“Take a look, Jules,” Adam said to Julie, who was hesitant to remove her sunglasses. “Have a walk-through. Dave and I did the repairs and took down an old separating wall, but Mel really brought the space to life.”
I beamed as Julie silently stalked through the handful of rooms, eyeing the bold but slightly undersized furniture that Bernie and Alex had helped me locate. With the living space opened up with the removal of a superfluous wall, I’d been able to place seating for 5-6 people as well as the stunning accent chair and a few modern, almost-invisible shelves along the walls. A flat-screen television was mounted on the far wall, and the little coffee table I’d shopped for with my friends was placed delicately between the seating area. It was lovely, even if I did say so myself. Though it was small, I could see myself contemplating the purchase and hoped other people would feel the same way.
“One queen bed?” Julie asked, her heels clicking down the tiny tiled hallway from the bedroom.
“Um, yep. Just the one bedroom,” Dave answered. “We figure it’s a starter home for a young couple, or a retirement house for a single, retired person. Either way, a pretty good find in the city center, wouldn’t you say?”
She was silent for a few minutes, continuing her short trek around the small kitchen and back into the living room. Though I didn’t expect her to appreciate much about the kitchen – it was tiny, after all, and she didn’t show much interest in her own kitchen at the best of times – I loved looking at the beautiful brushed-steel appliances I’d found at a great cost. They gave an impression of high-end minimalism, an idea I had really come to appreciate while working on the space.
I felt like the clack of Julie’s heels on that tiny, tiled floor were causing physical pain to my stomach. She doesn’t have to love it, I reminded myself. The buyers do. She’s only here so we can make her feel like she’s an important part of Dave’s life and work. Right. I straightened my shoulders and sat down in the accent chair to await her verdict. The guys hovered.
“So?” Dave asked again. “Whad’you think, love? We’re pretty proud of ourselves, I gotta tell you. No reality-TV-style infighting, no calamities. About ready for the open house, just a couple more things to finish!”
Julie ran the arms of her sunglasses through her fingers and shrugged her shoulders. “I would have done things differently. But I guess it will do the job. Anyone interested yet?”
My heart sank. Seriously? That’s the best she can offer us after weeks of work? What a fucking bitch. I’m so finished with her. Outwardly, I kept a neutral expression on my face, reminding myself to look forward to the sale of the property and the recuperation of Dave and Adam’s money. Once that was sorted, I could disentangle myself from this weird situation and concentrate on my own future, not that of a spoiled, ungrateful woman.
“Not yet, babe. We’ll start advertising next week.”
“Good.” She put her sunglasses back on and fluffed her hair. “I don’t know what you three are planning for the afternoon, but you can drop me off at the mall. I’m meeting the girls.” With her quick heel clicks to the door, Julie cut our moment of triumph short. And to make it worse – probably just to irritate me, I felt – she grabbed Adam’s arm at the door and walked slowly with him back to the vehicle.
I followed behind silently while Dave secured the property, and heard their low conversation.
“You really have to give the guy some credit,” Adam was saying. “He did a great job on the woodwork out here. See, if you look…”
“Oh don’t bother,” she cut him off. “I know it was you who did the real work. Honestly, I don’t know why I ever left you for your idiot brother. What a stupid decision to make. Look where it’s led me!” Shaking her head, she climbed into the truck and began tapping at her phone. I stood frozen on the spot, Adam looking back at me with his mouth agape. I cocked my head sideways, silently asking him if what she’d just mentioned was true. Had they seriously been a couple before she married his brother? His apologetic expression said it all.
I nodded to myself and cheerfully turned to Dave. “I’m going to walk from here, Dave, I’m actually meeting someone too. Have a great afternoon, guys.”
Without looking at Adam again, I walked away.
Chapter 13
Time to Refocus
After a furious walk to nowhere in particular, I retraced my steps and used my key to let myself back into the project house. Dave’s vehicle was long gone and no one was inside. I shut the door behind myself and stood in the darkened entrance for a moment, breathing heavily. Finally, I shut my eyes and swore out loud.
