A Life More Complete

---Chapter 36---

Tyler and I have spent a minimal amount of time together since my ultrasound, so when he comes to me a few weeks before Halloween asking if I’ll attend a party with him I can’t help but feel pleased.

A week later I’m sitting in my office contemplating how to phrase a press release for something I feel is completely idiotic, but still part of my job, when my phone rings.

“Kristin Mullins,” I say, but my tone reeks of boredom.

“So professional, yet so uninterested. Love it,” Bob says without so much as a hello.

“Bobby!” I squeal. “To what do I owe this honor? I hope you’re not calling to cancel on me. We’re having dinner tonight whether you like it or not.”

“Oh, I just wanted to hear your beautiful voice and,” he pauses slightly, dragging out his last word for effect, “I need a huge favor.”

“Anything for you my love, as long as you’re not canceling on me.”

“Nope, not canceling. So, here it goes. Jon and I are supposed to go to this Halloween party a girl from work is throwing. We already RSVP’d and now he has to go out of town. Some work shit, trade show or I don’t know. I don’t ask anymore. I don’t want to go alone and I’d feel really bad about not showing up, so I was hoping you’d go with me. Please.”

“Sure,” I say casually.

“Seriously! Thank you so much. You know you have to wear a costume, right?

“Um, yeah. You said Halloween party.”

“Fabulous! I have the best idea for our costumes. It’s a couples party, so we need to have coordinating costumes.”

“Really? Can I back out now?”

“No. You’re gonna love this. I promise. We can go as Rosemary Woodhouse and Dr. Sapirstein. I’ve got the best pixie wig that was leftover from a commercial that we shot a few weeks back.”

“Rosemary’s Baby? Hell, yes!” I shout as Maggie leans over the reception desk and looks at me. “I’m in. When’s the party?”

“Next Saturday at seven. It’s at some hotel in L.A. I can’t remember which one. I’ll pick you up, so it doesn’t really matter.”

“Next Saturday? Shit. I’m supposed to be at some stupid Halloween party with Tyler. A guy he does business with is having a party at his house in Malibu.”

“You’re kidding me? You have to go with me. Please! Tell me you love me more.”

“Well, of course I love you more,” I say placating him and joking at the same time. “Let me figure this out. I’ll call you back in a few. Okay?”

“Okay. Love you. Remember that,” Bob whines.

“Got it.”

I hang up with Bob and quickly call Tyler’s office getting his annoying assistant. I can’t stand her, more than likely because she’s cute and young and skinny and doesn’t sweat like a pig after walking up the stairs. She is as dumb as a box of rocks and every time she answers the phone it takes everything in me not to ask her how much skill her job actually requires. I also want to let her know that I’m fully aware that she was hired solely based on her looks alone and to stop flaunting her perfect little ass in front of my husband. I keep my mouth shut. I know I’m pregnant and hormonal, but she still bugs the shit out of me.

“Oh, hey Krissy,” she says her voice dripping with sweetness. “How are you feeling? Tyler doesn’t say much. My friend who’s pregnant, her face got so fat. Hopefully yours didn’t.” This is her idea of conversation. Luckily I’m on the phone with her because I’m not sure I could handle this discourse in person.

“Not just my face, my ass, too,” I reply and the sarcasm goes right over her head.

“Oh no. Yucky. Did you want to talk to Tyler?”

“That’s why I’m calling.”

“I’ll put you through to him. Can you hold for just one second?” Before I can answer her she places me on hold. She returns a few seconds later. This time her voice is not so sweet. I know he chastised her for interrupting him with something so trivial as his wife calling. “Krissy? He’s in a meeting right now. Can he call you back later?”

“No, he can’t. Just put me through, Megan. I know he’s not in a meeting. You wouldn’t have interrupted a meeting because you know better than that. So just put me though.” This is the only way I can reach Tyler when he’s at work. I call his direct line and he forwards the call to Megan. I call his cell and it goes right to voicemail. I’m sure Megan hates me as much as I hate her. I make her working environment a living hell.

Without thinking twice or even trying to argue, she puts me though and he picks up on the first ring. “This better be important. I’m busy,” he says with frustration in his voice.

“Important meeting, huh? Don’t bullshit me. What time is that party next weekend? The one on Saturday?”

