“So, what have you been doing the last year and a half?” Max asked with genuine curiosity.
“Well, let’s see. After we separated in June, Sarah and I went to Europe for about a month.” I quickly wiped away a tear that trickled down my cheek as I talked about last June. Max seemed oblivious to my pain, but my flushed cheeks signaled my weakness. Regardless, I continued my story. “We started in New York for a few days, then went to Rome, Florence, and Paris. After Paris, we biked through the South of France, and then we sailed to Greece. Sarah and I fell in love with the oceans of Greece, so we stayed there the last week of our trip. Charlie actually met us in Greece. We all had a blast together for a few days, and then I separated from them.”
“What did you do when Charlie came? You must have been lonely.” His face turned somber. I briefly imagined how fantastic it would have been if Charlie and Max had met us in Greece. The four of us—like it used to be.
“I actually did a lot of sightseeing by myself and gallivanted from island to island. It wasn’t too bad. Sarah really needed Charlie there. They’d never been apart for that long. After summer, I returned to school and got to teach fourth grade instead of first, as originally planned. It was challenging coming up with new curriculum at the last minute, but it was a fantastic year. I didn’t realize I would enjoy fourth graders so much. They start developing a personality and a sense of humor at that age. But at the same time, they’re still innocent and sweet. Life hasn’t jaded them yet.”
“How did the house happen?” Max sounded impressed that I was on my own and doing so well.
“I randomly found my house while driving around the neighborhood. Between my earnings in college, my pitiful salary, and selling my grandparents’ condo, I scrounged up enough money to put in an offer. Luckily, the sellers accepted, and I moved in all summer. It took a little while getting used to living alone, but I have to say I’m enjoying it now.”
“It’s a great house. I’m really happy for you.” Max sweetly smiled. I felt my heart melt, as it always did when he smiled.
Max reproachfully asked about Jake. This shouldn’t have been a surprise—but it was still disconcerting to hear Jake’s name coming from Max’s lips.
“How long have you and Jake been together? I didn’t realize you were seeing someone.”
“Did you never ask Charlie or Sarah anything about me since our breakup? I can’t believe how indifferent you were to my well-being. I kept tabs on you from time to time.” My lips surprisingly formed a slight pout. With a new girlfriend, there really was no need to ask about the old one.
“We just started dating a couple of months ago. I met him at the grocery store and we’ve been seeing each other ever since. He’s so busy at the hospital that we only see each other maybe once a week. We try to talk on the phone and text, but for the most part, I barely see him. It will be a real treat to have him all to myself tomorrow.” This last statement produced a big smile on my face. Tomorrow would hopefully deepen our relationship and give us more stability. We had had too many misunderstandings on where we stood as a couple, assuming we were a couple. This trip would answer all the questions hovering over us.
Max continued with his twenty questions.
“You seem happy with Jake. What about him do you like?” I never liked this pensive look that registered on Max’s face. This look always meant that there was more on his mind than he was willing to share.
His question took me by surprise. I never thought about why I liked Jake. Even if I had thought about it, never did I imagine having to explain it to my ex-boyfriend. While pondering my answer, Max conjured up his own crazy ideas.
“It couldn’t just be his good looks or the fact that he’s an established doctor. That’s not why you’re attracted to him, is it? How old is he anyway?”
“Max. You can be so silly at times. He’s thirty and you know, you’re pretty high up the totem pole in the looks category, yourself.”
That brought back his good-looking smile.
“I guess if I had to answer your question, I like the fact that I don’t feel the need to take care of him or please him all the time. I feel secure with him. He takes care of me.”
“Are you trying to say that I never took care of you? You never felt secure with me?” His defensive and angry tone startled me.
“That’s not what I’m saying,” I stammered. “When we were dating, I was crazy in love with you.”