“Fuck!”
I pounded a fist on the closed door and stomped through the little house into the kitchen, where I banged some more on the butcher’s block counter top until my hands were red and stinging. This time, I spoke softly. “Fuck.”
The only thing to do was delve into my work, so that’s just what I did. There were several unopened boxes of supplies and furniture sitting under the bed – tucked away for Julie’s appraisal – so I started with those. There was plenty to do to occupy myself for the day and avoid moping about the twisted love triangle I had apparently stepped into. In a foreign country. Without gainful employment or a proper work visa. No problem.
“Get a grip,” I told myself. “You aren’t lost or broke, yet. You own your own home and it’s just a flight…two flights…away. Finish your job, get photos for a portfolio, sort out this relationship mess and go home. It’s very simple. You’re a grownup now; you can do this. Just like you tell all your readers.”
I knew the voice in my head was right, and the only way to stay in control was to follow its advice. After all, what right did I have to try to help other women post-divorce if I crumpled at every weird, bumping fork in the road? My only choice was to finish the job at hand.
First, I plugged in the television so that I could run my smartphone through the speakers and listen to some music at a decent volume. Avoiding anything melodramatic, I tapped out an up-beat playlist and started opening boxes. Before I knew it, my mood had improved significantly. Nothing beats opening up presents you’ve basically bought for yourself!
Surrounded by linens, towel sets, curtains, rugs and wall hangings, I was in my element. Sun shone in through the wide picture window of the living room, catching the corners of objects as they passed through my hands into a haphazard stack surrounding me. I switched off the notifications on my phone so the music would play unhampered and I wouldn’t have to think about who was trying to message me, or what they said. Instead, I sorted items and installed them to their proper location within the little home.
According to my instructions, Adam had painted all walls except those in the bedroom and bathroom a very muted gray. The color had become my go-to neutral, and when accompanied by a little pop of black here and there, as well as white and turquoise, I felt the space had been perfectly transformed into a modern, chic living area. I tried to think back to house-hunting in those early years with my ex-husband, Allen, and decided if I were once again in that part of life I would adore this place. If, of course, Allen hadn’t been as wealthy as he had been.
Several hours later, I collapsed onto the soft little couch with a cold beer I’d bought from a store nearby, and a huge kebab from the shop next door. I turned the music down low and surveyed my work while taking alternate big bites of messy kebab and gulps of cold beer. Really, it was the perfect end to an unusual day. I felt very fulfilled, sitting among my own decorative and design work – and it turned out the dodgy kebab shop actually had a pretty good product after all.
When the last bite of pita and shredded meat were gone, I finished off the bottle of beer all at once and sat back to shut my eyes for a moment. My limbs ached from arranging and rearranging furniture, assembling side tables and hanging shelves. Exhausted but proud of myself, I cracked another drink and smiled.
“What a cozy home! Too bad I can’t just stay here until it’s sold. I’d do just about anything n
ever to have to step foot in Julie’s house again! And those crisp, clean new sheets are just crying out to me…”
Suddenly I realized I hadn’t checked my phone messages since the morning. I grabbed my cell and swiped past the home screen apprehensively. My heart palpitated at the sight of Adam’s name on my notifications list, but I clicked it hopefully. I hoped he had come up with a reasonable excuse for failing to tell me about his relationship with Julie – but I was disappointed.
-???
-I’m sorry I didn’t tell you, but you really overreacted, Mel. Where are you?
Nothing more. My face burning and angry tears prickling at my eyes, I responded.
-I’ve been so patient and understanding while that horrible woman insults everything I do and snuggles up to you at every opportunity. I assumed you were just trying to be supportive for Dave’s sake. But knowing you were together, and she’s saying things like that to you? Totally different story.
A few minutes later, the phone buzzed in my hand.
-Well you know now. What do you want me to do?