“This is why you’re calling me? I think we need to discuss what important means. It’s at nine. Why?”

“You should know by now that everything is important to me. So, here’s the deal. Bob has a party to go to in L.A. on the same night and he wants me to go with him. It starts at seven, so what if I go with him and meet you at your work party at ten? Is that cool?”

“Whatever. You don’t have to come with me. I can go it alone.”

“No. I’ll go. I’ll meet you there at ten.”

“That’s fine. Glad we could rectify your pressing situation so quickly.” His tone is now laced with flirtation.

“Thanks, Ty. Will I see you tonight?”

“I don’t know yet. If you stop bothering me at work I might actually get something done.”

“I’d like you to come home before I’m asleep. I feel like I haven’t seen you in weeks.”

“Don’t be dramatic. It hasn’t been weeks. This is my job. You knew this when you married me. I work a lot. What can I say?”

“Say that you’ll be home tonight.”

“How is it possible that in the same conversation I can go from wanting to make out with you to wanting to never speak to you again?”

“Because you love me?” I question almost looking for reassurance.

“Guess so,” he says. “I gotta go.”

Before I can say good-bye he hangs up. I call Bob back and give him the good news, which makes him sing my name and tell me he loves me.

Saturday comes quickly and I’m standing in front of the bathroom mirror dressed in a blue and white smocked apron dress, ballet flats and the perfect blonde pixie cut wig.

Tyler’s on the couch with his feet crossed at the ankles watching some guy on television rebuild an old car when I walk into the room. He takes me in with his eyes and smirks, but there’s still a genuine affection for me in his eyes. It’s times like this when he looks at me and I can feel the energy between us that makes me think we will make it after all.

“You look adorable,” he says taking me in his arms. “I love the blonde wig. Sexy as hell.” His voice is seductive and there is something indecent in his touch. I can’t get close enough to him. My body aches to touch him. I long for it. Unfortunately, my burgeoning belly creates a barrier and my arms just barely reach his shoulders. I rise up on my toes and kiss the end of his nose.

“I’ll see you around ten, okay?”

“Sure,” he says, but he also doesn’t question anything. He doesn’t seem to care that his thirty-five week pregnant wife is going to be shuttled around the greater Los Angeles area for the night. Having his arms around me stops some of the pain, but not all of it. I feel inadequate despite his kindness tonight. With his kindness comes callousness something I have grown to expect and accept.

I slip out of his arms and into the kitchen; filling a glass with water I begin to speak knowing he isn’t listening. I don’t need the reciprocal conversation anymore. I’ve grown used to talking without being heard.

“I’ll leave the party around nine, that should get me there near ten. I’m going to have to take a cab since Bob is driving. I guess I could drive myself, but that seems silly. I really hate taxis. So dirty and germ filled.” I pause for a second to take a drink of my water. Tyler says nothing. “By the way, you never told me what you’re wearing. I hope you don’t have a mask. I’ll never be able to find you.” I wait a few seconds for him to respond but his eyes are focused on the TV. “Hey, Ty? Did you hear me?”

“Hear what?” he asks

“Hear me. I asked you what you’re wearing to the party tonight. I’m glad you’re listening to me.”

“I don’t do costumes. It’s a party with people I do business with. You think I’m gonna show up dressed like Napoleon Dynamite? No.” He huffs and uncrosses his feet. “And just so you know, I don’t listen to you. You talk just to hear yourself talk. I’ve gotten really good at tuning you out.”

“Thanks,” I mumble as I check myself out one last time. Bob strolls in through my front door just in time to keep my annoyance with Tyler from erupting into World War III.

“OMG!” he squeals when he sees me in my costume. “You look amazing. Just like her. Crazy what a wig can do, isn’t it?”

Bob’s wearing a white lab coat with the name Dr. Sapirstein embroidered on the upper left hand side. He has on a three-piece suit and a fully gray fake beard. I touch his face and giggle at how he looks. “You ready?” he asks.

“Yep. Let me say good-bye to Ty.”

Tyler’s hand flies up over the back of the couch and gives me a dismissive wave. “See ya,” he yells his voice even and his tone wry.

“I guess that’s good-bye,” I say looking at Bob. He shrugs his shoulders as I follow him out the door.