ℂ𝕙𝕒𝕡𝕥𝕖𝕣 𝟝𝟞 #2
She was being petty.
"We can go," I said with a sigh.
I guess I didn't really care about the ice cream. I just wanted to spend time with them.
Especially Dixie- even if she was making it unnecessarily difficult.
~
Molly had already finished half of her ice cream sundae by the time we came back to our small table. I had gotten a cookie's and cream bowl while Dixie settled on something simple and got chocolate.
"Gee, Molly, already done?" I stare at her.
"I'm hungry."
"I can see that."
Dixie took a small portion of her chocolate ice cream.
"Maybe if someone hadn't made us walk around in the heat for twenty minutes, she'd have finished it already."
I looked at her. "What's the problem, Dix?"
"No problem." Dixie shrugged innocently.
I narrowed my eyes slightly, but ignored it. I wasn't about to do this whole thing with my wife while my sister was around.
Molly, completely oblivious, dug her spoon into the whipped cream.
"This is really good."
Dixie smiled at her. "I'm glad."
Molly pointed her spoon toward my bowl. "Can I have some?"
"You already have your own."
"But yours has cookies. Can I have one?"
"One." I looked at her.
Molly immediately leaned across the table and stole one of the cookie pieces.
"Thank you."
~
Dixie
The weather in Minnesota had been bipolar. First, it was rainy and dark outside. Now all of a sudden, it was bright and hot.
Cameron knew I couldn't handle the heat. He knew I despised the heat.
If Molly hadn't been here, I probably would've already been sitting somewhere indoors with the air conditioning turned all the way up.
Then there was Ted.
The entire situation with my job had been hanging over my head for days.
I still didn't know what he meant by his strange comments.
And I certainly didn't know what I was supposed to make of the way he'd touched my shoulder in his office.
My phone buzzed against the table. I looked down, and so did Cameron.
"Who is it?" he asked.
I flipped my phone over.
My stomach dropped. It was Ted.
"Speak of the devil..." I whispered.
"Ted?" Cameron's eyes narrowed slightly.
I nodded. I stood from the table, motioning to Cameron that I'd be a minute.
"I need to take this."
Cameron watched me. "Do you want me to-"
"No," I shook my head quickly. "I'll be right back."
I walked several feet away from the table, far enough that the two of them wouldn't hear the conversation.
Then I accepted the call. "Hello?"
"Dixie! How have you been?"
I closed my eyes.
Really?
This man had called me after days of ignoring my email, and his opening question was how I'd been?
"Err..I'm fine."
"That's good. That's very good. I've been meaning to get in touch with you."
I stared at the sidewalk. "You have?"
"Of course. I've actually been quite busy here at the firm."
"I'm sure."
Ted chuckled. "And I finally saw the news coverage. Quite impressive, Dixie."
"Thank you."
"I have to admit, you certainly know how to make an entrance."
I rubbed my forehead. "Ted."
"Yes?"
"Can we just talk about why you called?"
"Well you see, I'd actually prefer to discuss it in person."
"In person?" My eyebrows pulled together.
"Yes."
"Ted, if this is about my position at the firm, you can just tell me whether I'm coming back."
"It's more complicated than that."
I frowned. "How?"
"Come to my office."
I stared down at the pavement. "This isn't something you can discuss over the phone?"
"No, Dixie.." His voice had become noticeably firmer. "I'd like you to come in."
"Okay. When?" I exhaled slowly.
"Whenever you're available."
"I'm not at home right now. I have plans."
"Then come after."
I looked back toward the table. Cameron was sitting with Molly, but he was watching me. I immediately looked back.
"Ted, I'm asking you a very simple question. Am I getting my job back?"
"I think it's best if we discuss that in person."
I clenched my jaw. "Okay.."
"Good."
"I'll come by."
"Excellent. I'll see you soon."
The call ended. I stared at my phone reflection for several seconds.
I was very, very irritated. Why did every conversation with this man feel like pulling teeth?
I shoved my phone into my purse and walked back toward the table.
Cameron immediately looked up. "What happened?"
"Ted wants me back at the office." I grabbed my purse.
"What? Right now?"
"Apparently."
"Why?"
"I don't know," I sigh. "He wouldn't tell me over the phone."
"What did he say?"
"That he wants to talk to me in person."
"About your job?"
"Yes."
"Did he say you're getting it back?"
"No."
Cameron frowned. "So you don't know anything."
"Correct." I say.
"Then why are you leaving?"
"Because I'd like to find out." I gave him a look.
He leaned back in his chair. "You can't wait until after this?"
"No."
"Dixie, we're here with Molly. Stay."
"I can't."
"You've spent the entire afternoon worrying about Ted." His expression hardened slightly.
"I have a career, Cameron."