I shook my head. Could this really be happening? What a waste of time, effort and emotional entanglement.
-I guess I want you to bring my stuff to the project house. I’d like to stay here until you guys find a buyer.
-Jesus, really?! Okay, fine. I’ll be there soon.
Chapter 14
Don’t Be Manipulated
-Did you seriously write this? Adam was really upset and made no effort hiding it.
“Sometimes, I guess, it’s hard for people to see their behavior the way we can from the outside. Take my boyfriend, for example. He’s put himself in an awkward position with an ex-girlfriend who also happens to be his sister-in-law. She is taking advantage of his generous nature and trying to worm her way into his life again, long-term. And I think he genuinely still thinks she is an innocent victim. What can I do, except step back to let him make his own mistakes?”
-Are you serious, Melissa? You posted this online for everyone to see?!
He was holding printed pages of my blog – and I had a pretty good idea who had printed them for him.
It was early in the morning, and Adam’s frantic knock on the door of the project house had woken me from a deep sleep. I stood in the doorway with messy hair, pajama shorts and a too-tight tank top, trying to figure out what was going on. As I was coming to grips with the situation, Adam pushed past me into the house and shut the door behind him.
“It’s my blog,” I explained sleepily. “I’ve told you about it lots of times. Wait, you haven’t read it before?”
He shot me an irritated glare. “You told me you were writing about life after divorce, not specifically every detail of your life – your life that includes me!”
I grabbed a warm bottle of juice and downed a few mouthfuls to freshen up my breath and brain. “So, you haven’t read it. That’s kind of hurtful. I’ve talked about it so much.”
“Melissa, you are missing the point! How could you spread gossip about us on the internet?!”
I rolled my eyes. Given the early hour and Adam’s behavior of late, I was in no mood to baby him. If he’d had a problem with my blog, he should have read it earlier and actually listened to me when I talked about it. As for Julie? All her actions had done were prove my published words. She was vindictive and childish.
“So, what happened, your new – or old – best friend found my blog and printed it out for you? Thought you should catch up on the topics of the week? That’s funny, ‘cause I assumed you’d been reading the whole time. How is it you didn’t hear me every time I told you what I was writing? Or bother to read it?” I shook my head. “Anyway, there’s hardly any reason to panic. The blog’s in my first name, and there aren’t any photos. It’s pretty standard, in terms of online publishing.”
While he sat on the couch fuming, I brushed my hair into a casual ponytail and ducked into the bedroom to change into jeans and a v-neck t-shirt. Usually, I made an effort with my clothing to look polished and well-put-together, but I was past that now. I’d been working hard, exercising patience and good manners, and anyone as close to me as Adam was supposed to be should be expected to think as much of me in jeans and a t-shirt as if I were in a nice skirt and heeled shoes.
“Yeah,” he admitted, his voice calmer after a bit of reflection. “Julie found it. She thought I should be warned.”
“Warned. Wow. She’s quite the piece of work, that one. I don’t suppose she’s been working very hard on her marriage these past few days? Or, maybe, cozying up to you instead?”
I laughed at my own audacity. Clearly, I was very much done with giving Adam or Julie the benefit of the doubt. He gave me a shocked look, but shrugged his broad shoulders.
“They’ve been fighting more than ever. Maybe there’s no way to save the marriage. He can’t give her what she wants, or needs.”
I eyed him suspiciously. “I’ll bet I know who she thinks can give her those things.” Again, shocked at my forthright attitude, Adam stared at me.
“I just want her to be okay,” he said finally. He looked down at another set of papers that he hadn’t shown me yet.
“Weak,” I thought. “So weak.” I snatched the papers from his hand. Scanning through, my mouth dropped open. These were my emails to and from Frank. I gave Adam an unbelieving look.
“My emails? How did she get these exactly? She must have been on my computer! What the fuck, Adam!”
He shrugged, embarrassed to be caught with stolen information, but not so much he dropped his argument. “Well however she got them, it looks like it’s something I should know about. You’re still talking to this guy who is ready to pounce on you the second you give an inch!”
