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I said, “He hasn’t reached out to me at all since…then. No texts, no phone calls, no emails, nothing. It’s like he’s broken it off clean. I guess I shouldn’t expect anything but silence from him after that, but…it feels strange.”
“Has he told you anything about his relationship with his family, especially his father?”
“No,” I said.
“Well,” she went on, “not to be disrespectful of the boss’s father or the boss’s family, but old man Bennett… Let me just say he’s kind of a piece of work. You’d think he’d express some pride in what his own son has accomplished, but that man is the sternest, most unforgiving, most judging…” She stopped herself and took a breath.
“Elijah’s father never misses an opportunity to rub his face in the way he used to be. He never gives Elijah a break. I’m sorry to speak that way of him, but that’s just the way he is. And, I think it eats Elijah up inside.”
“I had no idea,” I said. But, hearing how awful Elijah’s relationship with his father was only reminded me of how good a relationship I had with my own father. I confessed, “I think I’m going to give notice here and move back home to Youngstown.”
Barbara looked sad at that, and again I was touched by her honest concern for me. “If you do, I’ll be very, very sorry to see you go, because people here like you — especially me — and I think you could have a real future here, even without…” She tilted her head at the ceiling, indicating the office upstairs. “But, will you do just one thing for me?”
“Yes, of course,” I replied. “What?”
“Please, wait long enough to talk to Elijah again, okay? If this is your final decision, all right. But, don’t do anything until the two of you have at least tried to clear the air. Is that fair?”
I nodded and smiled a little bit. “That’s fair.”
“Okay,” said Barbara. We both got back up and I felt at least a little bit better. “I’ll let you get back to work now.”
She went back upstairs and I went back to my cubicle, taking her advice back with me.
_______________
That evening, I lay propped up on one arm of the couch where Elijah had introduced me to the greatest ecstasy I’d ever had in my life. In my lap was my computer, and on my browser were the job listings for Youngstown. I would keep my word to Barbara, but I needed to plan ahead.
While combing through the listings, I was sending the more interesting ones to Leanna on my Facebook Messenger, apprising her about my idea of moving back home. A message came through from her:Are you really, really sure you want to move back? Or, would you rather I moved there? If you feel you need your sister nearer for moral support, just say so.
I laughed and messaged back,You moving here isn’t actually a bad idea. There’s this neighborhood gym, the guy who runs it is super nice. His name is Ben; he’s also a neighbor of mine. You’d like him.
Leanna responded,You had me at gym.
He and Elijah are BFFs,I typed back.Elijah works out there all the time. I’ll never be that kind of gym rat. I can’t believe it never occurred to me to introduce you to Ben until now. The thing with Elijah has been occupying most of my thoughts.
Send me a picture before you log off,Leanna typed back.
I went to another tab on my browser and called up the Website for Diamond’s Gym. On the gym’s social media page was a nice shot of Ben in workout gear — his own body, in his line of work, being his best advertisement, after all — and copied it and attached it to another message.
Her reaction wasn’t long in coming.
I am officially hurt. You’re neighbors with this smoking hot gym instructor and never even brought him up until now? You are slipping!
With a groan and a crooked smile, I typed,I’ve had other things on my mind, like I said.
My sister would get over her minor disappointment easily enough. She had quite a bit less to be disappointed about than I had.
CHAPTER27
Elijah. Thursday
With Barbara’swords as my motivation, I bit the bullet Thursday morning. Just the thought was intimidating. But there was an old saying that I came across once. The words rang true, and as I sat up on my bed staring at my phone, they came back to me. They were from Eleanor Roosevelt.
Doone thing every day that scares you.
I thoughtback and tried to remember the last time I did something that scared me. It had been a long time; I actually couldn’t recall when I was last afraid to do something. The showdown with Kane in the lobby didn’t count. That night I was more angry than scared. I was only scared for Corinne, not for me. For myself, I was furious at Kane intruding into my life once more, storming through the door, crazed from drugs and demanding that I just hand over Corinne for some blitzed banging.
What scared me now was the thought of what Corinne might say if I tried to get in touch again after I told her that if she didn’t feel safe with me and if she doubted me, we shouldn’t be together at all. I had put it all in such stark, absolute terms.