All three of them gave me varying versions of exasperated sighs.
Henock was the first one to speak. “I don’t think you’re actually this clueless. Youmustknow it can be a bit much when you do that.”
Do what?
They must have seen the confusion on my face. Heni opened his mouth then closed it again like he wasn’t sure where to start. When he did speak, he was holding up both hands in a “don’t shoot the messenger” gesture.
“It’s just sometimes you forget to ask for people’s opinions when you decide on a course of action. It’s been useful when we needed to push hard in business, but in relationships it can be problematic.” He averted his eyes as he finished that last part.
“How is this only coming up now?” I asked, flustered.
Since when was taking care of the people I loved an issue?
Heni pressed the palm of his hand on his forehead like he was trying to figure out why he even brought it up.
“Because so far, in business it was fine, and with Maxwell?—”
Three throats cleared at once, and now I was sure I was going to hear something that would make me feel like an ass.
“What?” I hissed as they all avoided eye contact. “What happened with Maxwell?”
I was feeling self-conscious and that usually led to me overthinking and overdoing. Heni and Sanjay were looking a little panicked, probably afraid I was going to get into my feelings againand they would have to deal with it. Priya, on the other hand, looked ready to read me for filth.
“Tom, I expect this level of emotional mediocrity from these two.” She flipped her hand towards Heni and Sanjay without even looking at them. They both balked, but she ignored them and kept talking. “But you’re not this hopeless. You know you can be overbearing, especially when you get all protective.”
“Well thanks for pointing out this major character flaw,” I said in an aggrieved tone. “We’ve known each other for fifteen years, it could have come up sooner.”
Priya rolled her eyes at my dramatic response. “Honestly for the most part, it’s not an issue. You’re such a level-headed and utterly decent human, it rarely comes up.” She smiled at me and then at Sanjay. “You’re a protector. You take care of the people you love, and sometimes you can go a bit overboard. With Maxwell, it wasn’t a problem. He loved being taken care of.” She smiled again and this time there was a hint of pity in there, and it made me squirm. “You guys worked longer than you should have, because you like to be the savior and Maxwell loved to be saved.” She said this as if stating a well-known fact. The other two just nodded, so I guess this was common knowledge. “It sounds like with Camilo, you’ve met your match.”
Despite the many levels of discomfort this conversation was bringing on, I had to smile at the impressed way she said that.
“You need to give him space and not come on so strong. He wants towantyou, not need you.” Okay that one landed. It was basically what Camilo told me. That he wanted me for me, not what I could do for him. And was that part of it? That I just threw money at shit hoping it would go my way?
“Fuck,” I breathed out, running my hands over my face.
Both Sanjay and Henock came over to pat me on the shoulder, but Henock spoke first.
“Just make sure you don’t steamroll Camilo, even if your intentions are good.”
I tried to laugh it off, but I still felt like an ass. “Okay, I’ll try and refrain from acting like too much of an overbearing asshole.”
“We didn’t say you were an asshole.” Sanjay thought he was a fucking riot.
I leveled a finger in his direction. “You’re not funny. But thanks for the advice. Itistrue I get carried away. I will try to dial it down when it comes to Camilo.”
Priya stood up then, put the sleeping bundle in the bassinet by her bed, and came over and patted my head, like I was wayward toddler. “You’re fine.”
“Am I though?” I asked, genuinely worried that so far I’d completely misjudged what Camilo wanted from me. “I mean, this is my problem. This is how my marriage ended. I don’t pay attention.” I was slumped over on one of the armchairs in the room and Priya sat next to me. Sanjay and Henock sat on the small loveseat across from us. “I’m doing it again. Seems like being selfish had less to do with Nuntius and more to do with me being a clueless pendejo.”
“Thomas, stop,” Sanjay said angling his head, his gaze trained on me. I knew that expression and it was the one I usually saw at work when he was done letting Heni and I set the trap and he came in for the kill. “You’re not listening. You’re letting your fragility?—”
This got him a whispered “See how he listens to me?” from Priya, and I had to bite my lip not to smile, when he turned around to look at her then said, “Like I’d still be in one piece if I didn’t.” We all laughed at that which diffused some of the tightness in my chest. Sanjay still had more sage advice for methough. “Tom. We are telling you we love you, and that we want to see you happy, for the long run. That means you may need to approach things a little differently. Will you get it right every time?”
Priya answered that question with a scoff. “None of you will.”
Sanjay dipped his head, because that man knew how to keep himself in check when it counted.
I threw my arms up in defeat and leaned against the chair. “Okay. I will try to keep the entitled asshole side of me in check.”
