Chapter 16 #2
“She and her high school has-been are having problems, and she wanted me to help her sort it out. She was upset and crying and I didn’t know what to say.
I was in shock that she called in the first place, and when she asked for my advice I didn’t know what to do.
It’s not that I want her back — hell will freeze over before that happens — but part of me will always love her, and I hate that she’s hurting.
” Hurting? Her? What about Leo? Doesn’t she realize that calling him will only hurt him?
That bitch tore him apart and left him in pieces, and now she’s running to him to help save her new marriage?
The marriage that began as an affair and demolished her marriage to Leo?
I lean forward and clasp my hands, elbows back on my thighs. I need to choose my next words wisely, because I don’t want to add insult to injury. However, the fact that he feels one iota of responsibility to help her sort through her shit makes me want to slap him upside the head.
“Leo, it is not your responsibility, nor your place, to offer marriage advice to your ex-wife. I know you care for her, but she doesn’t deserve a second of your time or concern.
” I may give him a hard time for acting like a callous frat boy, working through his anger one Tinder hookup at a time, but I’ll take that man-child over a sobbing, broken friend any day of the week.
Leo nods his head while staring down at the wet tissues in his hands.
“I know. At first I was sympathetic but I think my response was triggered by shock. I haven’t spoken to her since the divorce was finalized, and to hear from her a year and a half later caught me off guard.
I’ve been stewing on this all morning, growing more pissed by the second.
She has the nerve to call me? Does she think I’m a fucking idiot?
That I don’t see through her bullshit? This is exactly how she lit the fuse that blew up our marriage.
She confided in her punk ass ex about our private issues. Who the fuck does that?”
He pauses and looks at me, rage added to the pain in his eyes.
His chest rises and falls, he squeezes his eyes shut and begins spearing his fingers through his hair again.
When he doesn’t say anything after nearly thirty seconds, I assume he wants an answer to his rhetorical question.
“Stephanie. Stephanie does that. And you’re no fool, so you won’t fall for her manipulation. ”
“Fuck no I won’t!” Leo yells. I gesture for him to keep the volume down and he continues.
“God, Dex, you should have heard her. She said they have the same fights we used to have; like it’s déjà vu or something.
I told her I’m sorry she’s having a hard time but I’m not the person she should be talking to about it.
It was like she didn’t hear a word I said.
She started yelling about Justin being selfish and lamenting about how she’s underappreciated — you know how she is. ”
And I do. I know exactly how she is because being Leo’s confidant meant I had a front row seat when all their shit hit the fan.
“Well, what did you say to her when she finished her rant?” I ask.
“Nothing. I hung up on her mid-sentence. I have no fucking clue what else she said.”
Atta boy. “I think you made the right call. Has she reached out any more since this morning?”
Leo nods, looking exhausted. “Yeah. Like three more times. I sent her to voicemail each time.”
“Have you considered blocking her number?”
“I hadn’t before today. It never crossed my mind to block her.
She just stayed away after signing the papers.
I didn’t think I’d ever hear from her again.
When I saw her name on my caller ID, I answered without thinking.
Then when I heard her sobbing I thought maybe something had happened to her dad.
I’m still close with George and Linda, so if his cancer spread or something I’d expect a call. ”
I rub my chin, pondering whether or not he should block her number. “Would Linda contact you if something were to happen to George?”
He shrugs. “I mean, Linda and I never had any issues. I assume she’d call me but I’m not certain. Why?”
“I’m trying to think through the best way to rid yourself of Stephanie without cutting out her father.
If you block her number and something ever did happen to George, she wouldn’t be able to reach you.
I guess I’m wondering if Linda would think to call you in the same circumstance.
If that’s the case, then you don’t have anything to worry about by blocking Stephanie.
However, if she won’t keep you in the loop and you found out George passed from an online obituary or something, I know that would crush you. ”
Leo’s eyes fill with tears and I know he’s thinking about losing the only true father figure he’s ever known.
“He’s more of a dad to me than my own piece of shit father ever was.
He stood by me when Stephanie’s affair came out and all through our divorce.
I don’t visit him at their house anymore, but we talk at least once a month.
He never talks about his cancer and whether or not the treatments are working.
Every time I ask he brushes me off and says, ‘Son, don’t you worry about this old man’ as if his illness is not something I should worry about.
It fucking kills me not knowing how much longer he has left. If he’s getting better or worse.”
“Shit, man. I didn’t realize you talked that often.
” I’m seriously dumbfounded by this revelation.
“I knew you guys were close when you were married to Stephanie and that he’s still important to you, but I didn’t realize you talk to him regularly.
Isn’t that uncomfortable? I’m sure Stephanie’s name comes up in your conversations. ”
Leo lets out a huff and shakes his head. “Never. We talk about literally everything but Stephanie. He hasn’t mentioned her to me since everything was finalized.”
“Damn. That man must really love you.”
