blurted the question out.
Mrs. Connor sighed and sat back in her chair. “I didn’t realize he told you. It’s not something he likes to share with most people.”
“Is that the reason why he’s missed work for over a week?”
“I told you already that it’s not my place to talk about his medical problems.”
“I know, but I promise the only reason I’m asking is because I want to help him.”
“How do you even know he wants your help?” she asked, brusquely. It was a question I had no answer for. Maybe Mrs. Connor was right. “You know, I’ve noticed the two of you together. He seems to care about you a lot, Jessica, but you have to realize that some people have a hard time accepting help from others.”
“So what am I supposed to do?”
“How did you find out anyway?” she asked. Mrs. Connor’s face remained expressionless as I told her the whole story. When I was done she said, “My advice to you is to wait until Justin is ready to talk to you.”
I didn’t like Mrs. Connor’s advice, but I decided to follow it anyway. Mostly because I wasn’t really sure what else to do. The temptation to call or text Justin was overwhelming, but somehow I managed to ignore it.
Justin didn’t show up for the rest of the week. By the weekend I was feeling bluer than I had in a very long time. Feelings of guilt and anger and a sense of rejection churned inside me creating an ugly stew of self-pity. Justin’s silent treatment was unbearable. I wondered if he’d ever come back to work, and if he did would he ever talk to me again or would he do his best to avoid me? I hated not knowing where I stood with him, and I hated it even more that it was all my fault.
Even my brother, who most of the time seemed completely oblivious, noticed my bleak mood. “What’s with you?” he asked.
“Nothing,” I said as I stared at a plate of scrambled eggs I’d made, but couldn’t eat.
“You look like shit.”
“Have I ever told you how good you are for my ego?”
There was a knock at the door.
“Come in,” my brother called out. Mel walked in and my brother handed her a coffee. She gave him a kiss and I couldn’t help but grumble.
“What’s with you?” she asked.
“Why does everyone keep asking me that?”
“What did you do?” Mel asked my brother.
He looked at her like he was clueless. “I did nothing.”
“I’m just feeling sorry for myself,” I confessed. Not like it wasn’t obvious.
“Why? What happened?” Mel asked.
I told her the whole stupid story. How I’d been attracted to Justin since we first met, and how I’d gotten to know him and then thought he was really nice too, and even though I swore I wasn’t interested in dating, I thought I’d show up at his place to surprise him and maybe, just maybe, he’d get a clue and see I was interested and ask me out.
“Oh, God. Don’t tell me some girl answered the door.”
I shook my head. “No. It’s worse than that, way worse.”
“What can be worse than the guy you like already being taken?”
“Oh, there are worse things.”
“Like what?”
“Like finding out someone is a double amputee when they didn’t want you to know.”
“Whoa, whoa, whoa,” Mel said, holding up her hands. “Back up a minute here.”
“He was in the Navy. He told me he got injured, but he looked fine. I figured he just had PTSD.”
“So this whole time you never knew about his legs?”
“He wears pants all the time. How was I supposed to know?”
“That’s just crazy,” Mel said, shaking her head.
“He was so mad at me. He could barely even look at me. I invaded his privacy, and he probably hates me now.”
“He doesn’t hate you,” my brother said.
“And how would you know that?”
“’Cause I’m a guy, and I know the way guys think. He’s embarrassed. Losing your legs is a big deal. He probably would’ve told you eventually, but now he can’t, because you found out on your own. You’ve got to see things from his
Mrs. Connor sighed and sat back in her chair. “I didn’t realize he told you. It’s not something he likes to share with most people.”
“Is that the reason why he’s missed work for over a week?”
“I told you already that it’s not my place to talk about his medical problems.”
“I know, but I promise the only reason I’m asking is because I want to help him.”
“How do you even know he wants your help?” she asked, brusquely. It was a question I had no answer for. Maybe Mrs. Connor was right. “You know, I’ve noticed the two of you together. He seems to care about you a lot, Jessica, but you have to realize that some people have a hard time accepting help from others.”
“So what am I supposed to do?”
“How did you find out anyway?” she asked. Mrs. Connor’s face remained expressionless as I told her the whole story. When I was done she said, “My advice to you is to wait until Justin is ready to talk to you.”
I didn’t like Mrs. Connor’s advice, but I decided to follow it anyway. Mostly because I wasn’t really sure what else to do. The temptation to call or text Justin was overwhelming, but somehow I managed to ignore it.
Justin didn’t show up for the rest of the week. By the weekend I was feeling bluer than I had in a very long time. Feelings of guilt and anger and a sense of rejection churned inside me creating an ugly stew of self-pity. Justin’s silent treatment was unbearable. I wondered if he’d ever come back to work, and if he did would he ever talk to me again or would he do his best to avoid me? I hated not knowing where I stood with him, and I hated it even more that it was all my fault.
Even my brother, who most of the time seemed completely oblivious, noticed my bleak mood. “What’s with you?” he asked.
“Nothing,” I said as I stared at a plate of scrambled eggs I’d made, but couldn’t eat.
“You look like shit.”
“Have I ever told you how good you are for my ego?”
There was a knock at the door.
“Come in,” my brother called out. Mel walked in and my brother handed her a coffee. She gave him a kiss and I couldn’t help but grumble.
“What’s with you?” she asked.
“Why does everyone keep asking me that?”
“What did you do?” Mel asked my brother.
He looked at her like he was clueless. “I did nothing.”
“I’m just feeling sorry for myself,” I confessed. Not like it wasn’t obvious.
“Why? What happened?” Mel asked.
I told her the whole stupid story. How I’d been attracted to Justin since we first met, and how I’d gotten to know him and then thought he was really nice too, and even though I swore I wasn’t interested in dating, I thought I’d show up at his place to surprise him and maybe, just maybe, he’d get a clue and see I was interested and ask me out.
“Oh, God. Don’t tell me some girl answered the door.”
I shook my head. “No. It’s worse than that, way worse.”
“What can be worse than the guy you like already being taken?”
“Oh, there are worse things.”
“Like what?”
“Like finding out someone is a double amputee when they didn’t want you to know.”
“Whoa, whoa, whoa,” Mel said, holding up her hands. “Back up a minute here.”
“He was in the Navy. He told me he got injured, but he looked fine. I figured he just had PTSD.”
“So this whole time you never knew about his legs?”
“He wears pants all the time. How was I supposed to know?”
“That’s just crazy,” Mel said, shaking her head.
“He was so mad at me. He could barely even look at me. I invaded his privacy, and he probably hates me now.”
“He doesn’t hate you,” my brother said.
“And how would you know that?”
“’Cause I’m a guy, and I know the way guys think. He’s embarrassed. Losing your legs is a big deal. He probably would’ve told you eventually, but now he can’t, because you found out on your own. You’ve got to see things from his
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