Me:Hey. It’s almost time to leave, haven’t heard from you. Obviously. I guess I’ll just wait for you at the house. I don’t really know what else to do.
Me:I’ve been waiting twenty minutes, Cal. Please don’t tell me you’re really doing this to me again.
Me:Okay, it’s officially been forty-five minutes. There’s no way we’ll make it to Bozeman.
Me:Seriously? An hour and a half late and you can’t even text me to let me know. Nothing is different. Will it ever be?
I can’t sit around and wait for him anymore. This is the shit he always pulls. He thinks he doesn’t need to answer me, or tell me he’ll be late. He just shows up, tries to kiss me, sweeps me intohis arms and pretends that it’s all just hunky dory. No harm, no foul are the actual words that have come out of his mouth before.
I’ve eaten solidly every snack in our pantry and I’m starving. Fuck this. I’m not sitting around waiting for him another second.
Me:My idiot husband didn’t show up for our date. Want me to swing by with JJ’s favorite pizza and some ice-cream for when he goes to bed?
Dakota:Stop! I had such high hopes.
Me:> I’m not wasting this effort. Someone deserves to see it. Might as well be you and you might as well be able to get in a shower.
Dakota:Hot damn, girl. I’ll take youandthe pizza. JJ will treat ya right.
Me:Perfect. Only boy I’ll ever need.
Grabbing my keys and wallet I head out to Ms. Patti’s for a pizza and fries. And ice-cream. I hook up my phone and choose my angry girl anthem,Son of A Bitch by Jessie Murph.Singing from the top of my lungs alone in the car driving the country roads really does something soothing for the soul.
I didn’t think about my appearance when I left, I just left in anger. Now I’m parked, staring at the entrance of Ms. Patti’s. This outfit is definitely going to gain some attention.
But I already told JJ I was bringing pizza. I can’t bail now and show up empty handed.
Pushing open the truck door I take a fortifying breath, readying myself for the gossip mill.
“Ooooweee Girlie. Who's the lucky man who gets to see you tonight?” Ms. Patti whistles from behind the counter.
“Oh just a sweet little four year old who was promised pizza, because he doesn’t feel good.” I wave her off like I’m not dressed up for a night out in Bozeman.
“Don’t tell me my little man is sick still?” The whole town has adopted Jaycob as their own. The beauty of a small town is that they all become your actual village.
“Sure is. So it’s pizza and french fries for him.”
“I’m on it. Anything for mama and you?” She starts on his pizza while we talk.
“Nah. I’m going to go grab some ice-cream.” I jut my thumb toward the freezers.
“Hey, Juliette,” she calls to me. I turn to face her. “Don’t let him get away with bailin’ on ya. Those cowboys take a mile when they’re given an inch. You deserve that night away.”
My mouth drops open. “How did you-”
“Forty years with my cowboy. You think we didn’t have our tough times?”
I nod in understanding before going off to find my chocolate peanut butter cup ice cream and cookies and cream for Dakota.
I add in a pint of chocolate just in case my little buddy is feeling up for it. He was perking up when they left the bar today, but he still wasn’t his usual self.
Once I get the pizza and fries from Ms. Patti, she refuses payment when it’s going to her sick boy, a stressed out mama, and a fellow ranch wife who missed out on date night, I'm on my way. Making a mental note to let Dakota know to comp her next time they’re in the bar.
Notably, Murray’s truck isn’t in her driveway when I get here. Those two fuckers are blowing us both off.
I can hear Jaycob yelling from the porch while I pull everything out of the back of my truck.
“Aunty Juwes!”
