cellphone would ring and then I'd hear Ted on the other end. "Where are you?"

"I'm throwing out your trash..."

His tinny voice rose with concern and volume. "I didn't know--you should have told me. Thanks for doing it though."

"You didn't have to call me."

"I was worried, that's all," he said.

"When I was taking out the trash?" I was incredulous.

"I didn't know. If you told me, I wouldn't have called. I thought you left."

"No, I didn't. I do have to go soon though. I have work tomorrow. You may have work in the afternoon, but I don't have that luxury."

The sputter of noise filled my phone.

"I'll be right up, OK? I'm hanging up now."

The phone clicked. I dumped the trash and went back up to his apartment.

***

I met William, Ted and a bunch of friends for lunch. The majority of the people there were William's, not my friends. Ted, by this time, knew William was a childhood friend. William had a girlfriend, but she wasn't in town--on some business trip.

The day was warm, but not too hot for a summer day, so we ate outside. I'd dressed up for Ted. Ted was also on his best behavior.

I introduced Ted first. Everyone greeted him with a smile.

"Liz here is doing well at the office," Ted said.

I forced a smile. "Yes I--"

"She got a bonus. I'm so proud of her."

William looked at me and back at Ted. He frowned behind his drink straw. I could see it. I felt guilty. He knew already about my prior relationship. I convinced myself Ted was different. I convinced myself that Ted was nervous.

"I don't like it when you call me Liz," I said in Ted's ear.

"Don't worry about it," he whispered back.

I got a Caesar salad. I wanted something with chicken. Ted frowned at me, but out of sight of the other people at the table.

"I heard that William and you were childhood friends?" one of the other guys said at the table.

I nodded. "I knew him in kindergarten."

"Wow, that's amazing in this day and age," a woman commented.

I smiled at her. I could feel Ted stiffen next to me. I couldn't figure what was wrong with talking about the past.

"We didn't know each other in high school," I added.

My caesar salad arrived.

"So you reconnected?"

William nodded. "I found her phone number in college."

The woman was getting romantic notions that I didn't feel. I looked at Ted. He didn't seem pleased. He was eating my salad without asking. I let him. His food hadn't arrived yet.

The meal ended in peace. I took William's current information so I could meet with him again. I missed his mother and wanted to see how she was doing. I wanted to relive my nostalgic moments of childhood.

On the way back to the car Ted said, "If you get fat, I'm leaving you."

He said it in a joking voice. I had no way to reply to him and let him drive me home.