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Story: Ill Will

“How bad was the fight?”
“Actually ... He wasn’t as mad as I deserved. Especially since he’s about to get a massive ER bill after this.”
“Why are you worried about money? You married a rich guy!”
“Even if he’s rich, it doesn’t mean he wants to spend that much money on me.”
“I wish I was in front of you so I could smack you. Amy,come on.”
“Mom and Dad were nearly as rich as he is, and they still fucking complained.”
“And they’re shitty people. They wanted to spend their time and money on their worst kid.”
“I know,” I said miserably. “Levi said the same thing.”
“And do you have a reason to not believe him?”
“Not that he’s given me.”
“But the ones Mom and Dad gave you?”
“You saw how they acted.”
“And I wanted to kick them in the shins, but I had a feeling you would hate that.”
“It didn’t occur to me that life could be different until ... Levi. He’s offered to solve every single one of my problems, and I can’t help but wait until the other shoe drops and he’s gone.”
“Please. That’s not gonna happen.”
“And how do you know that?”
“Amy, you’re married to a guy who’s obsessed with you. When I went to the store with him, he wouldn’t shut up about you. I get that you’re protecting yourself or whatever, but it sounds like it’s an excuse to keep him at arm’s length instead of giving yourself the happy ending you deserve.”
“He only talked about me?”
“Yes. And he lit up like a kid at Christmas as he did so. It was so cute that it made me want to throw up.”
“I’m being dumb, aren’t I?”
“Very.”
“And somehow you’re the smart one.”
“I had years of you guiding me to get me to this moment. Don’t worry, in a few weeks I’ll do something else stupid and you’ll have to save my ass. Besides, this is the first time you’ve gotten close to someone. You’re bound to have a hard time. Your emotions are all tangled up in this.”
“I really underestimated how hard it would be.”
“I think he’s a good guy, though. Doesn’t that count for something?”
It did. Emma didn’t see the good in people. My entire life, she told me that our family sucked, or my one-night stands weren’t good enough for me, even for one night of sex.
“One of these days you’ll see yourself as others do. You could ask that woman you had at the wedding.”
“You mean Lily?”
“The one with the brown hair and freckles? She seemed nice.”
“She is,” I said.

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