“Jesus, Sam, you didn’t…?”
“No! God, no. He just changed out of his costume before going to the hospital.” For some reason I don’t want to tell her about helping him change. I don't want to tell her about wiping his face or seeing his bare chest and boxer briefs. I want those moments to stay locked away inside me. Saying them out loud feels like it would somehow cheapen them.
“Right,” Jess says, shaking her head. “I was thinking that would be out of character for you.”
“Also, he has a broken arm,” I say with a laugh. A twin appears in the doorway completely naked, with water trailing all behind her. Jess jumps up and wraps Michelle in her arms, carrying her back down the hallway. I shake my head and finish my food in silence before washing my dishes and heading to my room.
I close the door and lean against it, grateful for a bit of quiet. The blue folder is still sitting on top of the dresser, exactly where I left it last night. I narrow my eyes and walk towards it. I fling the folder open and look at the dozen little yellow tabs on all the sheets, all waiting for my signature.
There’s a pen in my purse somewhere, so I rummage around until I find it. I take it out, pulling the cap off in a quick movement. I flick through the pages, signing and initialing where I’m supposed to. My heart is thumping and by the time I get to the last page, my eyes are starting to get blurry. I take the yellow envelope at the back of the files and stuff the papers inside. It’s already stamped and addressed, so I lick the flap and seal it shut. I can’t see anything from the tears in my eyes, so I sit down on my bed. The pen drops to the floor and I put my head in my hands as I let the tears flow from my eyes.
I cry for a few minutes before sniffling and wiping my face. I sit up a bit straighter and square my shoulders, glancing at the folder. With a deep breath, I get up and wipe the last tear away from my eye.
It’s done. The papers are signed, and now they just need to be dropped in a mailbox.
I’m as good as divorced.
9
Dean
“There you go,” the nurse says as she smooths my shirt back down over my shoulder. “All done. Just stop by reception on your way out and you’re free to go!”
“Thanks,” I say absent-mindedly. Ever since Sam left the hospital, the day has dragged on endlessly.
The cast is bright white and heavy on my arm. They’ve given me a real sling, handing the old tea towel back to me. I glance at the rag and wonder if I should give it back to Sam or not. I stuff it in my pocket and head towards the hospital reception.
Before I get there, my phone starts vibrating in my pocket. My heart jumps and I wonder if Sam is calling me already. I pull out my phone from my pocket and duck over to an empty waiting room.
Of course she isn’t calling me.
“Mother,” I say as I answer the phone.
“Dean. How are you?”
“I’m fine,” I say as I glance down at my cast. “I’m okay.”
“Good. I thought about our conversation yesterday and I wanted to apologize.” Apologize? My mother is apologizing?
“Okay…” I answer slowly.
“Are you free for dinner tonight? We’ve had the chef prepare a roast with all the trimmings. Your favorite.”
“Tonight? Can we do another night, during the week maybe?” I hate how whiney I sound. My mother always brings out the worst in me.
“No, honey, your father will be out of town. Do you have plans tonight?”
I consider lying, but finally sigh and tell her the truth. “No, no plans. What time do you want me to come over?”
“Come over around seven. See you then, darling.”
The phone clicks and I shake my head. I take a deep breath and start walking over towards the reception desk. When the phone rang in my pocket I thought I might have a date tonight. Instead I’m going to have to listen to my parents drone on and on and on. Maybe they'll tell me I ruined their political aspirations, or maybe they'll tell me they want grandkids. I can pretty much guarantee that whatever they want to tell me, I don't want to hear it.
I can’t help it that Victoria turned out to be an awful excuse for a human. By the sounds of it, Sam has gone through something similar.
I still remember the look on Victoria’s face when I walked into the bedroom. It was a mix of shock and guilt and then complete denial. How can you deny what’s happening when you’re completely naked with another man?!
The sliding glass door open and I’m hit with a wall of fresh air to cool me down. I take a deep breath and shake my head. I can’t keep dwelling on the past. I’ll just have to find a way to move on from Victoria, and I’ll have to convince my parents to do the same.
Even as I think it now, the sting of her betrayal doesn’t feel so harsh. My thoughts drift to Sam as I walk towards my car. She’s so sharp, she always has a witty answer for me. I love the way she laughs and the way her whole body flows whenever she moves.
It’s not until I get to my car that I remember I don’t have two working arms. If anything, the cast has made it worse. I sigh and pull out my phone.
“Jacob, what’s up,” I say as my best friend picks up the phone.
“Dean, bro! How have you been? I haven’t seen you in weeks!”
“We went out together two weekends ago,” I remind him as I shake my head. I lean back against my car and watch the traffic go by. Jacob laughs.
“Yeah, whatever. It feels like weeks. What’s up? We going out tonight?”
“I have dinner at my parent’s. Maybe after, I think I’m going to need a drink.” Jacob laughs and I continue. “Listen, buddy, can you do me a favor? I’m at the hospital, I broke my arm on a job this morning. Can I send an Uber to you and you can drive me back to my place?”
“No problem, man. I’m just at home so send it here.”
“Thanks.” I hang up the phone and tap on the screen a few times before heading back towards the hospital. I might as well wait in the air conditioning. I slump in the nearest chair and pull out my phone. I flick through the same social media apps that I’ve been flicking through since Sam left the hospital. Finally, I pull up my messages. I find Sam’s number and start typing.
Dean: Did you make it home okay?
The minutes tick by and I check my phone a few times before sighing and putting it down. I have that excitement in the pit of my stomach that a fourteen year old boy gets when he’s going on his first date. Finally, my phone buzzes and I pick it up. Sam’s name is on the screen with the words ‘photo message’. My heart starts thumping as I wonder what she could have sent me. My fingers are almost trembling as I unlock my phone and click the notification.
I frown when I see a picture of a yellow legal envelope next to a USPS mailbox. That’s not exactly what I was expecting. The three little dots under the photo tell me she’s typing an answer.
Sam: I’m officially a divorcee, I’m sending off the papers now. Feels like I should celebrate somehow.
I grin and start typing.
Dean: Did meeting me push you over the edge? I didn’t know I’d had that effect on you.
I press send and immediately see the three little dots appear. I love that she isn’t playing games and waiting to message me back. I laugh when her message appears.
Sam:
Knocked Up- The Complete Box Set Page 53
