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I’m so angry with him that I could scream. But I don’t, of course, because that would draw attention to me. Instead, I focus on getting in my car and driving.
My vision blurs, and my hands clutch the steering wheel. I’m barely aware of the traffic around me, and I narrowly miss hitting one of the parked cars.
Doing the only thing that I can think of, I call Riley. Her work as a producer for reality television means she sleeps even less than I do, and there’s a good chance she’s available. Even though she’s in New York and I’m in San Antonio, we talk almost every day despite the time difference.
“Hello?” she answers.
I open my mouth to explain what just happened, but instead I start sobbing. I can’t even get one word out.
“What’s wrong?” Riley asks. “Where are you?”
“Driving,” I manage to choke out. “To work. Dan… I came home and he was in bed with some woman.”
I expect a gasp. Maybe even a yelp. But from the quiet, it seems she’s not surprised in the slightest.
“You’re not shocked?” I ask.
“Oh, honey. That jerk has been riding your coattails for the last three years. I wish I could say I’m shocked, but no, I’m not.”
“Why didn’t you tell me this before?” I sniffle.
“I tried to. You didn’t want to hear it.”
“No, I didn’t.” I wipe my eyes with the back of my hand. “And the worst part is… I still can’t believe it. I can’t believe he’s capable of doing this to me.”
“He’s a slimeball. Now you know it for sure.”
I don’t want to cry any more, but I can’t help it. The tears slide down my cheeks, and right now I can’t imagine ever being happy again.
“Why does this always happen to me?” I ask.
Before Dan, it was Jeff, who was stealing money from me. And before that it was Rob, who also cheated on me. I never even suspected they were up to no good, and now I’ve been duped again.
“You have a good heart, Erin. You’re so trusting…” She trails off.
There’s obviously more, but maybe she doesn’t want to be too harsh.
“Yeah, well, I’m done being trusting.” I wipe my face dry.
“I know what’ll cheer you up.”
I sniffle. “What?”
“I’ll come see you next week, how about that? We’ll go shopping, get our nails done, catch a movie…”
“That sounds… great. I have to work, though.”
“Erin, when are you going to take some time off?”
“When I’m dead.”
I’m only half joking. Through all the years of unpredictable and disappointing relationships, my career as a family medicine doctor has been the one thing I can count on.
“I’m serious,” Riley says. “Maybe you should take some time off and get a little perspective.”
A little perspective? On what?
She just doesn’t get it. My job is my whole life. Especially now with Dan gone.