I decided to be done with this mess as quickly as possible, and not waste time with subtlety. “Those are private, obviously. And if you weren’t blinded by the need to hate on me right now, you’d see that I never said anything inappropriate. So, that’s fine, Adam. Stick around and make sure Julie is okay. Spy on my private correspondence and read into my blog whatever you like. Do whatever you need to do.” I stopped and looked at him for a few seconds, sincere pity on my face. “If that’s what makes you happy, then it’s the right thing to do. But you aren’t allowed to drag me through whatever kind of emotional, fucked-up crisis you’re having. Not anymore.”
Adam opened his mouth to protest, but I silenced him.
“Julie and Dave are none of my business. She can hate me if she wants to, but it ultimately doesn’t matter. I came here to be with you in a healthy, positive relationship, and to help you with a job along the way. Since the first thing isn’t working out, I’m finishing my job and going home. That’s just the logical thing to do.”
I sighed, a couple of unexpected tears appearing in the corners of my eyes, and sat down on the opposite side of the room as Adam. I looked at his handsome face and pained expression, and felt nothing but love and sympathy in my heart.
“Listen, Adam. I love you. I hope you know that. I thought you were in love with me, too, but maybe I was wrong. Maybe you didn’t even know that before. And that’s okay. I guess these things happen.”
I leaned forward and managed a little smile. “Just don’t be manipulated, okay? Watch out for yourself. And if you realize that this isn’t where you want to be in life, and that the things you felt for me before were real, then let me know.” This time, it was me who shrugged.
“Either way…just be happy. That’s what I’m going to do. Whatever it takes.”
Chapter 15
A Good Advice
Annoyed at Frank for flirting with me online and upsetting Adam – not to mention straining the friendship – I turned to Amber for some long-distance support. We had been keeping in touch since our trip to the library back home, and I was craving some female companionship. I caught her online at a weird time in the middle of the night, and we chatted via text messaging for an hour or so.
-Don’t worry about Frank, he
’s just a horny middle-aged professor! LOL I’m sure he’ll get the hint eventually.
I laughed.
-It’s my own fault. I turned him on and almost immediately left him to his own devices. Poor guy.
-You didn’t do anything wrong. You were trying to look forward to the rest of your life, and Adam could still be part of that! I don’t know, I guess I’m not really full of any useful advice when it comes to long-term relationships…but I think you’ve done the right thing. All the right things.
-Thanks Amber. I sort of feel like I did too…I guess I just expected that if I did good things, good things would happen. You know? Ugh.
-Well, some good things have happened! You started writing, and you’ve started an interior design portfolio! Those are two huge things you didn’t have when you left. Not to mention you’re spending time on the other side of the world. Don’t let an emotionally crippled man ruin your chance to be happy and satisfied with yourself. Or to enjoy Australia. Who knows when you’ll be able to do that again?
She was right. I had been so caught up in the drama between Adam, Dave, Julie and myself that I had completely forgotten to make the most of being in an exciting, foreign country. A shock of electricity sparked in the pit of my stomach. My interior work on the project house was done now, but I wanted to give Adam a little time to mull over what I’d told him before I left Australia for good. I’d seen some beautiful things in Sydney, but why not take a bit of an adventure trip in another part of the country? My divorce money wasn’t yet spent, and I had some impressive credit cards in my purse. Why not, indeed?
-You know what? You’re totally right! I’m done here, work-wise. Maybe I’ll give Adam a week or so to think about things, and sort out his mess if he wants to…and I’ll go explore :)
-That’s a really fantastic idea, Melissa :) I know you aren’t much of a rugged traveler (or you would have snatched up that job offer in the city) so maybe check out Melbourne? You might have noticed there’s a bit of a friendly rivalry between Sydney and Melbourne, and for good reason. It’s a great city. You can really let loose there, especially without that horrible woman around, and without having to worry about seeing Adam.
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