Chapter 31
CHAPTER 31
Another week passed. I ordered and received baby furniture, but the boxes remained unopened in Alien’s room. I hoped that Jackson would be home long enough to help me assemble the furniture. I spent the week painting a mural for Lauren’s six-year-old daughter. Elsa was set in a magical sparkling forest of white trees and a glistening frozen lake. Lauren invited me to the unveiling of the mural at Mindy’s birthday party. Mindy had been banned from entering her room while I worked on it, but when she saw the painting, she burst into noisy tears as she hugged her mom.
Everyone raved about the mural. Five different women took my number, promising to call to set up a coffee date.
Sunday night, Jackson called me on Skype.
“Are you in bed?”
“Hey. Nine o’clock is way past our bedtime.”
“How was the birthday party?”
“Mindy loved the mural. And I got five coffee invites out of it. ”
“Nice work.”
“I think they want murals too.”
He smiled. “You’re on your way.”
“I also went to a Scentsy party.”
“What is Scentsy?”
“Candles, oils and diffusers.”
“Is this a good thing?”
“Chloe and I got a dog walking date out of it.”
“Look at you.”
“It’s kind of nice to talk to someone who doesn’t have four legs and a tail.”
“But Chloe is such a good listener.”
“She is, but I think even she is getting sick of the sound of my voice.”
He laughed.
"Where are you?”
“We're in San Lucas.”
“Mexico?”
“Just a stopover. We're converging units, and we have the night off.”
“Tacos and beer?”
He yawned. “Sleep. How’s Alien?”
“She likes to dance,” I rubbed my belly. “She’s about the size of a mango.”
“I thought we agreed that Alien would be a boy.”
“We’ll see,” I said with a grin.
“What else is new?”
“Beth broke up with her boyfriend.”
“How come?”
I leaned forward. “She caught him cheating with her boss.”
“Her boss?”
“Apparently she introduced him at some work function. So now on top of looking for a new place to live, she's also looking for a new place to work. ”
“Ouch.”
“Yes, she thought he was the one.”
He snorted. “The one?”
“You know. Her soul mate?”
“Good luck finding that.”
“You don’t believe in the one?”
“I believe in commitment.”
“But not love?”
He dodged my question. “Beth is a good girl. She’ll find someone good.”
“Jackson,” someone yelled from off camera. I watched as he looked to his left and then nodded. I could hear a female voice.
“Come on. We’re ready to go. Cheap shots at the local.”
“I’m talking to Emily.”
“But you’re coming right?”
“Probably not. I haven’t slept in 35 hours.”
“When has that ever stopped you?”
I watched as a female figure walked behind him. She bent down, put her arm around Jackson’s shoulder. It was fucking Harper smiling at me, all friendly, looking into the camera with her big brown eyes. What was she doing there? Was she actually on a mission with him? I crossed my arms in front of my chest, feeling instantly defensive.
“Hi, Emily.”
“Hi,” I said through gritted teeth.
“You don’t mind if we steal Jackson? The party isn’t a party until he comes out.”
She looked down at Jackson, her face practically touching his. Her arm, however casual, was still around his shoulder.
She looked up and winked at me. It was that wink that made me want to scream. She knew what she was doing. This wasn’t harmless, friendly fun. This was her declaring her intentions on my husband. A husband I barely knew.
My voice sounded wooden. “No, absolutely. You guys should go out. ”
She stood up. “Nice seeing you, Emily.”
Jackson said something to her off camera that I couldn’t hear. I felt so hurt and pissed that I was practically crying.
“You should go.”
“Emily.”
“Have a good night.”
I clicked the off button and tossed the iPad onto the bed. Tears burned my eyes.
My Skype rang again. I wiped my tears from my face and opened the screen, but I didn’t say anything. We stared at each other. Both of us pissed off in our own right.
He swallowed. “You hung up on me.”
I sniffed.
“You’re mad I’m going out.”
“No, by all means. Go out drinking with your ex, Harper.”
“She’s not the only one who’s going to be there.”
“She winked at me!”
“Harper winks at everyone. That’s her thing.”
“Oh fine. Well, I guess it’s okay then if I go out with Mark.”
He glowered. “That is not the same fucking thing.”
I crossed my arms, refusing to speak.
“Emily. I told you. I’m committed to you.”
I was starting to hate that fucking word. My husband was in Mexico with his ex-girlfriend, and they were about to tie one on together, but it was okay because he was fucking committed.
“She wants you back.”
“Why can’t you let this go? She has. I have.”
“She hasn’t let it go.”
“You need to move on.”
I shook my head. I was done with this conversation. “Have fun.”
“Emily.”
“I need to go.”
“You want to end this conversation like this?”
Tears threatened to overflow out of my eyes. “Yes. ”
“Really!” He looked pissed.
“Have a good night.”
He stared at me. “You too.”
And then he was gone.
I cried. Long and hard after that conversation as I imagined Harper, with her tall and slender body at the bar with Jackson. Getting drunk. Laughing together. Meanwhile, I was getting bigger by the minute, living by myself on this fucking military base.
A strong, loving marriage would struggle under these circumstances. In the last four months of marriage, Jackson had been home less than two weeks. Our entire relationship was based on texts and Skype calls, but Harper was there, putting her arms around him.
I woke up at 3 AM to my phone buzzing.
Jackson: Still pissed?
Me: How was your night drinking with Harper?
Jackson: I’m drunk
Me: Is there a point to you drunk texting me?
Jackson: You’re my wife
Me: Thank you for remembering that fact
Jackson: You drive me crazy
Me: So you tell me
Jackson: Stay away from Mark
Me: Chloe said you should go to bed
Jackson: I mean it
Me: She said you should drink lots of water
Jackson: Tell her I miss her too
Me: Ok