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“First of all, you thought wrong. Secondly, did I ever give you the impression that I don’t keep my word?”
“You can’t say that. I love you,” she says, and I scoff. I know Mildred too well. If there’s one thing I’m sure of, it’s that she doesn’t love me.
“Mildred, please just stop this. We were fine when you stopped reaching out, so let’s not change that,” I calmly explain. I’m already tired of this conversation.
She huffs on the other end, her anger evident.
“Well, I’m not going to let you get away with this. I won’t be humiliated.”
I sigh, feeling exasperated.
“There’s no need for drama, Mildred. Let’s just move on from this.”
She abruptly ends the call, leaving me standing on the balcony, a mix of relief and frustration washing over me. I turn to head back inside, only to find Phebe standing there, her expression unreadable. It’s as if she appeared out of nowhere, and it dawns on me that she may have overheard some or all my conversation with Mildred. I’m filled with mixed feelings, unsure of what to say or do.
* * *
“Mildred, what are you doing here?”I question, taken aback by her unexpected appearance at the beach house three days later. My initial surprise quickly turns into annoyance and confusion. We already settled this over the phone.
“I’m here to reclaim what belongs to me, Jeffrey.” She says, shrugging and attempting to take a smile.
I narrow my eyes, not buying her act, and ask, “And what might that be?”
“You,” she says, before throwing her arms around my neck. I stiffen before gently remove her hands from my neck, stepping back to create distance between us. Her touch is unwelcome, unlike Phebe’s. I don’t know why I’m thinking of her again.
“Mildred, let’s not play games. I’m not an object, and I certainly don’t belong to you.”
I’m taken aback when tears began to well up in her eyes. She’s quite the actress right now. She sniffles dramatically and says,
“How can you say that? After all we’ve been through?”
I sigh, tired of the theatrics.
“Mildred, I’ve made myself clear. What I don’t understand is why you’re here.”
She sobs, the sound grating on my nerves. Her calculated display of emotion doesn’t full me. She throws herself into my arms once again. I stiffen, feeling her cling to me while her sobs grow louder.
“Jeffrey, I can’t believe it’s come to this. I thought we had something real,” she says through her tears, raising her head.
I stare at her. Wondering if I misjudged her. Perhaps she genuinely felt something for me, but it’s a shame she was never the one. Awkwardly, I pat her on the back in an attempt to comfort her, even though her presence in my arms makes me uncomfortable.
“Mildred, come on. You don’t need this. If I had known you were developing feelings, I would have ended it a long ago. I assumed you knew the rules and were okay with it.”
She looks up at me, her eyes red and puffy. Her lips quiver as she moves closer, her intentions painfully obvious. Before I can react, she leans in, attempting to kiss me.
I swiftly put a hand on her shoulder and gently but firmly push her back.
“Mildred, stop. We’re over, and this isn’t helping.” I say firmly.
Her eyes flash with hurt and anger as she takes a step back, defiance in her eyes.
“You’re making a big mistake, Jeffrey. You’re letting go of something real,” she retorts.
I shake my head, frustration building.
“Mildred, this isn’t real. It never was. How many times do I need to remind you?” I say, trying to make her understand. She seems to deflate at my words, her tears slowing down.
“I thought... maybe if we had another chance,” she says, her voice filled with hope.
