AllFreeNovel
Share Us
She reads the confusion on my face and laughs hollowly. “Of course, you have no idea what I’m talking about. You’re just so…clueless. Like you walk through this world like you’re the only one in it. But you’re not, Jack. Other people in this world have feelings just like you and it hurts just as much when you step all over them.”
She sounds resigned, almost apologetic even. It’s like she’s been through the wringer over and over again. I sigh, accepting what she’s saying.
“Sarah,” I say, “What happened? What did I do that was so terrible?” She rolls her eyes and turns away, but I’m not letting her blow this off. “Just tell me where it all went wrong. I deserve to know the reason for our breakup. Dammit, it wasourbreakup, but I didn’t get any say in it. What did I do?”
I let the question hang in the air between us. She just shakes her head, looking away from me as her face flushes again.
“Jack,” she says with a long sigh. “This is an old conversation. One that I’m not willing to have anymore. I have licked my wounds and walked away from this long ago. I’m not reopening them again for you.”
“Don’t, Sarah. Don’t shut me out. You owe me—”
“I don’t owe you anything.” Her voice has taken on a cold tone and her eyes are like ice. Ice with tears hanging in them. “As they say, ‘ignorance is bliss,’ so stick to that. It suits you,” she says icily.
I don’t know what to say. She blames me. She actually blames me! And I don’t even know why? I mean, I wasn’t perfect in our relationship, but who is?
The door to the restaurant opens and Clark comes stumbling out. “Hey, Jack, there you are, my dude,” he slurs. He looks like a mess. His tie is undone and one side of his shirt is hanging out of his pants. I don’t know what’s happened in there, but the party has been elevated in our absence.
“Hey,” I look at Sarah, and we simultaneously put distance between us. “I just needed some air.”
“Well, get your air and get back in here. The party’s just starting. Smith just ordered a couple of bottles of champagne and we’re thinking about heading to this club around the corner. You’re down, right?”
“No,” I say, glancing over at Sarah again. She’s not looking at me. Her arms are crossed tightly across her chest. She’s done talking to me. “I think I’m done for the night.”
Clark looks from me to her and back again. I can see something clicking around in his drunken state. “Hey,” he says. “Are you two all right?”
“We’re fine,” I answer, pulling out my phone. “And you’ve had enough for the night. I’m calling you an Uber.”
“No,” he said, waving me off and I huff.
“Clark—”
“All right, all right,” he says. He can hear the annoyance in my voice. “I get the picture. But don’t waste your money. My place is just around the corner.” He gives a sloppy gesture in the general direction of his house. Then he walks up to me and puts an arm across my shoulder and leans into me, the heavy scent of alcohol on his breath. “You know what I’m going to do, buddy? I’m gonna buy my beautiful wife some roses, and then I’m gonna make sweet love to her.”
I see a slight smile on Sarah’s face, but only for a second. She’s turning her head a little farther away, so I can’t see. I guess this is a little comical.
“Clark,” I say, “that’s not appropriate.”
“Here,” Clark shoves his car keys into my hand. “Take my car. I’m not going to need it tonight.” He turns to Sarah, peering at her through his drunken haze. “In fact, I don’t see your car around. You know, my buddy Jack is a great designated driver. You should let him take you home.”
“Oh, no, I say. I can’t—”
“You will. Or you’re fired.” Clark chuckles at his own joke, then staggers across the street into the florist’s shop.
We both watch him stumble across the street for a minute, then, in a serendipitous moment, we both laugh.
“At least he didn’t see us fighting,” she says, biting her lip thoughtfully.
“At least.” I flip Clark’s keys around in my hand. “You didn’t drive here, did you?”
“I’m fine,” she says. Not as cold, but still a little chilly. “I can catch an Uber.”
“Let me drop you off. I mean, it’s getting late and the car service is expensive. Out of everything, I’m not going to have you saying I left you on your own in the streets, too,” I say all this matter-of-factly.
She glances at me and starts to say something. Then turns away wearily, obviously giving up on it. “Sure, thanks.”
Moments later, the evening air pours into the car as I accelerate on the empty highway. I glance over at Sarah, and I’m entranced by the sight of her. Her black hair’s undone and is blowing in the wind, blending with the sky as if she’s part of it. Her skin’s pale, her lips almost crimson. She’s beautiful and it takes so much of me to focus on the road.
Yes, I’m still frustrated with our conversation; but it’s hard to maintain that feeling when I’m with her like this. There’s nothing but the wind between us and the starry sky before us. At this moment, we’re in sync, in rhythm. It’s just like it always was.