"And you also have a family sitting right here."
That made me mad immediately. "I know that."
"Act like it, then."
I stared at him. "Excuse me?"
Molly looked between us, and that's when Cameron immediately lowered his voice.
"Forget it."
"Stop- Don't say something like that and then tell me to forget it."
"I said forget it."
"I need to know what's happening with my job."
"I understand that."
"Do you?"
He looked away. I adjusted my purse on my shoulder. "I'm going."
"Then I'm coming with you." Cameron stood.
I stopped. "What?"
"I'm coming."
"No, you're not. Cameron, I'm serious."
"So am I."
He stepped closer, keeping his voice low.
"You've been stressed about this for days. You're already upset. I'm not letting you walk into that office alone when you don't even know what Ted wants."
"I can handle Ted."
"You're being ridiculous, Dixie."
"And you're being stubborn!"
"That's rich coming from you." He whistled.
Molly looked up from her sundae. "Are you guys fighting?"
Both of us immediately looked at her.
"No," Cameron said.
"No," I repeated at the exact same time.
"Sounds like it." Molly went back to eating her sundae.
Cameron sighed. "Molly, I'll take you back to Mom and Dad."
"What?" Her face immediately fell.
"I'll take you home."
"But we're supposed to go to the bookstore after this. You promised."
"I know, Molly."
She looked at me, then back at Cameron. "But I barely got to spend time with Dixie."
My heart sank. I didn't want to leave Molly, it was just my career I really needed to figure out.
I glanced at Cameron, but he refused to look at me.
Molly crossed her arms. "Why are we leaving?"
"Because something came up."
She frowned. "But-"
"Come on," Cameron said gently. "I'll take you home."
"But I wanted ice cream."
"You already had ice cream."
"I want more."
"Molly."
She groaned. "Fine."
"We need to go. And quick." I looked at Cameron.
He glanced at me. "You think I don't know that, Dixie?"
There was still irritation in his expression. I could see it perfectly clear. He was angry with me, and to be quite frank, I was angry with him too.
But neither of us said anything else. We packed up what we had and started walking back toward the car.
Molly walked between us, swinging her arms. "So are we still going to the bookstore?"
"We'll go another day." Cameron sighed.
"When? Tomorrow?"
"I'll see."
"That's what adults say when they don't want to answer." Molly muttered.
I almost smiled at her response. Cameron looked down at her.
I looked ahead.
I just wanted an answer.
~
Cameron hadn't step foot into this firm for a while now- and for good reasons. Everywhere he went, he always had to make conversation with someone. He would slow me down.
When we reached Ted's door, I knocked. Cameron stayed by my side, looking down at the floor. I didn't want to look at him, so I stared straight at the door.
Ted opened the door slightly, looking at me, then at Cameron.
His eyebrows rose. "Well! I wasn't expecting company."
Neither was I, Ted. Unfortunately, my husband had invited himself.
I sighed. "He's just here."
"Hi. Cameron West. Dixie's amazing husband." Cameron immediately smiled and extended his hand.
Dixie's amazing husband.
I stared straight ahead.I was going to kill him.
I closed my eyes, sighing.
Oh my gosh.
Ted looked at his hand, then at Cameron. "Right."
He shook Cameron's hand.
"Nice to meet you, Ted."
"Likewise."
Cameron smiled brightly. Ted stepped aside. "Come in."
I walked inside first, and Cameron followed right behind me.
Ted closed the door.
Cameron looked around. "This is a nice office."
"Thank you." Ted glanced at him.
"Very impressive. I like the bookshelves."
I looked at him.
Please continue complimenting the furniture of the man deciding whether I get my career back.
Ted nodded slowly. "Those, had them for years."
"They're huge."
They're bookshelves, Cameron. Not the Grand Canyon. I was sure we had taller shelves than that.
He was probably just being kind.
I looked at Cameron. "Please stop."
"What?" He turned toward me innocently. "They're nice shelves. Hold a lot too. You think we should get these for our library?"
I rubbed my forehead completely ignoring him.
"Please, sit." Ted cleared his throat.
We sat across from him. Cameron crossed one ankle over his knee, looking completely relaxed.
I, meanwhile, felt like I was about to explode.
I turned toward Ted. "So, I'd like to talk about my position here. Again."
"Mhm."
"I asked why we couldn't discuss it over the phone."
"I remember."
"Because I would like to know why I had to drive all the way here when you could have simply told me whether or not I still had a job."
Ted leaned back. "I was getting to that."
"No, you weren't."
Cameron glanced between us. I shot him a warning look, and he immediately looked down.
"Dixie, I wanted to have this conversation in person." Ted sighed.
I folded my arms. "Okay. I'm listening, all ears."
"You can come back. You can come back to the firm."