she’s already heading out the door, her big leather bag stuffed to the brim with her laptop, books, and notepad. Her hair pulled up in a tight bun and black shades covering her eyes. She drives all the way to University of Michigan, which is about two hours away. She said she’d rather lose a little sleep than money on room and board since the rent is a lot cheaper here in Madison. Her parents are loaded, but they wanted her to go to their alumni school. When she didn’t, they paid tuition but that was it.
I meet her at the bottom of the stairs; she adjusts her bag on her shoulder and wraps her arms around herself. I can ’t see behind the black tint of her glasses, but I can tell she’s avoiding my eyes.
“H ey,” I say quietly. I see her biting her lips, the first clue that she’s pissed off, and she has every right to be. I haven’t called her since she’s been hit with a life-changing bomb less than 48 hours ago. My eyes drift down to her hand, and I’m a little relieved to see she’s still wearing her ring. Doesn’t matter, she’ll probably throw it at me after I tell her what I have to.
“You didn’t call me. You said you’ d call after you talked to your parents,” she says just as quietly.
“ I know. I messed up,” I say, folding my arms across my chest.
“ I didn’t hear from you that night or the day afterwards. And now you just show up on my steps...?” she asks with a shrug.
“ I broke my phone. I got completely tanked that night, and slept all through yesterday,” I admit. I know I sound like an idiot, but I don’t want to lie to her. After all of this, she doesn’t deserve that. I hear her take a deep breath.
“Wow. So you’ re drinking enough to sleep an entire day when you usually barely have a beer, and you don’t answer your phone or call me when you say you are. On top of all that, you leave me in the dark after possibly finding out some pretty life-changing information. Yet, I’m the last to know. I’m your fiancée, Chris! I should be the first to know!” I feel like a complete A-hole.
“I’ m really sorry, Jenna,” I say dumbly because I sound dumb.
“ You’ve been really sorry, Chris. But you being sorry doesn’t help any of this! So what happened, what did your parents say?” she fires off rapidly.
I let out a sigh ,and run my hand through my hair .
“ D.I.D. That’s what it is, right?” she answers before I can even respond, and I nod.
That’s Jenna. A lways a step ahead. I bet she won’t guess what I have to tell her next though.
“ So that woman, Lauren, she’s your wife,” she says with a laugh.
“Well, she’ s Cal’s. Cal is the one that married her,” I say, trying to distance myself from the decision as much as possible. She snatches off her glasses, and her glare makes me want to hide.
“So you’ re not going to take responsibility for any of this?” she demands.
“ 'I’m not shirking responsibility. I just want you to understand. Cal. Cal married her. I have no idea who she is. I love you. I want to marry you!”
She’ s quiet. I don’t know which is worse, her yelling or her silence.
I step closer to her , and she steps back. I’m losing her. I can feel it, and I haven’t even told her I have a kid yet.
“I’ m trying to understand. I really, really am. I spent hours online researching this. I even stumbled upon this support group online for people with your condition.” Her eyes are watery.
“ This is just so...” she sighs.
“I know that this isn’ t your fault and not something you asked for, but I’m having a pretty hard time wrapping my mind around this,” she says and clears her throat.
“ I know. Just imagine how I feel.” I chuckle, and she smiles tightly.
“If this is too much, Jenna…I wouldn’t blame you if this is too much,” I say, sitting down on her porch.
“ Chris, if this was anyone else I wouldn’t believe them. But it’s you. You’re one of the most caring, unselfish,
I meet her at the bottom of the stairs; she adjusts her bag on her shoulder and wraps her arms around herself. I can ’t see behind the black tint of her glasses, but I can tell she’s avoiding my eyes.
“H ey,” I say quietly. I see her biting her lips, the first clue that she’s pissed off, and she has every right to be. I haven’t called her since she’s been hit with a life-changing bomb less than 48 hours ago. My eyes drift down to her hand, and I’m a little relieved to see she’s still wearing her ring. Doesn’t matter, she’ll probably throw it at me after I tell her what I have to.
“You didn’t call me. You said you’ d call after you talked to your parents,” she says just as quietly.
“ I know. I messed up,” I say, folding my arms across my chest.
“ I didn’t hear from you that night or the day afterwards. And now you just show up on my steps...?” she asks with a shrug.
“ I broke my phone. I got completely tanked that night, and slept all through yesterday,” I admit. I know I sound like an idiot, but I don’t want to lie to her. After all of this, she doesn’t deserve that. I hear her take a deep breath.
“Wow. So you’ re drinking enough to sleep an entire day when you usually barely have a beer, and you don’t answer your phone or call me when you say you are. On top of all that, you leave me in the dark after possibly finding out some pretty life-changing information. Yet, I’m the last to know. I’m your fiancée, Chris! I should be the first to know!” I feel like a complete A-hole.
“I’ m really sorry, Jenna,” I say dumbly because I sound dumb.
“ You’ve been really sorry, Chris. But you being sorry doesn’t help any of this! So what happened, what did your parents say?” she fires off rapidly.
I let out a sigh ,and run my hand through my hair .
“ D.I.D. That’s what it is, right?” she answers before I can even respond, and I nod.
That’s Jenna. A lways a step ahead. I bet she won’t guess what I have to tell her next though.
“ So that woman, Lauren, she’s your wife,” she says with a laugh.
“Well, she’ s Cal’s. Cal is the one that married her,” I say, trying to distance myself from the decision as much as possible. She snatches off her glasses, and her glare makes me want to hide.
“So you’ re not going to take responsibility for any of this?” she demands.
“ 'I’m not shirking responsibility. I just want you to understand. Cal. Cal married her. I have no idea who she is. I love you. I want to marry you!”
She’ s quiet. I don’t know which is worse, her yelling or her silence.
I step closer to her , and she steps back. I’m losing her. I can feel it, and I haven’t even told her I have a kid yet.
“I’ m trying to understand. I really, really am. I spent hours online researching this. I even stumbled upon this support group online for people with your condition.” Her eyes are watery.
“ This is just so...” she sighs.
“I know that this isn’ t your fault and not something you asked for, but I’m having a pretty hard time wrapping my mind around this,” she says and clears her throat.
“ I know. Just imagine how I feel.” I chuckle, and she smiles tightly.
“If this is too much, Jenna…I wouldn’t blame you if this is too much,” I say, sitting down on her porch.
“ Chris, if this was anyone else I wouldn’t believe them. But it’s you. You’re one of the most caring, unselfish,
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