November 14th 2020
So I took myself out and did something I had always wanted to do.
Michelle had paid for my first tattoo, when I wanted to get most of my scars covered up, I decided, for my birthday it was time to splurge a little and get more added to my collection.
Along my spine, in a perfect line, I got the phases of the moon permanently etched in my skin.
My artist did a wonderful job making it an elegant design, transforming it from the simple idea I had walked in with, complete with a few constellations and swirls that really gave it a galactic feel.
After my session was done, I still hadn’t heard from Craig at all, so Michelle and I met up for dinner at one of our favorite Italian places.
I didn’t text Craig first; a part of me is always tired of having to be the one to initiate any type of plans with him.
It was well after ten when he finally texted me.
Apologizing and saying that he hadn’t forgotten it was my birthday, only that his car had broken down and his cell phone had died.
I didn’t respond to his message. I wasn’t exactly mad, frustrated maybe, that he hadn’t even said happy birthday, but I was mentally exhausted.
Trying to keep up with him and his ever-changing mood was draining me.
I ended up turning my phone off since I had to work in the morning, and when I woke up this morning, I had over three dozen missed messages and twenty missed calls from him.
Ranging from angry that I wasn’t answering to apologetic for losing his temper.
I broke down on my way to work, not knowing how to handle him like this.
He knows I go to bed early when I have to work the next day, me not responding after nine p.m. isn’t unusual.
His last message said that if I didn’t respond to him, he would make sure to show up at the vet clinic.
So I sent him an apology—told him that I had been tired and fell asleep early without hearing my phone.
It wasn’t a complete lie. I knew if I had told him the truth, that I didn’t want to deal with him last night, it would have set him off.
We’re supposed to meet for dinner tonight, both a birthday dinner and an apology dinner. Dinner is a normal outing for us, so why am I dreading it so badly this time?