A sad smile stretches across Leo’s face and he nods. “Yeah. He does. Like his own son.”
The smile disappears and Leo rubs the heels of his hands into his eyes, trying but failing to rid himself of the clusterfuck of emotions running through his mind at this very moment. “I don’t know, man. She just caught me off guard and I don’t know how to process this curveball.”
I nod to show I’m here for him, but keep my mouth shut.
I don’t know how I would react to a call from an adulterous ex.
I haven’t spoken to Laura in six years, but she never cheated on me — not that I’m aware of, at least. I’d like to think if she called or if we ever ran into each other we’d have a slightly awkward, yet cordial, conversation.
Suddenly I start to feel claustrophobic with Leo’s varying emotions encircling my sitting area. “Let’s table this discussion and grab a coffee. I now have nineteen minutes before class and the Java Hut is on the way.”
Leo looks relieved that I’m forcing his attention away from his inner turmoil. “Sounds good. Talk to me about something good. Something light. Hockey. Talk to me about the Canadiens.”
I laugh as we stand, grab my things, and we head out of my office. “You hate the Canadiens.”
“I hate Stephanie more.” Leo pushes open the door to exit the building and we walk down the steps and toward a much-needed caffeine fix.
“Touché. Considering it’s the end of August I have just as little to report about my team as you do about the Canes.
” I shrug and pull my keys out of my front trouser pocket, hooking the ring around my finger before flipping them around in my palm.
Leo hates when I do this, so hopefully channeling his annoyance into his biggest pet peeve will distract him from thoughts of Stephanie.
“I don’t have much going on right now that’s worth talking about. ”
Leo gives me the side eye, then looks down at my hand and rolls his eyes. I’m surprised he doesn’t slap my keys out of my hand to stop my fidgeting.
“What about the hot grader? Any movement on that front?” Nope. Not unless you count my ever growing jealousy toward a certain man-child who had his hands on her earlier today.
“Nothing to report,” I shrug again, keeping my eyes fixed on the brick pathway before us. Leo’s not buying it.
“You know you’re full of shit, right? As soon as I mentioned her you stopped flipping your keys around and got all tense. What happened?” Damn. Someone’s an observant mother fucker today.
I let out a sharp breath, trying to decide which details to share and which to hold back. Maybe if I give him an inch, he’ll be satisfied.
“Considering I told you about her a little over a week ago and hadn’t seen or spoken to her again until this week, I really don’t have anything to report other than I think she’s going to be an awesome grader.
I’m thankful I won’t have to do it myself this semester.
When Matthews announced the budget cuts to our department and said she couldn’t hire any more TAs, I thought I’d be grading everything myself.
None of the TAs in our department speak French, and I didn’t realize Matthews’ new TA was fluent.
She literally sent me an email about Alis an hour before she brought her to my office to introduce us. ”
“Oh, sweet. She speaks French?” Leo looks surprised by this revelation.
“I teach French, so it would obviously be necessary for my grader to know the language, don’t you think?” Dumbass.
“Well, I mean, I guess. But I thought this semester you’re teaching more English than French. I guess I assumed she’d cover your English stuff and leave the bonjour, merci, si vu ple to you.”
We arrive at the coffee shop and, thankfully, the line is short. I check my watch again before saying, “Your French is shit, my friend.”
Leo laughs and says, “It’d be better if someone would teach it to me.”
“You only want to know curse words and come-ons. I’m not wasting my time teaching you French just so you can fulfill some stupid Don Juan fantasy.”
Leo shrugs, unperturbed and all but confirming my accusation. “Don Juan is a legend. And he was Spanish, not French.”
Before I can respond, the barista asks, “What can I get you today?”
Without even glancing at the menu, Leo orders for us. “One small black coffee with room for cream and a large white mocha with extra syrup.” He slaps me on the back and says, “He’s paying.” Of course, I am.
After paying I venture to the other side of the bar to wait for our order.
Before Leo can continue his questioning about Alis, I divert his attention with questions about how his classes are going.
He’s mid-complaint about some aloof freshman when the barista sets my coffee and his sugar-coma-in-a-cup on the pickup counter.
I don’t know how he drinks that shit. It’s straight sugar before adding extra syrup.
The day he is diagnosed diabetic, I’ll remind him it was his own doing.
I’m glad he’s talking about his new students so I can just listen and sip my coffee as we walk to the auditorium where I teach my one undergrad course.
The class is a Wednesday block, so this is my first time meeting the students.
Based on Leo’s never-ending list of annoying behaviors from the freshmen in his college algebra class, I’m in for a treat.
We stop at the entrance to the building and I pat Leo’s shoulder before walking inside. “Thanks for the heads up, man. I get to spend the next three hours with those same freshmen.”
Leo calls from behind me, “At least you get it over and done with! I spend three days a week with them!”
I laugh to myself and walk into the auditorium, fortifying myself before facing the eighty students in this class.