8. Theo
8
THEO
The next day, I’m having trouble focusing on the resort plans. My business partner, Steve, is suggesting a couple of last-minute changes. Normally, I would be more involved in every single change of a project, but I’m having trouble focusing on this one. My thoughts keep drifting back to last night.
The frustration I feel isn’t just about her stubborn refusal to sell. There’s something else going on. Memories from high school keep surfacing, unbidden and unwelcome. I thought I had moved on, but seeing Mia again, talking to her and then kissing her, has stirred up feelings I thought were long gone.
I shove the plans aside and decide to take a break and run some errands. I drive to the local hardware store, hoping to clear my head with a mundane task. I’ve had it on my list for a week that I’m supposed to look at some of the light fixture options in person and make a final decision on what will be used in the bathrooms.
I suddenly hear a familiar voice.
“Of all the places…” Mia mutters, glaring at me from the end of the aisle. She’s holding a can of paint, her eyes flashing with annoyance.
I take a deep breath, trying to keep my cool. Part of me wants to run down the aisle to her and remind her of how heated things got last night. I don’t know how she found the self-control to step away, because I was long gone. “Mia, I didn’t plan this. I’m just here to look at lighting options.”
“Right, because you have to control everything, don’t you?” Her tone is biting, and I can see she’s still furious from our last encounter. I don’t understand why. I thought things ended on a positive note. I didn’t push her for more after she pushed me away, even though that was what I wanted.
I respected her and got the hell out of her house before I came right there in my pants.
“Look, I didn’t come here to fight. I just want to get my stuff and go. You’re the one starting an argument.”
“Well, don’t let me stop you. Get your stuff…and go!” She motions to the front door.
When I don’t move, Mia whirls around and heads toward the checkout in a rush.
I stand there for a moment, debating whether to let her go or follow her. I can’t let this awkwardness between us continue. I start walking, catching up with her just as she reaches the counter.
“Mia, wait.” I start to grab her arm, but as soon as my fingers graze her skin, she jerks away from me.
She at least turns to look at me, though. “What, Theo? What else do you have to say to me, and why do I have to stand here and listen to you? I gave you the chance to lay out your case for buying the house yesterday. You did that. What do you need from me now?”
She angrily scans her paint can at the self-checkout and pushes buttons.
I struggle with getting the words out, but once they come, there is no stopping them. “I’m sorry. I’m sorry for how I’ve handled things. I know I’ve been pushy, and I didn’t mean to disrespect your feelings or your grandmother’s memory. When I get focused on a project, I can’t see past it sometimes. It just kind of takes over my life.”
She stares at me, her expression softening slightly, but she quickly masks it with anger. “Apologizing now doesn’t change anything, Theo. You’ve been a complete jerk, and you know it.”
I wonder if that’s why she stopped kissing me last night. What if I had just shown up on her doorstep without an offer to buy her house? What if I had started the conversation with. “Hey! Do you remember me? Your first boyfriend ever?”
And then, she would have dragged me inside the house. She would have thrown her arms around me and hugged me. Maybe we would have kissed then . And who knows what could have happened between us? But I had to let my project come first.
I almost regret trying to buy her property, but I remind myself that I can’t trade success for a woman. Women almost always leave at some point, but the results of success can last forever. Just like my last girlfriend decided another man was better than me, I know better than to rest all of my hopes on someone else.
Even as I’m trying to logically think things through, my heart is telling me Mia is different. She’s fiercely loyal. I should know.
“I want to make things right. Can we at least talk about it?”
“There’s nothing to talk about,” she says, her voice trembling slightly. “You want my house, and I’m not selling it. End of story. I don’t know why you keep bringing it up.”
“I didn’t even bring it up this time,” I protest.
But Mia isn’t listening. She’s already storming out of the store, paint can in hand, leaving me standing there feeling more frustrated than ever. I pay for my items quickly and rush out after her. I spot her heading toward her car and jog to catch up.
“Mia, please! Just give me a chance to explain.”
She spins around, her face flushed with anger. “Explain what, Theo? That you’re willing to do anything to get what you want? That you’re trying to bully me into selling my home? Was that what last night was? You started kissing me because you thought ‘at least if I’m sleeping with her, then she has to agree?’ Do you know how manipulative you are?”
“No, that’s not it. What? No. My attraction to you has nothing to do with the house. I mean, yes, they are related because you own the house, but I mean… I wouldn’t do something like that.”
“How am I supposed to know that? You’ve changed in these last ten years.”
“Yeah, so have you. That’s not a bad thing.”
Some of the anger has left Mia’s voice. She just sounds disappointed now. “I just think it would be better if we don’t interact. I’m just trying to enjoy my life, enjoy finally getting the chance to start my own business and do something other than work an eight to five every day for the rest of my life. And you…”
“Look, I just... I didn’t realize how much the house means to you. I thought you’d be happy to move on, to start fresh somewhere else.”
The firmness returns to Mia’s tone. “Well, you thought wrong. This place is all I have left of my grandmother. It’s my home, Theo, and it has my memories. I’m not leaving it, even if you offered me a million dollars.”
I feel a knot in my chest at her words, the realization of how much I’ve hurt her sinking in. “I’m sorry, Mia. Seriously. I never meant to hurt you. My business partner and I had planned to add your property since we started construction, and when I saw you show up, I thought it was the perfect chance to make the offer.”
She shakes her head, tears welling up in her eyes. “It doesn’t matter if you meant to hurt me or not. You did. End of conversation.”
