“I know. Even I can see the eww in it now.”
I keep scrolling, trying to skim all the bullshit about his new life and new job at the high-tech company, which I find out is more of a low-tech company that makes the hydraulic mechanisms for office chairs, or “computer chairs,” as the company calls them. Explains the name of the company, Compu-lift. Apparently, Sid is a “tester,” which means he sits on his ass all day making sure the chairs go up and down.
“Huh. Sure that job isn’t too much for him?” I say into the phone.
Nina laughs. “Get to the good part.”
I keep scrolling and find where he talks about how tough marriage is.
“How the hell would he know? If that baby is a newborn he can’t be married more than a few months.”
“Seven.”
“Oh, my God. Who is this poor woman he married?”
“According to Sid, her dad owns the company where he works. He told me they’re grooming him to take over.”
I snort. “So he married the boss’s daughter. Good to know he uses his brain for something more than testing chairs.”
“What part are you at now?” Nina asks.
“Um … you’re asking if he will come to see Chyna.”
“Okay, read from there. This is when he makes the jump from scumbag to douchebag.”
I don’t want to tell her that jump was made years ago, so I just read.
Sid: I just think it would really mess Chyna up for me to walk into her life out of nowhere.
Nina: I’m sure she’d be happier finally getting to meet her father.
Sid: Doesn’t she have a father? Like one of the guys you hooked up with after me.
Nina: I never hooked up with anyone else.
Sid: Yeah, right.
Nina: I was a heartbroken single mother of a baby. I didn’t want to be with anyone.
Sid: Even after all these years?
Nina: I’ve been busy.
Sid: Busy missing me?
Nina: Busy raising a child, working, and volunteering at school. I don’t have time for that shit.
Sid: You had time for it with me.
Nina: Oh, please.
Sid: Remember the weekend we rented that cottage?
Nina: No.
Sid: Come on. We didn’t wear clothes the whole weekend. That’s the shit I remember. The shit I miss. I’ve been thinking about it a lot lately.
I stop reading.
“Gross!”
“What part?” says Nina’s disembodied voice.
“He’s reminding you of that weekend you rented the cottage.”
“The one that cost me a thousand dollars. How fucking stupid is he to bring that up?”
“I’m assuming that’s a rhetorical question.”
“Hardy-har. Keep reading.”
I return to the IM stream.
Nina: But not enough to come back.
Sid: Do you want me to come back?
Nina: For a long time I did.
Sid: What about now?
Nina: Now? Why would you come back now? You have a new family.
Sid: I could come for a visit.
Nina: I thought you didn’t want to meet Chyna.
Sid: I could come back and see you.
Nina: Why would you do that?
Sid: I don’t know. Just see what’s up.
Nina: What do you mean?
Sid: You seem lonely, baby. Maybe I could cheer you up a bit.
“Oh my God!” I scream at my phone.
“Can you believe him? I was like, where the hell did that come from?”
“I hope you shut him down.”
“Not well enough. I just said no, thanks, and haven’t answered any of his messages since.”
“When was the last time you heard from him?”
“Today. He sends me messages almost every day.”
“What do they say?”
Nina sighs. “It’s a lot of ‘What did I do, baby? Are you mad at me? I still want to come for a visit’ and shit like that. I should just block him, but I’m sort of enjoying torturing him a bit.”
“You aren’t torturing him enough!”
“But I really don’t want any contact with him. I think ignoring him is good enough.”
I’m not convinced, but it’s not my battle.
“My turn,” Nina says. “Whatever happened with your fantasy man? What was his name, again?”
“Don.” I smile. Finally I can talk to someone about this!
I tell her all about how fun he is to flirty-text with and read her some of my favorites.
“And in this one he asks me … Nina? Are you still there?”
I hear breathing on the other end of the line, and then Nina practically takes my head off.
“Jen, you need to shut this shit down immediately!”
“What? Are you serious?”
“Yeah, I’m serious.”
“Neens, they don’t mean anything. They’re totally harmless.”
“Oh, really? Do you show them to Ron? Are you and he getting a good old laugh about all those coffee double entendres?”
“No. But I would show them to him. They’re just funny.”
“So you wouldn’t mind if Ron had a little banter going on with an old girlfriend of his?”
“Jesus, he wasn’t my boyfriend,” I mutter. But I give her question some thought. Would I mind if I saw a stream like this on Ron’s phone?
“I see what you’re saying, and I get how it looks, but I know what my feelings are and I have no intention of cheating on Ron.”
Even I can hear how lame I sound, but all Nina says is “Yeah, well, it’s always fun until someone loses a husband. Just be careful.”
I really don’t want to fight with her, so I promise that I will.
We make plans for lunch the next day and, after a lot of “I love you”s and “I’m sorry”s, we hang up. I feel better than I have in weeks.
13
* * *
To: Miss Ward’s Class
From: AChang
Date: 01/17
Subject: Picture Day
Hello, Parents,
It has come to my attention that some of the children did not react well to my PowerPoint presentation on the life and death of Martin Luther King. In hindsight, showing him dead in a coffin may have been too much.
Just a quick reminder that tomorrow is picture day. I know that a long weekend can sometimes make people forget. I hope you have already ironed your child’s uniform. I want us to be the cleanest class at William Taft. A bath tonight would really help with that.
I will be there tomorrow to make sure your children are neat and smiling.
Regards,
Asami
To: PWard
From: JDixon
Date: 01/17
Subject: Picture Day
Hi, Miss Ward,
Do you need any help wrangling the kids tomorrow when they’re getting their pictures taken? I’d be happy to help.
Thanks,
Jen
To: JDixon
From: PWard
Date: 01/17
Subject: Picture Day
Jen,
Sorry, but that’s a question for the class mom. You can reach out to her.
Thanks,
Peggy
* * *
Damn. I was hoping to avoid that. Ugh. This is going to hurt.
* * *
To: AChang
From: JDixon
Date: 01/17
Subject: Picture Day
Hi, Asami,
Happy New Year. Hope you are enjoying your new job. Your first email was very informative.
I was just wondering if you need any help wrangling the kids tomorrow while they are getting their pictures taken. I would be happy to keep an eye on them in the hallway before they go in, or bring a snack.
Let me know.
Jen
To: JDixon
From: AChang
Date: 01/17
Subject: Picture Day