like hell to get him back.”
I was starting to put the puzzle pieces together, Mackenzie wasn’t just laying around today. The girl never wore sweats like this unless she was working out, she had been out on a run. “Where did you see them together?”
She rolled her eyes, “A little coffee shop down on the corner. Their coffee sucks by the way, don't go there. But anyway they were sitting outside together and she was all over him, it was gross. Even when you two were like really going at it you weren't like that. She was just, I don't know, immature. Self-conscious or something, like she doesn’t trust him.”
I knew exactly what that looked like. I'd seen college friends of mine do it a million times. They were the ones who were worried their boyfriends were cheating on them. So maybe Harli did know that I'd called him, I mean I guess my name would've come up on caller ID. And if she was answering his phone, I was sure she had seen his text messages. His last one told me he needed me, I bet he didn't say things like that her. “So what do you think I should do?” Asking my kid sister for advice, I was at an all time low.
I was ready for her to tell me to initiate some type of major smack down, that was Mackenzie’s style. What she said shocked me. “Yes you have to fight for him, but in a subtle way. Because if she gets more jealous she’ll just stay closer, and you won't get your chance. You have to take your time and think about it, you have to let him know that you're really serious.”
Was I really serious? I just ended a perfectly good relationship with Micah for him so I guess that meant I was. I looked at my phone that was sitting next to me in a perfect ray of sunlight coming through the windows. No missed calls or text messages. I realized I had to call him. I had to clear my mind.
“Thanks for the advice Kenz, now get lost.” I shook my phone at her.
She shot me one of her dazzling smiles before bouncing out the door. I held the phone in my hand and took a deep breath. I stood and crossed my room to my desk where I set the book down. I reached into my purse and pulled out the business card Zoe had given me.
I wasn't going to call Blake, not before I talked to Slade.
I dialed the number and the phone rang a few times before a receptionist answered, “Green Valley Rehabilitation Hospital, how may I direct your call?”
I took a deep breath, “I'd like to talk to a patient please.”
“And which one is that?”
“Slade Finnegan. My name is Lena.”
“Yes I see here he’s allowed phone calls now. I’ll put you through.”
The phone rang a few more times before I heard his gruff voice. “Lena?”
I sat down on the edge of my bed and absentmindedly crumpled up the business card in my hand. “Hi Slade. How are you? Are they treating you okay in there?”
I no idea what to say to him. What do you say to someone who's in rehab?
“Yeah I'm okay. They’re pretty cool here, the first few days were pretty rough. That’s on me though you know? I should have realized my drinking was out of control a while ago. You know Lena it wasn’t you. None of it was your fault.”
“I know Slade. I know it was about Megan. But I should have been here, I should have helped you. I am so sorry…”
“It wouldn’t have mattered. This was my battle to fight. How are you? How’s Blake?”
So he hadn’t talked to him. That meant he probably didn’t have the answers I was looking for.
“He's okay I think. I mean I haven't talked to him too much lately, he has a new girlfriend.”
I could almost hear him smile on the other end, “Oh? And what are you going to do about that?”
“What you mean?”
“Lena I'm in rehab. I'm not a psych ward. I know exactly how you feel about him. Your face when you realized that he had heard what we were talking about, you were crushed. You didn't want him to think any less of you than he had this whole time that you were apart. I know that feeling.”
I
I was starting to put the puzzle pieces together, Mackenzie wasn’t just laying around today. The girl never wore sweats like this unless she was working out, she had been out on a run. “Where did you see them together?”
She rolled her eyes, “A little coffee shop down on the corner. Their coffee sucks by the way, don't go there. But anyway they were sitting outside together and she was all over him, it was gross. Even when you two were like really going at it you weren't like that. She was just, I don't know, immature. Self-conscious or something, like she doesn’t trust him.”
I knew exactly what that looked like. I'd seen college friends of mine do it a million times. They were the ones who were worried their boyfriends were cheating on them. So maybe Harli did know that I'd called him, I mean I guess my name would've come up on caller ID. And if she was answering his phone, I was sure she had seen his text messages. His last one told me he needed me, I bet he didn't say things like that her. “So what do you think I should do?” Asking my kid sister for advice, I was at an all time low.
I was ready for her to tell me to initiate some type of major smack down, that was Mackenzie’s style. What she said shocked me. “Yes you have to fight for him, but in a subtle way. Because if she gets more jealous she’ll just stay closer, and you won't get your chance. You have to take your time and think about it, you have to let him know that you're really serious.”
Was I really serious? I just ended a perfectly good relationship with Micah for him so I guess that meant I was. I looked at my phone that was sitting next to me in a perfect ray of sunlight coming through the windows. No missed calls or text messages. I realized I had to call him. I had to clear my mind.
“Thanks for the advice Kenz, now get lost.” I shook my phone at her.
She shot me one of her dazzling smiles before bouncing out the door. I held the phone in my hand and took a deep breath. I stood and crossed my room to my desk where I set the book down. I reached into my purse and pulled out the business card Zoe had given me.
I wasn't going to call Blake, not before I talked to Slade.
I dialed the number and the phone rang a few times before a receptionist answered, “Green Valley Rehabilitation Hospital, how may I direct your call?”
I took a deep breath, “I'd like to talk to a patient please.”
“And which one is that?”
“Slade Finnegan. My name is Lena.”
“Yes I see here he’s allowed phone calls now. I’ll put you through.”
The phone rang a few more times before I heard his gruff voice. “Lena?”
I sat down on the edge of my bed and absentmindedly crumpled up the business card in my hand. “Hi Slade. How are you? Are they treating you okay in there?”
I no idea what to say to him. What do you say to someone who's in rehab?
“Yeah I'm okay. They’re pretty cool here, the first few days were pretty rough. That’s on me though you know? I should have realized my drinking was out of control a while ago. You know Lena it wasn’t you. None of it was your fault.”
“I know Slade. I know it was about Megan. But I should have been here, I should have helped you. I am so sorry…”
“It wouldn’t have mattered. This was my battle to fight. How are you? How’s Blake?”
So he hadn’t talked to him. That meant he probably didn’t have the answers I was looking for.
“He's okay I think. I mean I haven't talked to him too much lately, he has a new girlfriend.”
I could almost hear him smile on the other end, “Oh? And what are you going to do about that?”
“What you mean?”
“Lena I'm in rehab. I'm not a psych ward. I know exactly how you feel about him. Your face when you realized that he had heard what we were talking about, you were crushed. You didn't want him to think any less of you than he had this whole time that you were apart. I know that feeling.”
I
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