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“I came in like fifteen minutes ago,” he said. He looked a little… well, shaken? What the hell happened to him? His hair was a mess, and his shirt was untucked. Was his cheek red? I wanted to offer him a cold beer and a massage, but I knew how odd that would sound, so I offered him a compassionate look instead.
“You okay?” I asked. “You know you don’t have to come into work until tomorrow, right? We have regular hours around here.”
He chuckled at that, although it sounded a bit hollow. “Actually, I don’t know if I’m okay or not…”
“Shit.” I pulled the heavy leather chair back and took a seat, motioning for him to do the same across from me. “What happened?”
“Wendy happened. Well, no, I happened, I guess? I just… it was… just really crazy… I’m… ugh, I’m sorry.”
“Hey, hey.” I could feel his anxiety rising like a geyser. “It’s okay. You’re here; I’m here. No one else, nothing else. You’re okay.” I made sure his eyes were on mine, tilting my head when he tried to look away.
“It’s… a lot happened. Yelling and slaps. I wasn’t thinking it would get so out of hand… but then… I don’t know if I was thinking? Ugh. I’m sorry. I basically broke up with my girlfriend like an hour ago.”
I stopped my jaw from dropping, but only by milliseconds. “Don’t apologize, Jonah.” He gave me the sense of someone drowning, fighting for that breath of fresh air. It took a lot for me not to reach across the table and put my hand on his, but I didn’t want him to freak out more than he already was. “You’re with a friend. I’ve got your back, I’m here for you whenever you need to talk. Don’t apologize.”
He nodded, seeming to collect some of himself. “You’re right. I do feel like I’m with a friend. It’s weird, man. It feels like I’ve known you way longer than I actually do. When this shit went down with Wendy, I thought, for a split second, ‘damn, I should call Fox.’ No one else… Don’t know what that says about me.” He gave a self-deprecating laugh. “I’ve got other friends, I swear.”
“Sometimes you click with someone on a level no one truly understands. It happens in the army all the time. Guys usually get along with their squads, they all become family, but there’s definitely buddy pairs that form right from the start. Those are sometimes the strongest bonds I’ve ever seen.”
“I kind of wish I had a friend like that… I kind of devoted all my time to my job and my girlfriend. My college friends are all scattered and we rarely talk… After my accident, I don’t talk to much of anyone from the police department…”
“Well, you’ve got a friend in me.” I grinned at me, seeing a crack in that somber gaze. “Toy Story style.”
“All right, Woody.” And then, with a deep breath, it seemed to hit home for him. His back straightened, the wrinkle between his brows disappeared, and his hands were no longer fists on the table.
“You’ll be okay, Jonah. I can tell you’re a strong motherfucker. I can also see this was a decision that you needed to make. I think, from what I can tell, you made the right choice. It will be difficult, but it won’t be impossible. Not for a guy like you.”
“You’re right, you’re right. I’m okay. It was a long time coming. I couldn’t keep going, and her flame had clearly gone out already… Honestly, Fox… I think… well, I think I might actually be better than okay. I’m kind of… hopeful? Is that fucked up to say?”
“It’s not fucked up at all.” I made sure to not let my eye contact drop, even though his blue eyes were drilling a tunnel straight to my soul. “You were talking to me about believing in everyone having a ‘one.’ I can see how strongly you believe in that idea. I love how strongly you believe in it. So I can’t imagine how painful it was to be stuck in a relationship that you knew, deep down, wasn’t the one for you. And now, you don’t have to feel that anymore. Neither of you does. There’s an endless world of possibility open to you, now. This is a rebirth, not a death.”
Jonah’s entire demeanor was shifting. His shoulders were held higher, and his smile felt more permanent, which was a good thing because he looked damn good with a smile on his face. He took in another deep breath, let it out in a loud exhale. “You’re totally right. It’s just… I felt like there was no other time to do it. And I feel so much… better. I do. I feel like a dick saying that, but wow, I feel so much better. Sure I don’t know where I’m sleeping tonight, but that can be figured out. At least I don’t have to sleep next to someone who looks at me more like a burden than a boyfriend.”
