“Yeah, Tori. Maybe so.”
She nodded, then released her hold on my arm before stepping back toward her car. “I’ll have Mel call you with the details. Goodnight.”
“Goodnight,” I mumbled back as she got into her car and drove away. I knew I had no business trying, and I don’t know what made me go for it anyway.
— Tori —
I have to stop internalizing this so much.
Instead of heeding my own suggestion, I turned the jets up higher, and sank lower into the tub. The water was a few degrees too hot to be comfortable, but I didn’t care. I was soaking away someone else’s heartbreak, and if I had to sweat a little to make it happen, so be it.
My morning started normal enough, setting up dates, meeting with clients, and laughing at Mel’s antics. Then, I received a drop-in meeting from Camille. She and her boyfriend Tyler were past clients, and had been together for nearly a year. They were one of my rare couples that were perfectly matched on a first date, and their love blossomed fast. I had a little suspicion, after receiving a call a month ago from Tyler asking me about jewelry stores, their wedding would be the next one I attended, so I was completely shocked when Camille informed me, in tears, that she and Tyler had broken up. She had been offered her dream job position, but it was located in Seattle, so they would have to move. Tyler already had an extremely successful career in Dallas, so he wasn’t willing to relocate. Neither of them felt a long distance relationship would work — they both thrived on touch, and proximity, which was one of the things that made them good for each other — so they decided it was time for things between them to end.
She’d come to me for a shoulder to cry on, but I ended up crying with her. I was an emotional sponge, and I soaked up Camille’s devastation over the break up to the point that by the time she left, I was nearly as drained and heartbroken as she was. I pulled myself together the best I could and left the office early, stopping to pick up sushi before I crawled into the bed to take a nap, and then soak in a hot bubble bath.
“Hey, Tee… I’m heading out… are you going to be okay?
Melanie peered around the bathroom door, with a worried look in her eyes. I smiled at her, nodding before I closed my eyes again, but I few seconds later, I felt her kneeling beside the tub.
“Tori… are you sure? You didn’t say what was wrong… you just had me cancel the appointments for the day, and you’ve been in here for hours. You know you freak me out when you get all quiet and withdrawn.”
The distressed tone of her voice made me open my eyes, and seeing her looking so concerned made me feel guilty. Mel wasn’t easily rattled, so I knew I must look pitiful to have her worried about me. “Seriously, Mel, I’ll be fine. I have a lot on my mind, and I needed to take a little break, but I’ll be back at it tomorrow to make up for today. I’m not gonna let anybody down.” I assured her.
“Maybe you should. Do you realize tomorrow is Saturday? It’s the weekend.”
“When has that mattered? I have to be flexible, and available for the clients. They’re paying me to do a job, Mel. I’ve gotta deliver.”
She let out a derisive huff as she shook her head. “And what happens when you stop being able to deliver because you’re not taking care of yourself?”