Morning all. I hope you are having a lovely week. Mine has thus far been pretty good. Everything seems to be flowing along well with no major bumps. I think the humidity is making everyone move just a little slower. We’ve entered the no one is going anywhere fast phase of summer. which isn’t a bad thing, even if the air is thick enough to bight a chunk out of. But for now, we have the morning prompt. So timers at the ready and off we go.
I wasn’t expecting this, but I kind of like the set up. No clue where I would take it but it is not a set up I’ve used before, so I’m kind of excited.
Wednesday, July 23rd: He’s engaged.
He’s engaged. I heard the words and they hit like an icy shock wave. I wanted to shake my head or clear my ears and ask Dana to repeat the information, to confirm that it was Andrew we were talking about.
My Andrew.
But she was already on another topic, her stream of gossip carrying her far from the jagged rocks of information where she stranded me. I knew calling her back to Andrew would only point out my interest. Make more of it than it was.
Instead I remained quiet, listening and absorbing the shock.
I tried to focus on the words she was saying and not on my own thoughts. Not to think about Andrew at all until the check came, the bill was paid and after a few air kisses I parted company with Dana. Even then I walked back to my car, taking delicate steps. I felt as if my mind was an overly filled tea cup and I needed to reach safety before my thoughts sloshed over the side and ran in staining rivulets.
Must not make a scene in public.
My mother’s favorite comment echoes through the darkly sloshing thoughts. And so I didn’t think them. I just held them in the delicate balance as I got into the car and drove back to the house.
I parked and walked insides. The cool, sheltering embrace of the house was welcome. Here I could slosh and spew and drown in my own thoughts if I wanted with no one to notice. I was the only one here, brought back to clear out the house post death. My parents were long gone but my aunt had occupied the family home while I was gone. Now she was gone and I needed to figure out what to do with it.
I thought I knew.
Andrew.
I dropped my purse on the kitchen counter and continued on through to the living room. I kicked off my heels along the way and finally slumped onto the couch.
Andrew.
I knew him my entire life. We were friends but nothing more until college. Then, finding ourselves at the same university we became closer, familiar faces in a sea of strangers. Gradually we became more. We dated.
We married.
The ceremony was small, just a few college friends as my parents were gone and his were off on their permanent vacation. It had been Venice then. We received a post card tucked into a pretty vase with a large check as a wedding present.
We were happy I thought. Both of us traveled for work but always ended up back home, together. He traveled home for work and gradually those trips increased. I saw them on our shared calendar. Eventually he was offered a more permanent position with one of the companies he worked for and thought moving home was a good idea.
He went ahead to settle things. I was still traveling for work and would join him.
My joining him was postponed repeatedly. He hadn’t found the right place, he was still looking between work. We spoke every night, most nights were video calls, at least in the beginning. There was always a reason the official move couldn’t begin. Then my latest trip ended early and needing to deal with the house, I came home. Darla invited me to lunch.
And Andrew, my husband, was apparently engaged to someone else.
Ten til Midnight 