Students will be able to confront the throbbing consequences of their own actions.
“Wait a second.Back up. So, he picks you up from the oddball bar that you went to with the oddball people. Did he bring the kid with him?”
I glared at the screen while Jaime shook her iced coffee. That sound was scratching my brain. “No. I think he called Mrs. Castro to babysit. Or she was there? I don’t remember.”
Many of the details were fuzzy. One of the more shameful results of last night.
“And then you had that little conversation,” she said. I didn’t see any reason to share the meltdown I had over my abandonment issues. She knew. She didn’t need that update. “The one where you said some snippy things and he said some snippy things.”
I shifted, shoving another pillow under my head. It was noon though I wasn’t prepared to leave my bed yet. “The one where he said I could divorce him if I didn’t like his rules.”
“Oof. You two should just bang and get it over with,” Jaime replied.
I scowled at the image of her on my screen. “That isnotthe answer.”
Her brows pinched together. “Pretty sure it is.”
“It’s not like I wanted to call him. And I didn’t ask him to pick me up. He chose to do that on his own. I’d just like to know what his problem is because—”
“Because you need that information in order to bang him? Let me tell you, you’re allowed to bang him without tracing those roots all the way down. And, side note, you don’t need to adopt those issues, whatever they might be, because they’re his issues and they’re abouthim. Not you.”
“I am not adopting—”
“Doll. I’ve heard every inch of this story. In my professional opinion, based upon the conclusive evidence I gathered with my own two eyes a couple of weeks ago, that boy adores you and he doesn’t know what to do about that. Also, he’s not great at speaking words. In case you haven’t noticed. He needs to put all his misery to good useandyou need to bend over and take it.”
I gaped at her.“What?”
“Okay, I mean, maybe have a conversation about how you’re both clearly very”—she waggled her eyebrows—“for each other and then bang it out. You’ll feel better. Promise.”
I had a hard time believing Noah saw me in any sexual sense. “I don’t think that’s accurate. And that’s not part of our arrangement,” I said, shielding my eyes from the sun slanting through the window. “And it’s a damn good thing it isn’t because he throws around divorce like he’s already looking for a reason to end it.”
Jaime pursed her lips. “Do you want to vent while I listen supportively or do you want me to offer solutions?”
“I don’t know,” I whined. “I’m annoyed about everything that happened last night.”
“Right. Relying on your husband is so last season.”
“He’s not my husband.”
“Heisyour husband,” she replied. “You might not be doing the picket fence thing but he can give you a ride home when you’re stuck in a sketchy bar without it being a great act of charity. Even if he wasn’t your husband, he’s your friend. You can and should expect him to be there for you when you need it.” She shook her coffee again and my skull throbbed. “Remind me why you can’t bang him?”
“There are so many reasons but the one I keep coming back to is he walked in while I was scrubbing the bathtub naked. No one can recover from that. Even if he was interested in me—which he isn’t—he got an eyeful of asshole, James.”
“You know, in some circles that’s just how people get to know each other,” she replied.
“In—what? What are you talking about?”
She waved a hand. “I’m not really into it so I can’t offer much detail but I know it happens.”
“Should I be concerned about you?” I asked.
“No more than usual.” She shook her head. “I’m good. I’ve been to therapy for the past couple of weeks. I’m a week ahead on my lesson plans. I’ve made friends with your replacement despite resenting her existence on principle. I’m taking my vitamins, drinking my water. Having lots of sex with people I barely know. It’s good. I’m good. Let’s not worry about me when we have your problems to deal with. You should bang your husband.”
“Oh my god, Jaime,” I muttered. “That’s not going to happen.”
“It’s the best hangover remedy I know,” she said. “And I promise you will bang him eventually, at which point you’ll have to come back here and admit that I told you so.” She wagged a finger at me. “I’m going to add Grace to this call so she can start taking bets on when that will happen.”
“I can’t talk to Grace today,” I grumbled. “She’s going to tell me to get out of bed and get over myself, and I don’t want to hear any of that.”
