She kept going. “I have a new job. I, uh…this one pays more.”
Since she had no experience for fifteen years, she’d had some trouble but finally landed a job as a receptionist for some large law firm in Indianapolis. The pay was shit and reportedly she hated it. Worse, with the commute and parking, it ate into the little she earned.
He again didn’t respond mostly because he didn’t care.
“Secretary to two of the associates. The pay is nearly double.”
Mike said nothing.
She kept going. “I started last week and that’s why I lost track of the party today because, well, it’s not an easy job. It’s really busy and I’m on probation. A lot of girls at the firm wanted that job and the probation is short, only a month. I have to do well to keep it.”
She stopped talking. Mike said nothing but wondered why she was telling him this shit. He didn’t care and any extra money she made, she’d spend on her.
“I…well,” she continued, “there’s a big case and I had to go into work today. It’s good, me being able to do that. Some of the other women with, uh…younger kids can’t. So that’s good. And it’s overtime.”
Mike just stared at her.
She pulled in a breath and stated, “Well, anyway, my lease is up next month and I’m getting a place in Indianapolis.”
Mike’s body got tight. She saw it and kept talking, this time fast.
“I’ve found it, it’s nicer and it has three bedrooms.”
Indianapolis was only fifteen miles away. No was a decent driver. He could do stupid shit, he was a boy. But he was getting lots of practice and he loved his sister so he didn’t do stupid shit when she was in his car.
And Indy was a great city. But it was a city. There were some not so great areas of it and Mike hoped to f**k she hadn’t chosen some shithole that wasn’t safe to live where his kids would have to stay when they were with her.
“I thought, well…you could come and see it. It’s nice, Mike. Seriously. It isn’t a gated development or anything but it’s safe. It’s quiet. On the west side so close to The ‘Burg.”
“Text me the address. I’ll do a drive-by.”
“You can view my unit. It’s already open. I can meet you there,” she offered.
Now. Seriously.
What the f**k?
“I don’t need to see it. I’ll drive-by,” he declined.
She studied him. Then she said softly, “Okay.”
“We done?” he asked.
She pulled in another breath then she kept talking softly when she informed him, “I’ve been, uh…learning a few things about myself.”
Terrific.
He did not need this shit. He’d heard it all before.
“Audrey –”
“No,” she said quickly, her hand coming out to wrap around his forearm.
He looked down at it at the same time he stepped away and her hand dropped.
He looked back to her and she went on speaking. “I just wanted you to know I didn’t mean to upset Clarisse this morning. I’m sorry about that. But, I’m trying to…to, well, get on with things and it’s hard at my age to start again –”
Mike cut her off. “No shit?”
She flinched and bit her lip.
“Don’t tell me you’re sorry. Tell Reesee,” he continued. “I’m not surprised by your shit. She was let down, disappointed and upset.”
“I already said I was sorry and it looks like you did good by her anyway.”
“I didn’t. Dusty did,” Mike returned and she blinked.
“Dusty, the, um…blonde? Your, uh…date?”
“Yes on the blonde, no on the date. She’s not my date. She’s something else or she wouldn’t be in there fillin’ plastic bowls she bought with our daughter and cutting and handing out pieces of a ten layer cake she made with our daughter.”
Something he didn’t get passed through her eyes even as she nodded then he watched her face close down as she said, “You’re moving on.”
“Absolutely,” he replied without delay.
She stared at him and this time he saw it. Pain slashing through her eyes.
Fuck him.
He didn’t need this shit either.
“Now are we done?” he asked.
“I just, no…we aren’t. I just want you to know I’m trying to make good changes in my life and ask you to have patience with me. Ask you to help the kids have patience with me.”
“I’ve heard this before, Audrey,” he reminded her.
“I know you have, Mike,” she whispered then tipped her head to the side and kept whispering, “But I had you to fall on before. I don’t have that anymore. And I…I’m sorry, I should have…before…but now I have no choice.”
“You didn’t then either,” Mike pointed out the obvious.
She took in yet another deep breath. Then she nodded.
“Now are we done?” he repeated.
“Yeah, Mike.”
He didn’t reply.
He walked away from her to the door. He opened it, held it for her and saw Dusty’s eyes come right to him. He shook his head at her even before she saw Audrey round the door. Dusty must have read his face because she looked away without giving him anything and thus without giving Audrey anything when her eyes went right to Dusty when she walked in.
“Dad! Ohmigod! Look!” Clarisse shouted as he closed the door behind him. Mike looked her way and she was holding up some wide, stamped, short, tan leather strap that had a snap on it. He had no f**king clue what it was until Clarisse declared, “Isn’t it an awesome bracelet? Dusty gave it to me! With that top I wanted and the…coolest…barrette. Look!” she cried, dumping the leather thing on the coffee table and picking up a big barrette that didn’t do anything for Mike but clearly his daughter thought it was the shit. “And she got me some makeup!”
“Great, honey,” Mike called.
Clarisse’s happy eyes went to Dusty. “Thanks, Dusty!”
“You’re welcome, babe.”
“She’s, like the…freaking…coolest,” Mike heard one of Reesee’s friends whisper loudly from close to him. “She says ‘babe’ and it sounds real, not totally jacked and trying to sound cool. Did you see her boots?”
“Yeah, Rees says she has horses. She’s totally the bomb. She dresses like a rock star,” her friend replied.