Before I can think of a response, Mia gets into her car and slams the door harder than necessary. I back out of her way and watch helplessly as she drives away.
Well, that conversation didn’t go well. The words replay in my head, and I criticize myself for how I addressed the whole situation.
Instead of going back to the property, I drive home, my mind racing. I need to clear my head and figure out how to fix this mess. As I walk into my house, which is pretty small for the amount of money I have, I head to the attic. I haven’t been up here in over a year, but something is pulling me toward it.
The attic is dusty and cluttered with old boxes. I moved a bunch of stuff here from my parents’ house when I first bought the place, and I’ve added things as we’ve gone. Now, an artificial Christmas tree stands in the corner, covered in plastic, waiting for December. A couple of boxes of clothes that are no longer my style are stacked neatly against one wall.
But as I stand at the entrance to the attic, I realize that I’m not looking for any of those things.
I head toward the old boxes, the cardboard boxes that smell musty and haven’t been touched in years. Sweat is rolling down my back already from the heat of the attic, so I take the top two boxes and head down the stairs to the main floor. Once I’m on the ground in the living room, I start sifting through them, looking for anything that might remind me of my high school days with Mia. After a few minutes of searching, I find the bottom of one of the boxes is filled with memorabilia from high school.
There are old yearbooks, photos, and some random bits and pieces from things—like a letterman jacket that was never mine to begin with. As I dig deeper, I come across a small, worn notebook. I recognize it immediately—it’s the sketchbook Mia used to carry around everywhere.
Back when she wanted to design houses, she would draw them out in this book, then use the opposite page to cut pictures of furniture from magazines. She’d then painstakingly draw each piece of furniture into her tiny house.
I sit down on the floor and open the notebook, flipping through the pages. Each drawing brings back a flood of memories—our late-night conversations on the beach, our dreams and plans for the future, and the way she used to look at me with those bright blue eyes.
As I reach the end of the sketchbook, I find a folded piece of paper tucked inside. I open it and see it’s a letter from Mia. I had completely forgotten about this. It’s dated the summer before we went our separate ways, and a memory of her giving it to me hits.
It was a hot day, and the school year was almost over. I found a new girlfriend that summer, but Mia and I didn’t know that would happen at the time. She handed me the sketchbook and told me she wanted me to pick our dream house. I was supposed to look through all her drawings and decide which one I liked best.
We had been planning to see each other the week after school ended, but neither one of us could drive. Then, she went on vacation, and I didn’t see her again until the next school year. By then, I had moved on.
I wonder if that’s a mistake I’ll always think about.
Theo,
I know we’ve talked about our future a lot, and I’ve thought about it even more. Which house would you like? I know it has to be at the beach. I couldn’t live anywhere else, either. Pick your house, and I’ll design the rest of the rooms. Maybe we could build a house like this one day.
I’m going to miss seeing you every day this summer. I wish I had a cell phone, but maybe when I’m sixteen. See you soon!
Love, Mia
Reading the letter, I feel a deep pang of nostalgia. How could I have forgotten this? The words on the page, written with such open honesty, bring back memories of a time when everything seemed possible, when our connection was unbreakable. I remember the school lunches we spent talking about our dreams, the way we promised to always be there for each other, no matter what.
How did we end up here, with so much misunderstanding between us?
I clutch the letter tightly, my mind racing. Mia’s words resonate with me more than ever now. I’ve been so focused on my ambitions and plans that I’ve completely disregarded her feelings, her dreams, and her connection to her grandmother’s house.
I decide I can’t let things end like this. I have to make things right. But I just don’t know how.
I don’t know if I’m going to be able to speak with Steve and deal with the contractors today, so I decide to head to Leo’s Tiki Bar, hoping that Mia hasn’t gotten the same idea.
When I arrive, it’s not busy yet. It’s the middle of the afternoon, so there are a few customers, but Leo looks a little less frazzled than he does sometimes.
“Hey, Theo. What can I get for you today?”
“If I ever order something that’s not Dark and Stormy, just make Dark and Stormy for me anyway,” I tell him.
Leo smiles and gets to work. I watch his familiar movements as he makes my drink. When he brings it over, I decide to bring up the whole thing with Mia. I’ve never been a guy who feels like he has to talk about his problems, but I could use a little sound advice. Leo has been married for four years, so he’s practically an expert by this point.
“Leo, I need your thoughts.”
“My thoughts, man? I don’t know if anyone needs to know what I’m thinking.”
We both laugh, and I take a long, cool sip of Dark and Stormy.
Leo smacks the counter, checks all nearby customers, then turns his attention fully to me. “Tell me what’s going on.”
I try to give him the main idea without getting into all the details. I explain how I tried to buy Mia’s house, how I used to date her, and how I feel like the attraction is still there.
Leo listens patiently, and when I finish, he lets out a long sigh. “I might need a drink for myself after hearing all that.”
I smile, but it’s forced.
“Theo, you’ve always been driven, and that’s a good thing. I’ve seen some of the properties you own, and I’ve heard about the resort you’re working on. But sometimes, you need to stop and consider the people around you. Mia’s house isn’t just a property to her. I’s her home. Give up the idea of buying her property if you want to pursue the idea of a relationship with her. Both are not going to happen. You just have to decide which is more important.”
I nod. His advice is sound, and he’s right. I have to decide. No one can make the decision for me. I lift my to-go cup in a toast to Leo, then head back to where I’ve parked my car. I have a lot of thinking to do.