“The truth is I haven’t really thought about him that much.”
“Halleluiah!” Laurie crows.
“You don’t have to be so glad.”
“Oh, but I am, for you. I’ll see you tonight,” she says, when she’s done gloating. “With good news, hopefully.”
“Maybe he’ll propose,” I suggest.
“You think?”
“It’s possible.”
After our conversation, I start thinking about Jack. For so long, I’d thought he was the one, and now, even though I know without a doubt that what I felt for him doesn’t even come close to what I feel for Landon, I still feel a little ache.
I go back to work with a small sigh, and I manage to keep my thoughts of the men in my life at bay by burying myself in the things I have to do.
I WORK until late, getting home at almost eight pm. My phone starts to ring almost as soon as I enter into the apartment. It’s Laurie.
Her voice is cracking. “Rach, please be home.”
My heart constricts with dread. “Laurie, what is it?”
“Just be home,” she sobs. “I’m on my way.”
The line goes dead.
I close the door behind me and sit on the couch, kicking off my shoes as I wait for her to get home. What could have happened with Brett? I don’t even want to entertain the fears sneaking into my mind.
A few minutes later, I hear her at the door and get up. She enters the apartment and rushes into my arms, sobbing as if she’s going to die.
I get her to sit, rubbing her back to calm her down. “What happened?”
“He thinks we need to take a break,” she sniffs. When she looks at me, her makeup is all over her face, but she still manages to look beautiful. “He says if I don’t trust him after all these years then I don’t know him, that maybe I’m subconsciously trying to find a reason to break us up.” She starts to sob again. “I can’t bear it. I love him so much.”
I put my arms around her, stroking her hair. “Did you tell him that?”
She shakes her head. “No. I was so hurt and angry, I told him to do whatever he wants. Then I walked out.”
“Laurie...”
“He tried to follow me, but I told him to get lost. He probably thinks I hate him, and I do, a little, but I don’t think I can live without him.” She starts to cry again.
“Shh,” I do my best to comfort her. “It’ll be alright.”
“What if it won’t? What if this is just an excuse so he can be with someone else, like that girl from the gym. Oh God!” I hand her a tissue from my purse and she blows her nose. “Rachel, I can’t even imagine being with anyone else. What am I going to do? I love him too much.”
At that moment, I’m so angry with Brett. I know how emotional Laurie is underneath the seemingly unflappable skin, and he knows too, the more reason why he shouldn’t have hurt her like this.
Laurie cries for a while. Even after I finally convince her to change her clothes, take a warm shower and get into bed, she keeps on crying, finally falling asleep cuddled against me. When I’m sure she’s asleep, I go to take a shower and change into my nightclothes before returning to her room. Even in sleep, she looks sad, as if even in her dreams she can’t escape the threat of her relationship ending.
I’m about to call Brett when he calls me. I step into the living room to take the call.
“Is she okay?” he asks.
“What do you think? I snap.
“Rachel…” he sighs. “I just… I wish she would give me a little more credit. Trust me a little bit more. If we don’t have trust then what do we have? I want her to be happy, but she can’t be happy if she thinks the minute any girl bats an eyelash at me, I’m going to do something wrong.”